Agency Profile

LASERS is a defined benefit plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

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 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 Figures as of June 30, 2021
Annual Benefit Payments	$1.4 billion
Average Monthly Benefit*	$2,293
Active Employees	38,572
Retirees	49,535
DROP Participants	1,311

* Rank-and-file members

Note: Inactive and terminated vested members not included in above Membership Figures.

The LASERS trust fund is the source of all benefits paid to LASERS members and their beneficiaries. Funding comes from three sources:

LASERS manages approximately one-third of its investments internally, saving millions of dollars per year in professional management fees.

Approximately $1.287 billion in benefits paid in FY 2021 in Louisiana
Approximately 92 percent of LASERS retirees live in Louisiana, resulting in an estimated $1.8 billion economic impact on our state and hometown economies
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, LASERS invested approximately $380 million in Louisiana stocks, bonds, and private equity. These investments help support thousands of jobs in Louisiana.

No Gifts for LASERS employees or trustees, please.