United States of America Form G-177C (2-02)

Railroad Retirement Board

General Conditions Under Which a Person is Entitled to 

a Railroad Retirement Divorced Spouse Annuity

Age 

Requirement 

When all eligibility requirements are met and you file an application, a divorced spouse annuity

based on your age can begin as explained in Chart 1. Chart 2 explains Full Retirement Age 

(FRA). 

CHART 1 - DETERMINING YOUR AGE REQUIREMENT 

If the employee 

is at least: 

and the 

employee is: 

your divorced 

spouse annuity can 

begin:

Your Annuity will: 

age 62 with at least 120 months of 

railroad service, 

receiving an 

employee annuity, 

the first full month

you are age 62. 

have an age reduction if you retire before 

attaining your Full Retirement Age (FRA). 

age 62 with at least 60 months of 

railroad service after 1995 and has 

an SSA Insured Status, 

receiving an 

employee annuity, 

the first full month

you are age 62. 

 

have an age reduction if you retire before 

attaining your FRA. 

Full 

Retirement 

Age (FRA) 

Your Full Retirement Age (FRA) is the age at which you can receive a full divorced spouse 

annuity (not reduced for early retirement). FRA is age 65 for persons born before January 2, 1938. 

FRA for persons born after January 1, 1938, will gradually increase as illustrated in Chart 2. 

FRA also affects the amount of non-railroad earnings you can earn after the annuity beginning 

date, as explained in Chart 3. 

CHART 2 - DETERMINING YOUR FULL RETIREMENT AGE

If you were born: then your FRA is: If you were born: then your FRA is: 

Before 1-2-1938 65 1-2-1955 thru 1-1-1956 66 and 2 months 

1-2-1938 thru 1-1-1939 65 and 2 months 1-2-1956 thru 1-1-1957 66 and 4 months 

1-2-1939 thru 1-1-1940 65 and 4 months 1-2-1957 thru 1-1-1958 66 and 6 months 

1-2-1940 thru 1-1-1941 65 and 6 months 1-2-1958 thru 1-1-1959 66 and 8 months 

1-2-1941 thru 1-1-1942 65 and 8 months 1-2-1959 thru 1-1-1960 66 and 10 months 

1-2-1942 thru 1-1-1943 65 and 10 months 1-2-1960 and later 67 

1-2-1943 thru 1-1-1955 66 

Marriage 

Requirements 

In order to qualify for a divorced spouse annuity, your marriage must have ended by a final 

divorce decree and you must meet each of the following requirements. 

! You were married to the railroad employee for at least 10 consecutive years immediately

preceding the date of your final divorce decree; and, 

! you are divorced from that railroad employee; and, 

! you are not currently married to anyone. (If you remarried after the divorce from the 

employee, the later marriage must have terminated.); and, 

! you are not entitled to a social security benefit (before any reductions) on your own 

earnings record that exceeds the amount of the divorced spouse annuity. 

Continued on next page

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General Conditions Under Which a Person is Entitled to 

a Railroad Retirement Divorced Spouse Annuity (cont.) 

SSA Insured 

Status

If the employee's annuity is based on 60-119 months of railroad service after 1995, you qualify

for a divorced spouse annuity if the employee has an SSA Insured Status based on combined 

railroad and social security earnings. The employee has an SSA insured status if: 

1. the employee has at least 40 quarters of coverage in age and service cases; or, 

2. the employee has a Disability Freeze (D/F) under SSA rules in disability cases. (See 

Booklet RB-1D Employee Disability Benefits for an explanation of a D/F.) The D/F 

cannot be deemed. 

Reductions 

for NonRailroad 

Earnings

Your benefits are not reduced for your non-railroad earnings if you are receiving social security

benefits. 

Otherwise, the Annual Earnings Exempt Amount is the amount of non-railroad earnings you 

can have in a calendar year without losing part of your benefit. Use Chart 2 to determine your 

Full Retirement Age (FRA). Then refer to Chart 3 below and Form G-77a How Earnings 

Affect Payment of Retirement Annuities. The employee’s non-railroad earnings over the Annual 

Earnings Exempt Amount for the employee’s age group may also cause a reduction in your 

benefit. 

CHART 3 - DETERMINING YOUR ANNUAL EARNINGS EXEMPT AMOUNT 

For a year in which: You may lose up to $1 in benefits for every: The reduction:

you attain Full Retirement 

Age (FRA), 

$3.00 of earnings over the Annual Earnings Exempt Amount for 

your age group. However, your earnings are only counted for 

months before the month in which you attain FRA. 

is removed effective the 

month in which you attain

FRA. 

you are under your FRA 

for the entire year, 

$2.00 of earnings over the Annual Earnings Exempt Amount for 

your age group. 

applies for the full year. 

you work outside the U.S. 

for 45 or more hours per 

month, 

$2.00 of earnings. There is no Annual Earnings Exempt Amount

for work outside the U. S. However, your earnings are only

counted for months before the month in which you attain FRA. 

is removed effective the 

month in which you attain

FRA. 

When a 

Divorced 

Spouse 

Annuity is 

not Payable 

Your divorced spouse annuity is not payable for any month in which: 

! the employee’s annuity is not payable; or, 

! you work for a railroad employer; or, 

! you become entitled to a railroad retirement annuity based on your own earnings record 

that exceeds the amount of your RRA divorced spouse annuity rate. 

When a 

Divorced 

Spouse 

Annuity 

Ends 

Your divorced spouse annuity ends the month before the month in which: 

! you die; or, 

! the employee dies (a surviving divorced spouse annuity may become payable at this 

time); or, 

! the employee’s entitlement to an employee annuity terminates due to recovery from

disability; or, 

! you marry; or, 

! you become entitled to SS benefits based on your own earnings record that are greater 

than the RRA divorced spouse annuity; or, 

! you become entitled to an RRA survivor annuity, on another claim number, that 

exceeds the amount of the RRA divorced spouse annuity. 

If you would like more information concerning divorced spouse annuities, please request Booklet RB-30 Spouse/Divorced 

Spouse Annuity before you come in to file for your annuity. This booklet is available at www.rrb.gov. 

 Form G-177C (2-02) 

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