SPRINGFIELD, IL – The TRS Board of Trustees has given final approval to a fiscal year 2023 state government contribution to TRS of $5.89 billion.
The TRS Board is required each year to calculate and certify the state’s annual contribution to the System for the next fiscal year. A preliminary contribution calculated in October was reviewed by the State Actuary, Cheiron, Inc., of McLean, Virginia, prior to final approval by TRS. The certified contribution is now forwarded to state officials for inclusion in the FY 2023 state budget.
The FY 2023 contribution is a 4 percent increase over the state’s $5.69 billion contribution for the current fiscal year. By comparison, the increase in the state’s contribution to TRS between FY 2021 and FY 2022 was 10.7 percent.
Led by a strong +25.5 percent net investment return in FY 2021 and a stable funding commitment from state government for the last few years, the System’s unfunded liability has decreased slightly from $80.7 billion to $79.9 billion. TRS ended FY 2021 with a record $63.9 billion in assets, according to the System’s annual actuarial valuation, compiled by Segal Consultants, of Chicago. The TRS funded ratio inched up during the year to 42.5 percent from 40.5 percent.
While the funded ratio is important as an official measure of the System’s long-term fiscal health, it is not a reflection of the System’s current financial ability to pay benefits. In any given year, TRS only is obligated under state law to pay out the amount of money owed annually to retired members and other beneficiaries. During FY 2021, benefits owed totaled $7.4 billion. TRS was more than able to pay all benefits for the year on time and in full. In fact, for 82 years TRS has paid all benefits in full and on time.
The actuarial valuation also revealed that since the 2019 inception of two benefit “buyout” programs, TRS members have collected $534 million in advance benefit payments. This led to a $70 million reduction in the required state contribution for FY 2023.
The Board also reviewed the following investment actions:
- Within the System’s $10.2 billion Private Equity Portfolio:
- The commitment of $25 million to Altaris Capital Partners, of New York, New York. Altaris currently manages $175 million in TRS assets.
- The commitment of up to $150 million to Clearlake Capital Partners, of Santa Monica, California. Clearlake currently manages $508 million in TRS assets.
- The commitment of $30 million to LiveOak Venture Partners, of Austin, Texas. LiveOak currently manages $61 million in TRS assets.
- The commitment of $75 million to Ridgemont Equity Partners, of Charlotte, North Carolina. Ridgemont currently manages $50 million in TRS assets.
- The commitment of $25 million to Silver Lake Partners, of Menlo Park, California. Silver Lake currently manages $714 million in TRS assets.
- Within the System’s $10.1 billion Real Assets Portfolio:
- The commitment of up to $125 million to the Macquarie Group, of New York, New York. Macquarie currently administers approximately $155 million in TRS assets.
- Within the $15.9 billion Global Income Portfolio:
- The commitment of $150 million to Pacific Investment Management Company, of Newport Beach, California. PIMCO currently administers $2.1 billion in TRS assets.
- The commitment of $150 million to Sixth Street Advisors, of San Francisco, California. This is a new investment relationship for TRS.
- The commitment of $125 million to Apollo Global Management, of New York, New York. Apollo currently administers $717.6 million in TRS assets.
- The commitment of $150 million to Cerberus Capital Management, of New York, New York. Cerberus currently administers $265.4 million in TRS assets.
- Within the $5.3 billion Diversifying Strategies Portfolio:
- The commitment of $150 million to Brevan Howard Asset Management, of London, United Kingdom. Brevan Howard currently administers $537.9 million in TRS assets.
About Teachers’ Retirement System
The Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois is the 42nd largest pension system in the United States, and provides retirement, disability and survivor benefits to teachers, administrators and other public school personnel employed outside of Chicago. The System serves 434,000 members and had assets of $64 billion as of September 30, 2021.