A new ranking puts Colorado among the top U.S. states for retiree incomes. According to IntegraCredit, Colorado retirees have an average income of $32,379 and net worth of $342,383, putting the Centennial State in fifth place behind Alaska, Maryland, Virginia, and California. However, the ranking doesn’t take cost of living into consideration, and some of the states with the highest incomes can also be expensive places to live.
The Treasury Department released proposed rules for which types of investments can be included in 530A accounts, also known as Trump Accounts. The tax-advantaged accounts are designed for children to build savings over their lifetime, and the Treasury proposal focuses on index funds with low fees.
It’s easier than ever to access financial accounts like banking and investments online, and criminals keep finding ways to gain access to those accounts and steal from unsuspecting victims. In many cases, hackers attempt to gain access indirectly by taking over email accounts or cell phone numbers. Here are some tips for keeping your accounts and personal information safe.
Maintaining social connections is an important part of living a full life in retirement, and university students in Colorado are helping by spending time with local seniors. The students are part of a nonprofit called Perfect Pair, which facilitates connections between student volunteers and residents of assisted living communities.
News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.
Each year, retirement payments to former public employees quietly boost local economies across the state of Colorado.
A June 2026 report by Pacey Nehls Economic Consulting shows Colorado PERA paid $4.78 billion in benefits to more than 119,000 state residents in 2025. As retirees spent those dollars on everyday needs like groceries, housing, and healthcare, that money flowed through local businesses to produce $7.32 billion in total economic activity, with $3.71 billion added to Colorado’s state economy.
A Multiplier Effect Across the State
The impact doesn’t stop with the first purchase. Businesses that receive retiree spending turn around and spend that money on their own supplies, payroll, and other needs. That sets off round after round of new spending, multiplying the impact of every pension check.
Pacey Nehls estimates that for every $1 paid out in PERA benefits, $1.53 in economic activity is generated in Colorado, which has helped to sustain 26,500 local jobs and $1.84 billion in wages for workers statewide.
Retiree spending also yields $406.6 million in taxes back to state and local governments. Retirees help pay for the things Colorado communities consistently rely on, from county roads to emergency services.
Where the Money Stays and Why It Matters
According to the report, consumer-facing sectors like real estate, healthcare, finance, and retail businesses see the biggest benefit, accounting for nearly two-thirds of what retirees spend.
A major reason these dollars circulate so effectively across local businesses is that most of the money stays in Colorado. More than 85% of total benefit distributions are paid directly to retirees who continue to live in the state, and those funds repeatedly change hands as retirees pay taxes and frequent local shops.
And although over half of total distributions go to the Metro Denver region, PERA payments carry an outsized impact in rural communities. In regions like the Pueblo-Southern Mountains and the San Luis Valley, pension distributions account for more than 10% of total local payroll — compared to less than 2% in the Denver metro area.
Because the PERA Defined Benefit Plan provides retirement income for life, these monthly distributions remain fixed and predictable regardless of market volatility. For rural towns, that steady spending helps keep local businesses and tax revenue stable, even when the broader economy slows down.
PERA benefits land in the bank accounts of retirees in every corner of the state, from the Front Range to the Western Slope and Eastern plains. Click or tap for an interactive county-by-county breakdown.
Two Decades of Growth
Statewide PERA distributions have climbed 95% since 2009, when annual payments totaled $2.45 billion.
Over the past decade, PERA’s pooled investments have returned an average of 9.5% annually, well above the fund’s 7.25% target rate of return. Those investment gains, not just contributions from employers and employees, have made up more than 60% of all additions to the fund since 1987.
Every dollar paid to a retired teacher, State Trooper, or local government employee keeps moving through Colorado’s economy long after it lands in a bank account. And behind these statewide figures are individual stories of retirees who’ve chosen to stay rooted in the communities where they built their careers and continue to support their neighbors.
For more information and access to detailed breakdowns by region and county, download the 2026 Economic and Fiscal Impacts report.
Colorado PERA received a clean audit at its annual hearing with the Legislative Audit Committee on August 10, 2026.
Results of annual audit
Every year, the State hires an independent auditor to examine PERA’s financial reports, compliance, and internal controls. This year, the State selected Plante & Moran to conduct that work.
The audit did not find any issues with PERA’s recently released 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and did not find any deficiencies or weaknesses in PERA’s internal controls.
In addition to the audit results, PERA executives were on hand to provide information and answer questions from Committee members. CEO/Executive Director Andrew Roth gave an overview of PERA benefits and membership, Deputy Executive Director Sarah Wager discussed highlights from the 2025 ACFR, Chief Investment Officer Amy C. McGarrity presented on PERA’s investment management and costs, and Director of Public and Government Affairs Michael Steppat provided an update on the 2026 legislative session and PERA-related bills. Representatives from the PERA Board of Trustees’ actuarial consultant, Segal, discussed PERA’s 2025 actuarial valuation and financial performance.
Ensuring robust and accurate financial reporting and internal controls is a vital part of providing retirement security to Colorado’s public workforce. To that end, the ACFR is prepared to conform with generally accepted accounting principles, including requirements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board and Actuarial Standards of Practice. PERA’s internal audit team routinely reviews internal controls and operations, and the Chief Audit Executive regularly reports to the Board of Trustees’ Audit Committee, which includes independent experts.
While PERA staff and consultants typically meet with various other legislative panels throughout the summer, those hearings were paused for the second year in a row due to budget constraints. The suspension of interim activities applies to both the Pension Review Commission, which typically begins working on bills for the next legislative session, and the Pension Review Subcommittee.
PERA’s next hearing at the State Capitol will be with the Joint Budget Committee in the fall.
The Federal Reserve has been keeping its key interest rate steady so far this year, but experts say increases are likely in the future as inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. The Fed rate remaining higher for longer can have implications for the interest rates on consumer debt like credit cards and loans.
Some Medicare enrollees could see their prescription costs rise next year due to a change in federal policy. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced an end to Medicare Part D subsidies that had been in place since the Biden administration and was intended to help keep plan premiums lower. The change only applies to individual Part D prescription plans, not Medicare Advantage plans like those offered through PERACare. We will have information available on PERACare plans and premiums in early October, and encourage enrollees to explore all options to find the coverage that’s right for them.
The federal government is working to finalize rules for the new Saver’s Match, which replaces the Saver’s Credit for lower-income workers. The Saver’s Match, which was part of the major retirement bill known as SECURE Act 2.0 in 2022, takes effect in 2027 and will allow the government to deposit matching contributions directly into an eligible worker’s retirement savings account such as a 401(k) or IRA.
The results of a recent survey reinforce the importance of early retirement planning and saving. According to the TIAA Institute, 76% of retirees say they regret not saving for retirement earlier in their career, and 71% wish they had saved more. In addition, nearly half said they wished they had done a better job of planning for costs associated with healthcare and long-term care.
News You Should Know is a digest of news from publications around the nation about finance, investing, and retirement.
