Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) vs Denver Employees Retirement Plan
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) (C) and Denver Employees Retirement Plan (B) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 65% and 79% respectively — within a few points of each other.
With grades this close, the comparison turns on plan-specific factors: status (active vs frozen), participant maturity, sponsor financial health, and multi-year trajectory rather than the headline composite.
Verdict
Denver Employees Retirement Plan has a stronger Pension Health Score of 71/100 (B) compared to Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) at 61/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 14.4 percentage points (79.2% vs 64.8%). Denver Employees Retirement Plan covers 21,000 participants.
| Metric | Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) | Denver Employees Retirement Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 61/100 (C) | 71/100 (B)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 64.8% | 79.2%* |
| Total Assets | $58.0B | $4.8B |
| Total Liabilities | $89.5B | $6.1B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $31.5B | $1.3B* |
| Participants | 625,000 | 21,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.5% | 6.1%* |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | high | moderate |
| Sponsor | State of Colorado | City of Denver |
Denver Employees Retirement Plan has a stronger Pension Health Score of 71/100 (B) compared to Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) at 61/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 14.4 percentage points (79.2% vs 64.8%). Denver Employees Retirement Plan covers 21,000 participants.
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