July 2026
24Jul

U.S. Public Pensions Reach Best Funded Status Since 2009 – But Remain $1.13 Trillion Short

 America's state and local pension systems are in their strongest funded position since 2009, according to State of Pensions 2026, Equable Institute's seventh annual analysis of 253 statewide and municipal retirement systems across all 50 states and D.C. The national funded ratio is projected to reach 85.0% in FY2026, up 3.9 points from 81.2% in 2025 — the fourth consecutive year of improvement and the best level since 2009. Total unfunded liabilities fell to an estimated $1.13 trillion, down from...

July 24, 2026
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24Jul

US. DOL Brief Sides With Bristol-Myers in PRT Appeal

The U.S. Department of Labor has expanded its campaign to defend employers’ utilization of pension risk transfer transactions by filing an amicus brief in a Bristol-Myers Squibb appeal, joining a coalition of business groups, insurers and state attorneys general urging the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a district court decision that allowed retirees’ ERISA claims to proceed against a Bristol-Myers Squibb pension risk transfer. The filings collectively argue that the plaintiffs—company pension fund beneficiaries—lack Article III standing...

July 24, 2026
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17Jul

Mapped: The Share of Seniors in Every U.S. State

By Dorothy Neufeld America’s population is aging, but the trend looks very different from one state to the next. Using the latest U.S. Census Bureau data via USAFacts, this map shows the share of residents aged 65 and older in every state. These differences have growing implications for healthcare, housing, public services, and the workforce. The Northeast is home to many of the states with the highest shares of seniors. Maine (23.5%), Vermont (22.9%), Delaware (21.7%), and New Hampshire (21.5%) all rank near...

July 17, 2026
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17Jul

Malnutrition in Older Adults: The Hidden Threat to Healthy Longevity

By Janet Helm  When you think about malnutrition, you may picture famine or starving children in developing countries. But in the United States and across the globe, malnutrition among older adults is a quiet epidemic hiding in plain sight. A comprehensive meta-analysis of 98 studies found that about one in five older adults worldwide is malnourished, and in the Americas specifically, that number climbs to more than 20%. The more rigorous Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria, which are now endorsed...

July 17, 2026
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15Jul

WTW launches mortality model bringing enhanced predictive capabilities to U.S. pension risk transfer market

WTW (NASDAQ: WTW) today announced the launch of a new version of its Geospatial Mortality Model (GMM) intended for the U.S. pension risk transfer (PRT) market that will enable insurers and reinsurers to more accurately price and manage longevity risk. The model – already used by U.S. pension plan sponsors to set longevity assumptions – is now available to insurers to enhance PRT pricing, strengthen asset-liability management, and improve visibility into longevity risk. WTW’s GMM produces smarter, more flexible mortality assumptions...

July 15, 2026
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15Jul

US. CalPERS Posts 14.8% Preliminary Investment Return

Strong performance in both its public and private equity portfolios helped the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) achieve a preliminary net investment return of 14.8% for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2026, the pension system reported Monday. The 2025-26 fiscal year return exceeded both last year’s 11.6% performance and the assumed 6.8% rate of return set by the CalPERS Board of Administration. It is also CalPERS’ highest mark in five years and represents a four-year trend of higher...

July 15, 2026
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10Jul

Retirement in America: an Analysis of Retirement Preparedness Among Working-Age Americans

By Joelle Saad-Lessler & Tyler Bond This research examines the retirement preparedness of working-age Americans. The research answers key questions relating to retirement savings, access to retirement plans, and how saving for retirement interacts with other financial commitments, such as repaying student loan debt and owning a home. It also offers a broad examination of how different groups of workers are faring in their preparation for retirement and a consideration of where workers are falling short. The report key findings are...

July 10, 2026
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10Jul

Optimizing Retirement Financial Strategies: Integrating Annuities, Defined Contribution Plans, and Long-Term Care Costs

By Vanya Horneff, Raimond Maurer, Olivia S. Mitchell, Julius Odenbreit Nursing home costs in the United States now exceed $100,000 per year, and government assistance programs such as Medicaid help out only when retirees are largely destitute. Moreover, health shocks driving the need for such care can arise suddenly in old age, are frequently permanent in nature, and can be associated with declining mental and physical abilities. These facts raise the important question of how households can best prepare to...

July 10, 2026
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08Jul

US. Milliman analysis: Despite June dip, corporate pensions close strong second quarter 109.5% funded

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, today released its monthly Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index (PFI), which analyzes the 100 largest U.S. corporate pension plans. June’s funded ratio is significantly ahead of the 106.1% seen at the start of 2026 The funded status of the Milliman 100 PFI plans fell by $2 billion during June, after 0.42% investment returns caused plan assets to slip to $1.323 trillion as of June 30. Plan liabilities also rose during the...

July 8, 2026
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03Jul

The Longevity Economy Outlook 2026: How adults age 50 and older are reshaping work, spending and the future of the U.S. economy

By AARP The AARP Longevity Economy Outlook 2026, developed by Economist Enterprise, explores the wide-ranging impacts of the 50-plus population in the U.S., measuring the size and scope of their economic activities and societal contributions. As people live longer and healthier lives, they are contributing to communities and fueling economic growth well past the traditional retirement age. The contributions of people 50-plus generate trillions of dollars of U.S. GDP, account for a major share of consumer spending, support tens of millions...

July 3, 2026
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