Retirement in America Podcast | Episode 3: The State That Eliminated Pensions and Wants Them Back

Alaska is the only state in America that eliminated traditional pensions for most newly hired public employees—and nearly two decades later, the consequences are being felt across the state. In this episode of Retirement in America, National Institute on Retirement Security Executive Director Dan Doonan speaks with Alaska State Representative Chuck Kopp, a former police chief and one of the architects of Alaska's bipartisan retirement reform effort. Together, they examine how changes to retirement benefits contributed to shortages of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other essential public employees—and why lawmakers are now working to create a modern shared-risk retirement plan. In this episode: • Why Alaska became the only state to eliminate traditional pensions • How retirement benefits affect recruitment and retention • Why teacher turnover impacts student learning • The hidden costs of workforce shortages • Alaska's unique retirement challenges without Social Security coverage for many public employees • How a bipartisan coalition developed an innovative shared-risk retirement plan • What other states can learn from Alaska's experience Retirement security affects every American—not just retirees. This conversation explores the connection between retirement policy, workforce stability, public safety, education, and state budgets. Listen to Retirement in America 🌐 https://www.nirsonline.org 🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe for future conversations on retirement policy, pensions, Social Security, workforce trends, and the future of retirement security in America. #Retirement #Pensions #PublicPensions #Teachers #Education #PublicSafety #Workforce #Alaska #RetirementPlanning #Policy #Government #Podcast