Like IMHO and LOL, the list of abbreviations we use every day that stand for longer names or phrases is long. Here we focus on those organizations (by acronym) that promote the facts on the sustainability of public retirement systems. These organizations conduct significant research related to retirement and are often quoted as sources in news stories about public pensions. Links to recent research or to pages with important information are included in the brief descriptions below.

CRR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College

Recognized by The New York Times as “…the nation’s leading center on retirement studies,” CRRs research covers any issue affecting individuals’ income in retirement. Their main areas are Social Security, state and local pensions, health/long-term care, financing retirement, and older workers. The Center’s work goes beyond economics. They study the behavioral factors that drive individuals’ decisions in order to craft solutions that work in practice, not just in theory.

Research: Are City Fiscal Woes Widespread? Are Pensions the Cause?

SLGE – Center for State and Local Government Excellence

The Center for State and Local Government Excellence, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, does research to shed light on these issues and to put them into perspective for policy leaders and the public.

View a map of nationwide retirement reforms.

CPRS – Coalition to Preserve Retirement Security

CPRS is the leading national organization dedicated to preserving the voluntary participation of state and local employees in Social Security.

Research: The Cost of Universal Social Security Coverage of State and Local Workers

NASRA – National Association of State Retirement Administrators

NASRA is a nonprofit association whose members are the directors of the nation’s state, territorial, and largest statewide public retirement systems. NASRA members oversee retirement systems that hold more than two-thirds of the $3.7 trillion held in trust for 15 million working and 8 million retired employees of state and local government.

NASRA Issue Brief: Public Pension Plan Investment Return Assumptions

NCPERS – National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems

The National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) is the largest trade association for public sector pension funds, representing more than 550 funds throughout the United States and Canada. It is a unique nonprofit network of trustees, administrators, public officials, and investment professionals who collectively manage nearly $3 trillion in pension assets held in trust for approximately 21 million public employees and retirees—including firefighters, law enforcement officers, teachers, and other public servants.

Read NCPERS’ written statement submitted to the United States Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy, December 18, 2013.

NCTR – National Council on Teacher Retirement

The National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR) is constituted as an independent association dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of public retirement systems in the United States and its territories to which teachers belong and to promoting the rights and benefits of all present and future members of the systems.

Check out NCTR’s Federal E-News Blog page.

NIRS – National Institute on Retirement Security

The National Institute on Retirement Security is a nonprofit research and education organization established to contribute to informed policymaking by fostering a deep understanding of the value of retirement security to employees, employers, and the economy as a whole.

Research: Pensions & Retirement Security 2013: A Roadmap for Policy Makers