The state of Michigan manages two major statewide defined-benefit pension plans.* The largest plan provides benefits for public school employees through the Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System, known as “MPSERS.” The second defined-benefit plan is provided through the Michigan State Employees’ Retirement System, which covers employees of state government and is known as “MSERS.” The MSERS defined-benefit plan was closed to state employees hired after March 1997; these employees were enrolled in MSERS’ new defined-contribution plan.*
This paper reviews MPSERS and MSERS pension and retiree medical benefits and confirms many of the published concerns* related to the level of benefits provided and the associated fiscal challenges facing Michigan taxpayers in both the short and long term.
*Citations provided in the study’s main text.
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