The following describes railroad retirement annuity formula components as
applied to new awards. The cost-of-living adjustments applied to annuities are
described in previous pages of this publication.
Employee Retirement Annuity
The amount of a regular annuity is the total of portions which are computed
separately under different formulas and called tiers, plus any vested dual
benefit payment also due.
Tier I
The first tier is calculated in generally the same way as a social security
benefit. Any social security credits of an employee are combined with his or her
railroad retirement credits for tier I computation purposes.
In computing tier I, an employee's creditable earnings are adjusted to take into
account the changes in wage levels over a worker's lifetime. This procedure,
called indexing, increases creditable earnings from past years to reflect
average national wage levels just prior to the employee's first year of
eligibility. The adjusted earnings are used to calculate “average indexed
monthly earnings,” and a formula is applied to determine the gross tier I
amount.
For those first eligible in 2008, the gross tier I is
equal to:
- 90% of the first $711 of average indexed monthly earnings, plus
- 32% of the amount of these earnings over $711 up to $4,288, plus
- 15% of these earnings in excess of $4,288.
For employees with less than 10 years of railroad service, tier I benefits are
calculated only if the employee has at least 5 years of service after 1995 and
an “insured status” under Social Security Act rules (usually 40 quarters of
coverage), counting both railroad retirement and social security covered
earnings.
Delayed retirement credits
Tier I benefits are increased for each month an employee delays retirement
past full retirement age, up until age 70. For those who attain full retirement
age on January 1, 2007, or later with a date of birth January 2, 1941, through
January 1, 1943, the delayed retirement credit is 5/8 of 1% per month. For those
born January 2, 1943, or later, the delayed
retirement credit is 2/3 of 1 % per month (8% per year). Delayed retirement credits are not given to
an employee with less than 10 years of railroad service, even if the employee is
over full retirement age when retiring from his or her railroad job, if
the employee is also entitled to an age-reduced social security benefit and the
beginning date of that social security benefit precedes the beginning date of
his or her railroad retirement annuity.
Age reductions
For employees
retiring between age 62 and full retirement age with less than 30 years of
service, age reductions are applied separately to the components of an annuity.
As mentioned earlier, the full retirement age is gradually rising from 65 to 67,
depending on the year of birth (see
Table 4 in IB-2 Facts for more
information). The maximum annuity
reduction for retirement at age 62 is gradually increasing from 20% to 30%.
The full retirement age for employee and spouse benefits increases from 65 to 66
and from 66 to 67 at the rate of two months per year over two separate six-year
periods. These changes also affect how reduced benefits are computed for early
retirement. The increase in full retirement age from age 65 to age 66 affects
those people who were born in the years 1938 through 1942. The full retirement
age will remain at age 66 for people born in the years 1943 through 1954. The
increase in full retirement age from age 66 to age 67 affects those who were
born in the years 1955 through 1959. For people who were born in 1960 or later
the full retirement age will be age 67.
Reduced benefits continue to be available but at greater reductions. The
early-retirement reduction factor for an employee is 1/180 for each of the first
36 months of the reduction period regardless of the age of initial entitlement
and decreases to 1/240 for each month (if any) over 36, as mentioned earlier.
This will result in a gradual increase in the reduction at age 62 to 30% for an
employee once the age 67 retirement age is in effect.
If an employee has less than 10 years of railroad service and is already
entitled to an age-reduced social security benefit, the age reduction in his or
her tier I will be based on the age reduction applicable on the beginning date
of the employee's social security benefit, even if the employee is already of
full retirement age on the beginning date of his or her railroad retirement
annuity.
Age reductions are required in the tier I annuity amounts of 30-year employees
who retired at ages 60-61 before 2002 and attained age 60 or completed 30 years
of service after June 1984. The age reductions are applied
only to the tier I
annuity portion. If an employee affected by this provision was born before 1938
and attained 60/30 eligibility after December 1985, tier I is permanently
reduced by approximately 20%. For those born after 1937 who retired before 2002,
the reduction gradually increased as described earlier. In both cases, the tier
I amount is frozen until the first month throughout which the employee is age
62. It is then recomputed to reflect interim increases in national wage levels
and will become subject to future cost-of-living increases. There is no
reduction if the employee retired at age 62 or older with 30 years of service,
or at age 60 with 30 years of service and retirement is after 2001.
(See Table 4 in IB-2 Facts for more
information.)
Workers' compensation or public disability
benefit reductions
For employees who are under age 65 and receiving a
disability annuity, the tier I amount is, under certain circumstances, reduced
for receipt of workers’ compensation or public disability benefits.
Social security reductions
After
any required age reduction, the tier I amount is
reduced by the amount of any
social security benefits also payable but not to an amount below zero.
Reductions for public, non-profit or foreign
pensions
For employees who attain eligibility for both tier I benefits
and certain government pension
or other payments after 1985, a reduction may be
required
for receipt of a public pension based, in part or in whole, on employment not
covered by railroad retirement or social security after 1956. This also applies
to payments from a non-profit organization or from certain foreign governments
or employers. Usually, an employee’s tier I benefit will not be reduced by more
than 1/2 of his or her pension from noncovered employment. However, if the
employee is under age 65 and is receiving a disability annuity, the tier I
benefit may be reduced by an additional amount if the pension from noncovered
employment is a public disability benefit.
Tier II
The second tier of a regular annuity is computed under a separate formula, and
is based on railroad service alone. Tier II benefits are equal to seven-tenths
of
1% of the product which is obtained by multiplying an individual’s years
of service by such individual’s average monthly compensation using the tier II
tax base in the 60 months of highest earnings. The tier II component is reduced
by 25% of any gross employee vested dual benefit amount due.
Age reductions
Age reductions
required for those employees retiring between age 62 and full retirement age
with less than 30 years of service are also applied to the tier II component of
an annuity. The reduction is 1/180 for each of the first 36 months the employee
is under full retirement age when his or her annuity begins and 1/240 for each
additional month.
Full retirement age is gradually rising as mentioned earlier. However, if an
employee had any creditable railroad service before August 12, 1983, the
retirement age for tier II purposes will remain 65.
Employees with 5-9 years of creditable service, if at least 5 years were after
1995, are eligible for tier II benefits the first full month they are age 62.
Their tier II benefits are subject to the same age reductions that apply to
employees with 10 to 29 years of service. If they are eligible on the basis of
total disability, a tier II benefit is not payable until age 62 and that amount
is reduced for early retirement.
Amount of Vested Dual Benefit Payment
To determine this additional annuity amount for a retired employee meeting the
vesting requirements, the Railroad Retirement Board computes a social security
benefit based solely on the individual’s railroad service before 1975, and a
social security benefit based solely on social security covered earnings before
1975. The vested dual benefit is the amount by which the total of these two
computations exceeds a social security benefit based on combined railroad and
social security covered earnings before 1975.
The vested dual benefit is increased by the cumulative cost-of-living percentage
increases applicable to
tier I benefits that occurred between January 1, 1975, and the date of
retirement or January 1, 1982, whichever was earlier. The computed amount is
then frozen; that is, no further cost-of-living increases are applied
thereafter. The amount of any vested dual benefit due is added to the tier
portions and paid as part of the regular annuity.
The same age reduction applied to the tier I component is applied to the vested
dual benefit component of an annuity for those employees retiring before full
retirement age with less than 30 years of service.
Supplemental Annuity Formula
The amount of a supplemental annuity awarded after 1974 is equal to $23 plus $4
for each year of service over 25, up to a maximum of $43. A fraction of $4 is
added for each fractional year of service.
If a retired employee also receives a private pension paid for entirely or in
part by a railroad, the supplemental annuity is subject to reduction. The
reduction is equal to the amount of the pension paid for by the employer. If the
employer reduces the private pension because of the supplemental annuity, the
amount of the reduction is restored to the supplemental annuity but does not
raise it over the $43 maximum. There is no reduction in the supplemental annuity
for any part of a private pension paid for by the employee alone nor is there a
reduction for a pension paid by a railroad labor organization.
Spouse Annuity
The spouse annuity formula is based on certain percentages of the employee’s
tier I and tier II amounts.
Tier I
The tier I portion of a spouse annuity is 1/2 of the employee's tier I amount
after any reduction for the employee's noncovered service pension but before any
reduction in the employee's annuity for early retirement or entitlement to a
social security benefit.
Spouse age reductions
Age
reductions required for those spouses (between age 62 and full retirement age) of employees retiring with less than 30 years of service are applied separately
to each annuity component. Full retirement age for a spouse is gradually rising,
just as for an employee. Actuarially reduced benefits continue to be available
but at greater reductions. The tier I reduction is 1/144 for each of the first
36 months the spouse is under full retirement age when her or his annuity begins
and will decrease to 1/240 for each month (if any) over 36. This will result in
a gradual increase in the reduction at age 62 from 25% to 35% for a spouse once
the age 67 retirement age is in effect. If an employee has less than 10
years of railroad service and the spouse is already entitled to an age-reduced
social security benefit, the age reduction in her or his tier I will be based on
the age reduction applicable on the beginning date of the spouse's social
security benefit, even if the spouse is already of full retirement age on the
beginning date of her or his railroad retirement annuity.
December 2001 legislation eliminated the tier I age reduction for employees ages
60 or 61 with 30 or more years of service whose railroad retirement annuities
begin January 1, 2002, or later. The spouses of these employees are also
eligible for full annuities at age 60.
Age reductions required for spouses of employees with 30 years of service who
attained 60/30 eligibility after June 1984 but whose annuities began before
January 2002 are applied only to the tier I portion of the spouse annuity. If
the employee attained 60/30 eligibility before July 1984, retired at age 62 with
30 years of service or begins receiving an annuity at ages 60 or 61 after 2001
with 30 years of service, the spouse tier I portion is
not subject to these
reductions.
If the employee’s annuity is subject to 60/30 age reductions, the spouse of such
an employee may receive
a reduced tier I benefit, unless the spouse is already of full retirement age.
In reduced 60/30 spouse cases, the tier I benefit is equal to 1/2 of the
employee's reduced tier I on the employee’s annuity beginning date and is also
frozen until the first full month throughout which
both the employee and spouse
are age 62. Then it is recomputed based on 1/2 of the employee's
age 62 gross tier I
amount and reduced for each month the spouse is under full retirement age at
that time. If at the time of recomputation the spouse is already at full
retirement age, or the spouse has a minor or disabled child in care, no age
reduction would apply.
The spouse of a disability annuitant who is otherwise eligible for a 60/30 age
annuity receives an age reduction if the spouse's annuity beginning date was
before 2002. If the spouse's annuity beginning date is January 1, 2002, or
later, the spouse can receive an unreduced annuity as early as age 60. If the
spouse is entitled based on having a minor or disabled child in care, there is
no age reduction.
Reductions for other benefits
After
any applicable age reduction required for the spouse’s early retirement, the
spouse tier I amount is reduced by the amount of
any social security benefit to
which the spouse is entitled.
The tier I amount may also be reduced for certain Federal, State or local
government pension payments based on the spouse’s own earnings. For spouses
subject to the public pension reduction, the tier I reduction is equal to 2/3 of
the public pension.
The spouse tier I amount may also be reduced if the employee under age 65 is
receiving a disability annuity and a workers’ compensation or public disability
benefit.
Divorced spouse
The annuity of a
divorced spouse is limited to the tier I amount and thus equal to what social
security would pay.
Tier II
The spouse tier II amount is 45% of the employee's
tier II amount before any age reductions. If the employee is awarded a vested
dual benefit, the employee tier II amount used in computing the spouse benefit
is the amount after the 25% reduction for the employee’s vested dual benefit
entitlement.
Age reductions
As mentioned
earlier, age reductions are gradually increasing. The tier II age reduction for
spouses of employees retiring with less than 30 years of service is 1/144 for
each of the first 36 months the spouse is under full retirement age when her or
his annuity begins and decreases to 1/240 for each month (if any) over 36.
However, if a railroad employee had any creditable railroad service before
August 12, 1983, the employee and spouse retirement age for tier II purposes
remains age 65. Age reductions are not applied to spouse annuities based on the
spouse’s caring for a child.
Dual Annuities
If both the employee and spouse are railroad employees and either one had some
railroad service before 1975, the spouse tier I amount is reduced by the amount
of the railroad employee tier I to which the spouse is entitled and that
initial reduction is restored in the spouse tier II amount. The spouse tier I amount
cannot be reduced below zero.
If a spouse is also a railroad employee annuitant and both the employee and
spouse started railroad employment after 1974, the amount of any spouse or
divorced spouse annuity is reduced by the amount of the employee annuity to
which the spouse is also entitled.
A spouse who is also entitled to a survivor annuity on a different earnings
record will receive only the higher benefit.
Survivor Annuity
Tier I
The survivor tier I amount is based on the deceased employee’s combined railroad
retirement and social security credits, and is computed using social security
formulas. In general, the survivor tier I amount is equal to the amount of
survivor benefits that would have been payable under social security.
The gross survivor tier I amount (before reductions for early retirement, or
other benefits) is generally equivalent to the unreduced tier I retirement
benefit the deceased employee had, or would have, received.
For surviving aged or disabled widow(er)s, remarried widow(er)s and surviving
divorced spouses whose annuities begin a year or more after the employee’s
death, the “average indexed monthly earnings,” upon which the
tier I benefit is based, may be reindexed using a later year if it would result
in a higher benefit, provided the employee died before age 62. The reindexing
takes into account changes in national earnings levels which occur after the
employee’s death but before the survivor becomes eligible for benefits. This
provides a benefit consistent with earnings levels at the time of the survivor’s
eligibility, rather than the time of the employee’s death.
A widow(er), surviving divorced spouse or remarried widow(er) whose
annuity
begins at full retirement age or later receives the full tier I amount unless
the deceased employee received an annuity that was reduced for early retirement.
The eligibility age for a full widow(er)’s annuity is gradually rising from 65
to 67. The maximum age reductions will range from 17.1 % to
20.36 %,
depending on the widow(er)’s date of birth. For a surviving divorced spouse or
remarried widow(er), the maximum age reduction is 28.5 %. For a disabled widow(er), disabled surviving divorced spouse or disabled remarried widow(er),
the maximum reduction is 28.5 %, even if the annuity begins at age 50.
A widow(er) or surviving divorced spouse whose eligibility is
based on caring
for a child of the employee receives 75% of the full tier I amount. Benefits to
a surviving divorced spouse end when the child is 16. An
eligible child also
receives 75% of the full tier I amount. The total amount the family can receive
is subject to a maximum (usually applicable if there are three or more family
members, not counting aged or disabled surviving divorced spouses, entitled to
survivor annuities).
A dependent parent can receive 82.5% of the full
tier I amount, but if both parents are eligible, the total amount cannot be more
than 150% of the full tier I amount.
Dual benefit reduction
The tier I
amount previously described is reduced by the amount of any social security benefit
or by the tier I amount of any railroad retirement employee annuity the survivor
also receives. In the case of a widow or dependent widower who is also a
railroad employee annuitant, and either the widow(er) or the deceased employee
had 120 months of railroad service before 1975, the tier I reduction may be
partially restored in the survivor tier II amount. If either the deceased employee or the widow(er) had some
railroad service before 1975 but less than 120 months, the survivor tier I
portion is payable only to the extent that it exceeds the tier I portion of the
widow(er)’s own employee annuity. If the widow(er) qualifies for a railroad
retirement employee annuity and neither the widow(er) nor the deceased employee
had any railroad service before 1975, the survivor annuity payable to the
widow(er) is reduced by the total amount of the widow(er)'s own employee
annuity.
The tier I amount may also be reduced by certain
Federal, State or local
government pensions which are based on a widow(er)’s own earnings. For
widow(er)s subject to the government pension reduction, the tier I reduction is
equal to 2/3 of the public pension.
Tier II
Widow(er)s
December 2001
legislation established an "initial minimum amount" which yields, in effect, a
widow(er)'s tier II benefit equal to the tier II benefit the employee would have
received at the time of the award of the widow(er)'s annuity, minus any
applicable age reduction. It does this by providing an additional amount, initially
set at 50% of the employee's tier II, to the
100% tier I and 50% tier II benefits provided under prior law.
This additional amount is offset each year by the dollar amount of the
cost-of-living increases payable in both the tier I and tier II benefits
provided under prior law. Consequently, such a widow(er)'s net benefit payment
will not increase until such time as the widow(er)'s annuity, as computed under
prior law with all interim cost-of-living increases otherwise payable, exceeds
the widow(er)'s annuity computed under the initial minimum amount formula.
The initial minimum amount provision applies to all widow(er)s whose annuities
begin February 1, 2002, or later, and to some, but not all, widow(er)s on the
rolls before that date. If, because of previous cost-of-living adjustments, annuities awarded before February 2002 were already higher
than the annuity that would be payable under the December 2001 legislation, the
provision did not apply.
The same age reductions that apply to tier I amounts also apply to tier II
amounts.
If a widow(er) is also a railroad employee annuitant and both the widow(er) and
the deceased employee started railroad employment after 1974, the amount of any
survivor annuity is reduced by the amount of the employee annuity to which the
survivor is also entitled.
Other survivors
Each child receives
15% of the deceased employee’s tier II amount, and each surviving parent
receives 35%. The minimum total tier II amount payable to a family is 35% of the
employee’s tier II amount, and the maximum, 130%.
A tier II benefit is not provided for a surviving divorced spouse or a remarried
widow(er). However, effective August 17, 2007, tier II benefits may be extended
to surviving former spouses pursuant to divorce agreements. A tier II benefit is not payable to surviving parents if other family
members may receive benefits or if the parent has remarried.
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