Illinois pensioners earn nearly $25K more retired than those working to support them

By Patrick Andriesen

06/26/2025

The average retired career state employee in Illinois was paid $93,558 in pension benefits last year. That’s $24,538 more than the average Illinoisan working to pay for those retirees.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, pensions, taxes

Teacher pension ‘pickup’ costs boost burden on Illinois taxpayers

By LyLena Estabine

05/12/2025

Illinois teachers are required to contribute 9% of their salary toward pensions, but many school districts “pick up” this cost – putting the pension burden on taxpayers.

Pritzker pushes cash to keep teachers in Illinois schools

By Dylan Sharkey

03/17/2023

Gov. J.B. Pritzker introduced a Teacher Pipeline Grant Program to address teacher vacancies, but getting more money into classrooms rather than it chasing retirement debt is a better solution.

TAGS: Governor Pritzker

TRS among worst performing public pension funds

By Dylan Sharkey

08/26/2022

Pension expert Richard Ennis analyzed public pension performance of 24 funds, finding the Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois among the worst after underperforming for 10 years.

TAGS: Amendment 1, pensions, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

By Adam Schuster

01/17/2020

Across all five state retirement systems, typical career workers pay for about 5% of the cost of their pension benefits. They receive an average of $1.7 million to $3.6 million.

TAGS: Edgar Ramp, firefighter pensions, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, government employees, government services, government unions, government workers, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Jim Edgar, JRS: Judges’ Retirement System, municipal government, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, police pensions, public sector, retirement age, Rod Blagojevich, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, Social Security, social services, Springfield, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, tax hikes, tax increase, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Senate President John Cullerton set to collect $2M pension

By Austin Berg

11/27/2019

Due to a pension sweetener available only to veteran Illinois lawmakers, Cullerton’s annual pension will soon be more than he ever made from his Statehouse salary.

TAGS: Chicago, Emil Jones, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Senate, John Cullerton, Mike Madigan, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, Springfield, tax hikes, teacher salaries, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Illinois pension buyout program delivers just 3% of projected savings

By Vincent Caruso

07/29/2019

A plan that allowed some pension enrollees to cash in early on their earned retirement benefits in exchange for curbing future benefits has so far generated only 3% of its expected savings.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, taxes, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Nearly $2.5B in Illinois public pension payments flow to 70K out-of-state retirees

By Vincent Caruso

06/25/2019

Florida is the top destination for Illinois retirees collecting a public pension.

TAGS: income tax, municipal pensions, outmigration, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Illinois banks $400M in savings from pension buyouts it can’t calculate

By Bill Reveille

04/11/2019

Illinois borrows money to reduce pension obligations, with more borrowing planned. Claims $400 million in current budget savings, but admits to investors it cannot calculate any savings.

TAGS: Accelerated Pension Benefit Payment, bonds, borrowing, debt, JB Pritzker, pension guarantee, pensions

More than 70 Belleville-area school retirees are pension millionaires

By Vincent Caruso

12/10/2018

Pension payouts collected by the Belleville area’s top-earning school retirees underscore the need to reform Illinois’ unaffordable pension system.

TAGS: Belleville, Belleville School District 118, Belleville Township School District 201, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, St. Clair County, taxes

Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois

Illinois pensioners earn nearly $25K more retired than those working to support them

Teacher pension ‘pickup’ costs boost burden on Illinois taxpayers

Pritzker pushes cash to keep teachers in Illinois schools

TRS among worst performing public pension funds

Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

Senate President John Cullerton set to collect $2M pension

Illinois pension buyout program delivers just 3% of projected savings

Nearly $2.5B in Illinois public pension payments flow to 70K out-of-state retirees

Illinois banks $400M in savings from pension buyouts it can’t calculate

More than 70 Belleville-area school retirees are pension millionaires

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students