The article covers:

• Aggregated data on public pension plan funding by state and why it’s misleading and paints an overly simplistic picture
• The need to consider state laws and regulations that govern how public plans operate and cause significant variance among plans
• Key features that vary from plan to plan, like benefit levels, governance, funding, future plan health and plan costs

While some clearly (and unfortunately) see the public pension plan system collectively as being on borrowed time, most plans have paid benefits for decades (or more) and never missed a benefit payment. That’s why it’s important to read articles about “public pension plan funding” critically and draw your own conclusion based on data for individual plans. Each plan’s individual underlying structure, assumptions and other features can provide insight into the health and funding trajectory of the plan.