Judges receive the highest average pensions in New Mexico's governmental retirement system.
The Public Employees Retirement Association reported to a legislative committee this week that the average pension for judges was $66,312 in the last fiscal year. Magistrates averaged $63,648 annually.
Retirement benefits are mostly based on an employee's salary and how long they've worked for the government.
District judges currently earn a salary of $112,747 a year. A Supreme Court justice is paid $124,927.
The report said pensions average $27,204 for state workers and their average age at retirement is almost 60 years.
Pensions average $42,144 for municipal firefighters and $36,384 for municipal police. Both have average retirement ages of almost 49.
Judges are retiring on average at about age 63 and magistrates at about 56.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.