Pew’s findings highlight a stark divide:

• 49% of adults age 65+ say they are aging “extremely or very well.”
• Only 30% of adults under 65 expect to age that well.

For trustees and administrators, this pessimism among active workers matters. Younger members are increasingly uncertain about their financial readiness for retirement, while retirees within your systems often report high satisfaction and stability.

This contrast is a powerful opportunity for public retirement systems to tell their story.

Retirees across Texas demonstrate daily that a secure, dignified retirement isn’t hypothetical; it’s happening, and your systems make it possible.

How TEXPERS Systems Can Leverage This Insight

• Showcase retiree outcomes. Highlight how lifetime income, system stability, and prudent oversight translate into real quality-of-life improvements.
• Use real voices. Member testimonials help younger workers see a pathway toward aging well, one supported by their pension.

Why Income Matters — And Why It Affects Public Employees

Pew’s report highlights that higher-income older adults are significantly more likely to report that they are aging very well, largely due to financial stability, improved health indicators, access to care, and social engagement.

For many Texas public employees, who work in moderate-income professions like public safety, municipal operations, and district services, this highlights the deep importance of:

• Predictable lifetime benefits
• Survivor protections
• Cost-of-living stability
• Clear communication about long-term financial security

Defined benefit plans play a particularly critical role for workers who may not have access to extensive savings vehicles or personal wealth.

Three Action Steps for TEXPERS Trustees and Administrators

1. Segment and Personalize Outreach

Recognize that age, income, and career stage influence how members perceive aging.

• Younger members benefit from retirement-readiness education.
• Mid-career members value clarity about benefit security.
• Retirees appreciate wellness, community, and engagement programs.

2. Treat Member Wellness as a Fiduciary Strategy

Better health can support more predictable patterns of longevity.

Trustees can champion:

• Financial wellness initiatives
• Member education is tied to health, longevity, and retirement planning
• Employer collaboration on preventive programs

This reinforces long-term actuarial stability and helps members age better, regardless of their income.

3. Stress-Test Your Assumptions

Income-based differences in aging outcomes raise important actuarial questions.

Consider working with actuaries to explore:

• Whether different member segments experience different longevity patterns
• How socioeconomic factors may influence mortality assumptions
• Scenario testing that anticipates long-term demographic shifts

This isn’t about forecasting the future. It’s about reducing surprises.

Using Research to Strengthen Public Trust

The Pew report offers more than demographic insights, providing trustees with a deeper understanding of the diverse experiences of the members they serve. By applying these findings, Texas pension systems can:

• Boost confidence among active workers
• Strengthen long-term fund governance
• Communicate the lasting value of defined benefit plans
• Reinforce their role as the financial backbone of public service careers

Aging is shaped by many forces, but secure retirement income is one of the most powerful. TEXPERS members ensure that the promise remains strong.

TEXPERS Deep Dive Podcast

For a quick and accessible breakdown of this research, our TEXPERS Deep Dive Podcast provides a closer look at the Pew findings and their implications for Texas public retirement systems.

Listen here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-x9wc3-19c0916.

 About the Author: Allen Jones is the director of communications and event marketing for TEXPERS. He joined the Association in 2017. Before TEXPERS, he worked in the news media industry, producing content for newspapers, magazines, and online publications and leading newsrooms as an editor and publications manager. [email protected]