Statement of Railroad Retirement Benefits
If the employee is retired, the agency will provide a report of the amount of the monthly annuity. This will include a breakdown of the divisible and non-divisible components.
Estimate of Railroad Retirement Benefits
If the employee is not retired, but has completed 10 years of railroad service, or 5 years of railroad service after 1995, the agency will provide an estimate of the divisible and non-divisible monthly benefit amounts that would be payable if the employee had reached retirement age.
Basis of Estimate
The benefit estimates are based on the record of the employee’s service and earnings. The agency’s records are updated annually from employer reports of employee service and earnings for the previous year. Benefit estimates are gross annuity amounts before any reductions, such as age reduction for early retirement, reduction for additional benefit entitlement, deductions for work, Medicare premium deductions, etc. Estimates are computed in June for the preceding calendar year. For example, estimates that include employee service in 2022 were not available until June 2023.
Creditable Service and Compensation Report
Each year, the agency issues a Certificate of Service Months and Compensation (Form BA-6) to railroad employees. This report shows the employee’s service for the previous calendar year and their total creditable railroad service and compensation.
Note: The amount of creditable railroad compensation does not in any way reflect the “value” of the employee’s railroad retirement benefits.