The ATRS Board received the 2014 fiscal year actuarial report today in its Board of Trustees meeting. The actuaries provided positive news for ATRS and its members. The ATRS actuaries calculated an investment return of 19.17%. The ATRS funded ratio improved from 73% funded to 77% funded on a smoothed basis and to 86% funded on an unsmoothed basis. The amortization period to pay the unfunded liabilities of ATRS dropped from 70 years to 39 years on a smoothed basis and to 16 years on an unsmoothed basis. ATRS has unrealized gains of $1.5 billion dollars to be realized over the next three fiscal years. The cost-cutting programs developed by the ATRS Board with the assistance of the Arkansas General Assembly are continuing to allow over 50% of ATRS contributions to pay the unfunded liabilities of ATRS versus less than 40% available for paying unfunded liabilities prior to the cost-cutting programs. Attached to this email are the highlights of the information presented to the ATRS Board by the actuaries along with the presentation made by the actuaries.
ATRS has changed a lot since the 2008 financial crisis in terms of its investments and benefit structure. The ATRS Board has worked to provide innovative programs like post 10-year interest, CBA accounts for T-DROP retirees, splitting T-DROP distributions, and other programs that serve members while benefiting the ATRS financial status. The latest actuarial report shows that ATRS has developed a quality asset allocation program and implemented changes that maintain quality benefits while streamlining operations. As you can see from the actuarial report, the actuaries continue to provide advice to the ATRS Board on how to continue making ATRS stronger for the future.
Remember that ATRS has a new website that allows members to have direct access to specific member account information. Retirees can see all the details on totals and deduction on monthly benefits. T-DROP members can see all past and current deposits and interest payments. T-DROP retirees with a CBA account can see monthly benefits and the current status of the CBA account. Active members can see service and salary amounts along with a handy benefits calculator to see how retirement would look now or at a future time. Over the last year, ATRS has focused a major amount of energy to redesign the website to be more user friendly with updated information and forms. ATRS now has over 2,500 registered members since registration started on August 1st. The available information and interactive ability of member access will be enhanced over time based upon member input and resources. Here is the link to an update that provides instructions on the 10 to 15 minute process it takes for a member to register to have direct access to specific ATRS account information: https://www.artrs.gov/general/director-updates/716-08-15-2014-executive-director-update-the-new-atrs-website
If you have not signed up to obtain the executive director updates through your private email address, you can obtain the executive director update on the ATRS website. The update attached to this email is also available on the ATRS website at https://www.artrs.gov/general/director-updates. Now, almost 5,000 people have signed up to receive this executive director email update and other ATRS information via this email list. In addition, over 8,000 people have access to ATRS information via the listserve, member internet access, and employer access. It is always a great pleasure for ATRS staff to learn of more ways to provide information to ATRS members, employers, and beneficiaries. The ATRS Board is committed to providing a system that is member friendly and transparent.
You can also get helpful ATRS information on the ATRS Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/arkansasteacherretirementsystem under the name of Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. Over 1,800 Facebook users get updates via the ATRS Facebook page. Go to the Facebook page and "like" ATRS to get daily updates. I try to go to the Facebook page every day to answer member questions about ATRS. In addition, if you use Twitter, you can follow events at ATRS and issues of interest by finding the Twitter ID of ATRS or find George Hopkins in the Twitter directory. The link is https://twitter.com/atrs
Respectfully,
George Hopkins
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