Investments

Investment Objectives

To fulfill our mission of delivering benefits through sound financial stewardship, VRS strategically manages the trust fund to maximize returns while targeting an acceptable level of risk. VRS investment professionals are highly skilled with advanced degrees and specialized investment certifications. On average, team members have 18 years of investment experience and more than 10 years of service with VRS.

With a focus on long-term returns and performance, the VRS Board of Trustees, governed by the Code of Virginia, sets the portfolio policy. Our professional investment team executes the board’s policy through external investment manager selection, active management of in-house portfolios and active management of overall investment exposures.

Other contributions to the fund come from members and employers.

• Members contribute a percentage of their compensation each month.
• Employers make monthly contributions based on their total employee population.

In addition to a long-term investment strategy, VRS implements other policy and legislatively driven measures to ensure the long-term health of the fund:

• Introducing pension plan design changes, such as VRS Plan 2 and the Hybrid Retirement Plan, which have lowered the future cost of benefits.
• Ensuring a plan is in place to pay down unfunded liabilities for the state employee and teacher plans.
• Conducting experience studies, which compare actual economic and demographic experiences in recent years with VRS’ earlier projections. Experience studies help VRS estimate future costs based on recent experience and emerging trends.
• Certifying employer contribution rates with the goal of providing budget stability for employers and helping ensure sufficient funds are available to pay employees throughout retirement.

Asset Allocation as of June 30, 2024

Total Fund Market Value = $113.9 billion

Diversification creates a stable foundation and helps moderate risk associated with the stock market. By mixing stocks, bonds, real assets and other investment strategies, VRS creates a diverse portfolio, which also minimizes significant fluctuation in the rates that employers pay into the fund.

Investment Returns by Fiscal Year

Current Investment Return Assumption: 6.75%
*2001-2003: Tech bubble burst; **2008-2009: Great Recession

VRS focuses on performance over the long term, 20 to 40 years, not simply a single year. Over short periods (monthly, quarterly and even a few years), some asset classes will do well, while others will underperform.

The VRS Board of Trustees, with the expertise of an outside consultant, sets the assumed rate of return, annualized over 30 years. The board also sets the VRS benchmark to measure performance of each investment type within the portfolio. The portfolio is positioned to match the long-term needs of VRS members. Investing solely in the stock market, S&P Index or other indices would lack diversification necessary to support the future needs of VRS retirees and their beneficiaries.

By balancing risk with reward in the portfolio, the VRS fund is projected to grow steadily over time, meeting or exceeding the assumed rate of return.

Market Value by Fiscal Year

VRS reports the market value of the VRS Trust Fund at the end of each fiscal year. As of June 30, 2024, VRS' investment professionals have added approximately $7.2 billion over the past decade that would not be realized from managing a passive, indexed portfolio. By managing approximately one-third of assets internally, the team saves the fund about $58.1 million in external management fees annually compared to the cost paid by our peers for similar services. These funds are invested to pay for future benefits. Investment earnings fund approximately two-thirds of benefit payments for VRS retirees and beneficiaries. Currently, VRS pays approximately $5.7 billion annually to retirees and beneficiaries.

Quarterly Reports