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NOTE 8 — DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS — STATE-WIDE (CONTINUED) The following changes in actuarial assumptions occurred in 2016: GERF: • The assumed post -retirement benefit increase rate was changed from 1% per year through 2035 and 2.5% per year thereafter to 1.0% per year for all future years. • The assumed investment return was changed from 7.9% to 7.5%. The single discount rate was changed from 7.9% to 7.5%. • Other assumptions were changed pursuant to the experience study dated June 30, 2015. The assumed future salary increases, payroll growth, and inflation were decreased by 0.25% to 3.25% for payroll growth and 2.50% for inflation. PEPFF: • The assumed post -retirement benefit increase rate was changed from 1% per year through 2037 and 2.5% per year thereafter to 1.0% per year for all future years. • The assumed investment return was changed from 7.9% to 7.5%. The single discount rate was changed from 7.9% to 5.6%. • The assumed future salary increases, payroll growth, and inflation were decreased by 0.25% to 3.25% for payroll growth and 2.50% for inflation. The State Board of Investment, which manages the investments of PERA, prepares an analysis of the reasonableness of the long-term expected rate of return on a regular basis using a building-block method in which best -estimate ranges of expected future rates of return are developed for each major asset class. These ranges are combined to produce an expected long-term rate of return by weighting the expected future rates of return by the target asset allocation percentages. The target allocation and best estimates of geometric real rates of return for each major asset class are summarized in the following table: Long -Term Expected Real Rate Asset Class Target Allocation of Return Domestic Stocks 45% 5.50% International Stocks 15% 6.00% Bonds 18% 1.45% Alternative Assets 20% 6.40% Cash 2% 0.50% Total 100% E. Discount Rate The discount rate used to measure the total pension liability in 2016 was 7.5%, a reduction from the 7.9% used in 2015. The projection of cash flows used to determine the discount rate assumed that employee and employer contributions will be made at the rate specified in statute. Based on that assumption, the fiduciary net position of GERF was projected to be available to make all projected future benefit payments of current plan members. Therefore, the long-term expected rate of return on pension plan investments was applied to all periods of projected benefit payments to determine the total pension liability. 84