On your marks, get set, go! FPPA was off to the races in 2024, a year of accomplishments, new heights, and teamwork at its finest. This year, we hit the ground running with a great win at the capitol and hit some solid splits throughout the year throughout the year, delivering useful enhancements to the Member Account Portal and a second round of One Time Lump Sum payments to retirees. But what we really did in 2024 was truly hit our stride in administering the Statewide Retirement Plan, now completed its second full year.
As you might expect in a state with a growing population, economy, and more than three dozen Olympic athletes in the 2024 Olympics, FPPA has kept pace: Investment returns remain strong, Plan contributions and retirement benefits paid were the most for a single year, and FPPA processed the second most retirements in our history.
That said, let’s take a look at some podium-worthy movements from the past 12 months at the Fire & Police Pension Association.
Member and Employer Contributions

This year, the Employer Solutions team processed almost 7,500 payroll files, totaling $404.1 million in contributions into FPPA’s plans.
Benefits Paid

We paid monthly retirement benefits to 11,452 retirees, totaling nearly $300 million. This included $4.8 million in One-Time Lump Sum payments to Statewide Retirement Plan payees.
Benefit Approvals

In 2024, the Benefit Administration team processed 287 Member retirements (second most all time) and 74 Death & Disability Plan benefits (third most all time). In the past decade, this team has processed 1,290 Member retirements.
State Funding Success

This year, an FPPA-sponsored bill passed the legislature and was signed by the governor. The legislation secured $2.05 million per year over 35 years to fulfill the state’s obligation to fund a portion of the Statewide Death & Disability Plan.
Investment Performance

FPPA’s long-term investment pool achieved a 10.03% annual return. This boosted the pool’s average return since 1980 to 9.19%.
RAP on MAP Goes Live

FPPA’s long-awaited online retirement application launched this fall. In between launch and the end of the year, 78 Members (27% of 2024’s benefit applications) applied for retirement using the new tool.
Stakeholder Connections

Between Zoom meetings and phone calls, our staff spent 526 days (1.44 years) engaging with stakeholders in 2024.
FPPA on the Road

FPPA’s Relationship Management team crisscrossed the state this year, logging 29,000 miles to visit our Members. This included stops at nearly 100 fire and police departments.
The Next Lap: What’s Coming in 2025
While continuing to keep pace and go for gold in the new year, our Members and other stakeholders have much to look forward to, including:
- New 75% payment options in the Statewide Retirement plan (already live!)
- An updated corporate website
- New tools available online, including the annual Verification of Eligibility process

Clarissa Flynn is the Content Specialist for the Fire & Police Pension Association of Colorado. When not delivering meaningful emails, social media, and blog posts to FPPA members, Clarissa enjoys exploring Colorado state parks and picking up new crafting hobbies.