Structure
LASERS is a defined benefit plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Governance
The LASERS Board of Trustees governs your retirement system. It is composed of 13 Trustees, nine of whom are elected by the membership.
- Six Trustees are elected by active members;
- Three Trustees are elected by retired members;
- Four ex officio seats are occupied by the Louisiana State Treasurer, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Retirement, a member of the House Committee on Retirement, and the Commissioner of the Division of Administration, or their designees.
Membership
Membership in LASERS is mandatory for all state employees whose employing agencies are LASERS participants, except those exempted by state law.
For further details, please go to the General Membership section of the Member’s Guide to Retirement.
Membership Figuresas of June 30, 2022 |
|
Annual Benefit Payments | $1.4 billion |
Average Monthly Benefit* | $2,338 |
Active Employees | 37,358 |
Retirees | 49,747 |
DROP Participants | 1,199 |
* Rank-and-file members
Note: Inactive and terminated vested members not included in above Membership Figures.
Funding
The LASERS trust fund is the source of all benefits paid to LASERS members and their beneficiaries. Funding comes from three sources:
- Earnings from Investments
- Employee contributions
- Employer contributions
Assets and Returns (as of 6/30/22)
- Market Value of Assets is $13.2 billion
- Total Fiscal Year Actuarial Return is 7.05 percent
LASERS manages approximately one-third of its investments internally, saving millions of dollars per year in professional management fees.
Investments in Louisiana
- Approximately $1.333 billion in benefits paid in FY 2022 in Louisiana
- Approximately 92 percent of LASERS retirees live in Louisiana, resulting in an estimated $1.9 billion economic impact on our state and hometown economies
- For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, LASERS invested approximately $430.7 million in Louisiana stocks, bonds, and private equity. These investments help support thousands of jobs in Louisiana.
LASERS Gift Policy
No Gifts for LASERS employees or trustees, please.