News Releases | RRB.Gov

RRB to Launch Redesigned Website June 10

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will unveil its redesigned website (RRB.gov) on Saturday, June 10. Consequently, the website will be unavailable for several hours that day during the transition period, which will begin at 5:00 a.m.

The website's new design features a clean, consistent presentation that offers quick and easy access to essential information. Additionally, the main menu has been streamlined and includes dropdown subcategories to help simplify navigation while allowing visitors to locate information more intuitively.

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RRB Appoints General Counsel

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has appointed Ana M. Kocur as its General Counsel. She succeeds Karl T. Blank, who retired in December 2016 after 43 years of service at the agency.

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RRB Issues Statements of Service

Each year, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) prepares a Form BA-6, Certificate of Service Months and Compensation, for every railroad employee with creditable railroad compensation in the previous calendar year. The RRB mails the forms to employees during the first half of June.

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Q&A: Railroad Retirement Age Reductions

While railroad employees with less than 30 years of railroad service may retire at age 62, their railroad retirement annuities are subject to early retirement (“age”) reductions if they retire before attaining their full retirement age. There is no age reduction for those who retire with 30 years of railroad service.

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Q&A: Dual Benefit Payments

The payment of a railroad retirement annuity can be affected by entitlement to social security benefits, as well as certain other government benefits. Such dual entitlement, if not reported to the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), can result in annuity overpayments which have to be repaid, sometimes with interest and penalties. The following questions and answers describe how the RRB adjusts the railroad retirement annuities of individuals who are also eligible for social security benefits and/or other benefit payments.

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Q&A: Reporting Events and Activities That Can Affect Payment of Railroad Retirement Annuities

Railroad retirement annuitants are responsible for notifying the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) of certain events and activities that can affect the payment of their annuities. If not reported to an RRB field office, these events and activities can cause overpayments that have to be repaid, sometimes with interest and penalties. Annuitants should also know that withholding information to receive or continue receiving an annuity or knowingly making a false or fraudulent statement is a crime under federal law which may be punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both.

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Q&A: Working After Receiving An Annuity

Retirees, and those planning retirement, should be aware of the railroad retirement laws and rules governing benefit payments to annuitants who work after retirement, whether they have retired based on age and service or on disability.

The following questions and answers describe these railroad retirement work restrictions and earnings limitations on post-retirement employment, as well as how these rules can affect retirees engaging in self-employment.

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Q&A: Railroad Retirement Spouse Annuities

In addition to the railroad retirement annuities payable to railroad employees, the Railroad Retirement Act, like the Social Security Act, provides for direct payment of spouse annuities to the wives and husbands of retired employees. Divorced spouses may also qualify for annuities.

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Q&A: Buyouts and Railroad Retirement Benefits

Railroad employees frequently ask the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) how accepting a buyout from a railroad employer affects their future eligibility for benefits under the Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Acts. The following questions and answers provide information on this subject.

1. Would leaving railroad work and accepting a buyout mean that an employee forfeits any future entitlement to an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA)?

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Q&A: Longevity of Railroad Retirement Beneficiaries

Every three years, the Railroad Retirement Board’s Chief Actuary conducts a study of the longevity of its annuitants, as part of a valuation of future revenues and benefit payments. These studies consider male and female age and service annuitants, disability annuitants, and spouse and survivor annuitants. The following questions and answers summarize the results of the most recent longevity study, and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality rates.

1. What were the study's findings on the life expectancy of retired male railroaders?

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