TMRS Highlights
Media contact:
Michelle Mellon-Werch,
Director of Communications
TMRS Strategic Plan 2018 - 2022 • Adopted December 7, 2017
Overview
The Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) administers a retirement program for 888 Texas cities. TMRS administered $31.9 billion in assets as of December 31, 2019. TMRS was established in 1947 and is administered in accordance with the Texas Municipal Retirement System Act (Texas Government Code, Title 8, Subtitle G). TMRS is a qualified retirement plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The System offers a choice of benefits so that each participating city can design a plan to suit its needs and budget. IRS Favorable Determination Letter for 2017 (pdf)
TMRS administers a program for (currently) 888 cities, providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to active and retired municipal employees. Distinguishing features of the System are:
- TMRS is a statewide retirement system that cities may elect to join
- TMRS is a “hybrid”cash-balance defined benefit retirement plan rather than a traditional, formula-based defined benefit plan
- TMRS does not receive any state funds and does not administer a health care plan
- Benefits are based on a member’s account balance at retirement. The retirement benefit is funded through mandatory employee deposits, city contributions, and investment income
- For a maximum benefit TMRS plan, investment income provides as much as 80% of a 20-year employee’s benefit
Local Control - Each city chooses from a menu of benefit options to design a retirement program that suits its needs. Certain benefits chosen can be prospectively modified by each city to control costs. Each city stands on its own by having its own actuarial assets, liabilities, and funded ratio.
Conservative Plan Features - TMRS’ Investment Return Assumption is currently 6.75%. Each city’s unfunded liability is amortized over a closed period of no more than 30 years. Each member’s benefits are advance funded over the member’s working career. Contribution “holidays” are not allowed; every city must pay its required contribution.
Funded Status - The funded status (ratio) of TMRS, as a system, was 88.0% as of 12/31/2018.
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
82.9% | 85.1% | 87.2% | 84.1%* | 85.8% | 85.8% | 86.3% | 87.4% | 87.1% | 88.0% |
* The decrease from 2012 to 2013 was primarily due to a change in the actuarial cost method, from Projected Unit Credit to Entry Age Normal. The funded ratio is expected to continue increasing in future years.
Investments - Annual investment returns were 10.2% in 2009, 9.0% in 2010, 2.4% in 2011, 10.1% in 2012, 9.86% in 2013, 5.99% in 2014, 0.34% in 2015, 7.04% in 2016, 13.78% in 2017, -2.1 in 2018, and 14.27% in 2019.
Investment returns (as of 12/31/2018; Net of Fees)
1-year average |
3-year average |
5-year average |
10-year average |
20-year average |
30-year average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14.54% | 8.34% | 6.38% | 6.85% | 7.79% | 8.27% |
Benefits - The average "original" annual benefit received by retired TMRS members was $17,711 (average of all initial retirements from 1997 through 2016).
TMRS paid a total of $1.4 billion in benefits in 2019, $1.3 billion in 2018, $1.3 billion in 2017, $1.2 billion in 2016, $1.1 billion in 2015, $1 billion in 2014, and $946 million in 2013.
As a cash-balance plan, TMRS benefits are based on the contributions made by an employee, the matching amount agreed to by the city, and interest income credited to the employee’s account over the employee’s career. Employee accounts are credited a minimum of 5% per year.
A defined benefit plan, as opposed to a 401(k)-type defined contribution plan, is a plan in which the formula to compute the retirement benefit is “defined” in advance.
In this context, a maximum benefit TMRS plan refers to a plan in which a city has chosen the highest level of options for its employees; i.e., 7% employee contributions, 2:1 city match, 100% Updated Service Credit, and retiree COLAs at 70% of CPI.
The investment return assumption is the assumed future rate of return used by an actuary to determine future funding requirements. .
All TMRS benefits are fully advance funded over the active working career of each employee.
The funded status is a measure of the progress in the System’s funded ratio, which is the actuarial value of assets expressed as a percentage of the actuarial accrued liability.
Administrative costs represent the percentage of the plan’s net assets required to run the administration of the plan (includes items such as staff salaries, building and equipment costs, materials, and technology costs).
Data
Each participating TMRS city has its own retirement benefit structure within the general framework of the TMRS Act. Provisions may vary from city to city, depending upon the options selected by each city. To determine which options a particular municipality has adopted, use the My City Plan or the City Plan Provisions page. For detailed information on TMRS’ investment policy and performance, see the Investments page.
The primary financial objective of TMRS, contained in the latest Actuarial Funding Policy, is to achieve the long-term full funding of promised benefits.
Year End (as of 12/31) | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Employee Accounts* | 179,944 | 174,316 | 167,577 | 162,612 | 157,601 | 149,073 | 145,448 | 142,883 | 141,532 | 141,372 |
New Employee Members | 18,132 | 17,117 | 15,771 | 15,094 | 15,476 | 14,457 | 11,093 | 13,176 | 11,619 | 10,303 |
Retired Member Accounts | 69,625 | 66,051 | 62,776 | 59,611 | 56,481 | 48,576 | 45,580 | 42,931 | 40,534 | 38,260 |
New Retirements | 3,866 | 3,669 | 3,550 | 3,456 | 3,302 | 3,675 | 3,317 | 2,995 | 2,874 | 2,754 |
Payments to Retirees | $1.4B | $1.3B | $1.3B | $1.2B | $1.1B | $1.0B | $946.5M | $864.9M | $810.3M | $743.5M |
Total Cities | 888 | 887 | 883 | 872 | 866 | 860 | 850 | 849 | 847 | 842 |
*Total active and inactive plan member accounts.
Public Information
Stories/Studies about TMRS
TMRS Announces Retirement of Executive Director David Gavia, Commences Nationwide Search
Senate Confirms Jim Parrish Appointment
Senate Confirms Jesús A Garza Appointment
TMRS Board of Trustees Chooses Officers for 2019
Governor Appoints Jesús A. Garza to TMRS Board of Trustees
Governor Reappoints Jim Parrish to TMRS Board of Trustees
TMRS Board Dedicates New Board Room to H. Frank Simpson
Governor Reappoints Jim Jeffers to TMRS Board of Trustees
Governor Reappoints David Landis to TMRS Board of Trustees
Governor Appoints Jim Jeffers to TMRS Board of Trustees
Governor Appoints David Landis to TMRS Board of Trustees
TMRS Selects T. J. Carlson as Chief Investment Officer
TMRS' Chief Investment Officer Announces Retirement
Governor Appoints Bill Philibert to TMRS Board of Trustees
TMRS Board Appoints Advisory Committee Members
Governor Appoints Jim Parrish to TMRS Board of Trustees
Governor Appoints Roy Rodriguez to TMRS Board of Trustees
Governor Appoints Julie Oakley to TMRS Board of Trustees
TMRS Selects Nancy Goerdel as Chief Investment Officer
TMRS Wins “Plan Sponsor of the Year” Award
TMRS Board Selects David Gavia as New Executive Director
TMRS Executive Director Resigns
TMRS Investment Overview for 2008
TMRS Chooses GRS As System Actuary
Governor Appoints Two Board Members For TMRS
TMRS Chooses BlackRock As Fixed Income Advisor
R.V. Kuhns & Associates, Inc. Chosen as Investment Consultant
Members, Retirees, and Cities: Please contact us by using the Need Help? contact form.
Open Records Information
- TMRS Open Records Information
- Public Information Act Handbook from the Texas Attorney General's Office.