Public Affairs | RRB.Gov

Service and Earnings Records

The RRB maintains a record of all covered railroad service and creditable earnings after 1936. The information is recorded under the employee's social security account number used by the employer to report service and compensation to the RRB.

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Federal Income Tax on Railroad Retirement Benefits

The tier I portion of a railroad retirement annuity that is actually equivalent to a social security benefit is treated as a social security benefit for Federal income tax purposes. Depending on the amount of other income received in the taxable year, a portion of these benefit payments may be subject to Federal income tax.

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If Requirements for Benefits Are not Met

Retirement annuities are not payable by the RRB unless the employee has 5 years of creditable service after 1995 or 10 years of service at any time. Service includes any creditable military service.

Survivor annuities are not payable unless the employee had a current connection with the railroad industry and either 5 years of creditable service after 1995 or 10 years of service at any time.

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Garnishment/Property Settlements

Garnishment
Certain percentages of an employee, spouse, or survivor annuity may be subject to legal process (i.e., garnishment) to enforce an obligation for child support and/or alimony payments.

Property Settlements
Employee tier II benefits, vested dual benefits, and supplemental annuities are subject to court-ordered property settlements in proceedings related to divorce, annulment, or legal separation. Tier I benefits are not subject to property settlements.

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Right of Appeal

Persons who believe that their claims have not been adjudicated correctly may ask for reconsideration from the RRB unit that denied the claim. If not satisfied with that review, the applicant may appeal to the RRB's Bureau of Hearings and Appeals.

Further appeals can be carried to the three-member Board itself, and beyond the Board to Federal courts. The RRB's field office personnel will explain these appeals procedures and the time limits on filing appeals to those seeking reconsideration of their claims.

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Monitoring Retirement and Survivor Benefit Payments

Under several monitoring programs now in effect, the RRB maintains contact with retirement and survivor beneficiaries in order to ensure the reporting of events which would require suspension or termination of monthly benefits. The records of beneficiaries are also checked with the Social Security Administration because annuities may be affected by nonrailroad earnings and because entitlement to social security benefits affects the amount of all annuities.

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Applying for an Annuity

Applications for railroad retirement or survivor benefits are generally filed at one of the RRB's field offices, with a traveling RRB representative at a customer outreach program service location, or by telephone and mail. The agency accepts applications up to 3 months in advance of an annuity beginning date, which allows the agency to complete the processing of most new claims by a person's retirement date.

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Working After Retirement

Neither a regular annuity, a supplemental annuity, nor a spouse annuity is payable for any month in which a retired employee, regardless of age, works for an employer covered under the Railroad Retirement Act, including labor organizations. However, service for less than $25 a month to a local lodge will not prevent payment of the annuity for that month.

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Minimum Guaranty for Employee and Spouse Annuities

Under a special minimum guaranty provision, railroad families will not receive less in monthly benefits than they would have if railroad earnings were covered by social security rather than railroad retirement laws. This guaranty is intended to cover situations in which one or more members of a family would otherwise be eligible for a type of social security benefit which is not provided under the Railroad Retirement Act.

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Age and Service Annuities

An AGE AND SERVICE ANNUITY can be paid to:

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