Policy and Systems

Independent Study And Home Schooling

If a student is enrolled at an educational institution for less than 20 hours per week, but participates in the school's independent study program, provide documentation from the school recognizing and providing credits for the independent study.

The RRB requires the documentation listed in Part I for home schooling cases.

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Forms Needed to Include A Student in the Family Group

The following forms are available at the RRB field office nearest you to develop the information needed to include the student in the family group:

Form G-319 Statement Regarding Family and Earnings for the Special Guaranty Computation is required from the employee to provide information about a student's relationship to the employee.
Form G-320 Student Questionnaire for Special Guaranty Computation is required from the employee to obtain current information about the school attendance.

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When A Student Can Be Included

A student can be included in the family group if the Special Guaranty rate exceeds the regular railroad retirement rate in the month the child becomes entitled as a student. Otherwise, a student benefit is not payable in a retirement case.

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Employee's Special Guaranty Increase

The Special Guaranty provision of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) states that the total monthly benefits payable (excluding a supplemental annuity) to the employee's family will not be less than the monthly amount which would have been payable under the Social Security Act (SS Act) if the railroad employment had been covered under the SS Act.

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Part II - Student Benefit In A Special Guaranty Case

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Age 19 Attainment

If students complete graduation requirements and attain age 19 in the same month, they are in FTA that month. If students then participate in their graduation ceremonies in the following month, the students would also be in FTA in the month of graduation.

If students have not completed their requirements for high school diplomas or equivalent certificates, their student benefits normally end the first day of the month in which they attain age 19.

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Month of Graduation

If a student ceases FTA in a month and returns to school in the following month to attend graduation ceremonies, the student will be considered in FTA for the month of graduation.

However, if there is an interval of one or more calendar months between the cessation of FTA and graduation, the student is not entitled after the month FTA ceases.

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Vacation Period

A student is considered to be in "deemed" FTA during vacation, or certain other periods of non-attendance, if:

The period does not exceed four months;
The period was preceded by full-time attendance at a qualified school; and,
The student intends to return to school on a full-time basis at the end of the period.

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Home Schooling

The RRB follows the laws of the state or other jurisdiction in which the student resides.

Form G-315H Checklist for Documentation Needed for Student Age 18-19 in Home Schooling lists the items that most states require for home schooling. These include:

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Full-Time Student

For Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) purposes, a student is generally considered to be in full-time attendance (FTA) while in an elementary or secondary school course of at least 13 weeks duration with minimum attendance of 20 hours per week. The program must be in accordance with the law of the State or other jurisdiction in which the student resides. This includes enrollment in:

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