Typically, employers finance Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) obligations through either: 1) a Pay-As-You-Go (PayGo) approach; or 2) prefunding through a dedicated trust. In this article, we compare these two approaches by highlighting their advantages and drawbacks, and comparing their financial impact through a practical case study. This article is intended to increase awareness in the advantages of prefunding OPEB benefits, while also balancing current budget priorities with long-term fiscal sustainability.

This issue includes the following news summaries:

• CRR Reports on the Improvement in the Funded Status of Public Plans
• NCPERS Reports Public Pensions Drive $2.9 Trillion in Economic Output
• NASRA Reports on Sustainability Provisions for Public Pension Plans with Fixed Employer Contributions
• CRR Publishes Brief on the Financial Outlook of Social Security in 2025
• Groom Law Group Summarizes Benefits-Related Provisions Enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
• Moody's Finds Public Pension Liabilities Declined in FY 25 for the Fifth Consecutive Year
• NASBO Releases Spring 2025 Fiscal Survey of States

This issue includes the following news summaries:

• Social Security Trustees Release the 2025 Report on the Status of Social Security Funds
• Medicare Trustees Release the 2025 Report on the Financial Status of Medicare Funds
• NASRA Updates Brief on Public Pension Plan Investment Return Assumptions
• Survey Findings of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on State and Local Employees
• MissionSquare Reports on Retirement Readiness for Public Sector Employees

This issue includes the following news summaries:

• CRR Reports on Increases in Social Security Claiming Ages
• Society of Actuaries Releases Report on Pub-2016 Public Retirement Plans Mortality Tables
• MissionSquare Finds Public Sector Employees Are Concerned About Retirement Security
• CRR Releases Issue Brief on the Impact of Remote Work on Workers' Careers