JUDICIAL RETIREMENT FUNDS

Payment to Judiciary Trust Funds

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT REQUIREMENTS

Fiscal Year 2021 Enacted Appropriation $262,300,000

Fiscal Year 2022 Requested Appropriation $272,600,000

Requested Increase from Fiscal Year 2021 Enacted Appropriation $10,300,000

Title VI General Provisions

 Sec. [618]___. (a) There are appropriated for the following activities the amounts required under current law:

(1) Compensation of the President (3 U.S.C. 102).

(2) Payments to--

(A) the Judicial Officers' Retirement Fund (28 U.S.C. 377(o));

(B) the Judicial Survivors' Annuities Fund (28 U.S.C. 376(c)); and

(C) the United States Court of Federal Claims Judges' Retirement Fund (28 U.S.C. 178(l)).

(3) Payment of Government contributions--

(A) with respect to the health benefits of retired employees, as authorized by chapter 89 of title 5,

United States Code, and the Retired Federal Employees Health Benefits Act (74 Stat. 849); and

(B) with respect to the life insurance benefits for employees retiring after December 31, 1989 (5 U.S.C. ch. 87).

(4) Payment to finance the unfunded liability of new and increased annuity benefits under the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (5 U.S.C. 8348).

(5) Payment of annuities authorized to be paid from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund by statutory provisions other than subchapter III of

chapter 83 or chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code.

(b) Nothing in this section may be construed to exempt any amount appropriated by this section from any otherwise applicable limitation on the use of funds

contained in this Act.

Explanation

The highlighted section provides appropriations for payments to the Judicial Officers' Retirement Fund, the Judicial Survivors' Annuities Fund, and the United States Court of

Federal Claims Judges' Retirement Fund. The judiciary proposes to retain this language in Title VI of the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill.

13.1
Fiscal Year 2022 Resource Requirements:

FTEs Amount

Fiscal Year 2021 Enacted Appropriation .............................................................................. - $262,300

Page

No. Adjustments to Base

13.6 1. Increase in payment to the Judicial Officers' Retirement Fund..................................................... - 8,700 

13.6 2. Increase in payment to the Judicial Survivors' Annuities Fund................................................. - 1,300 

13.6 3. Increase in payment to the Court of Federal Claims Judges' Retirement Fund.......................................... - 300

 Subtotal, Adjustments to Base..................................................................................... - 10,300 

 - $272,600

 - $10,300

Total Appropriation Required, Fiscal Year 2022..............................................................................

 Total Appropriation Increase, Fiscal Year 2021 to Fiscal Year 2022................................................

FISCAL YEAR 2022

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

SUMMARY OF REQUEST

JUDICIAL RETIREMENT FUNDS

PAYMENT TO JUDICIARY TRUST FUNDS

13.2
FY 2020

Actual

FY 2021

Assumed

FY 

R

Trust Fund, Total Obligations 240,100 262,300 Available Appropriation 240,100 262,300 

FY 2020

Actual

FY 2021

Assumed

FY 

R

25 Other services 240,100 262,300 

Total Obligations 240,100 262,300 

PAYMENT TO JUDICIARY TRUST FUND

Description

Activity

Obligations by activity ($000)

Object Classification ($000)
FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 20

Actual Assumed Reque

Obligations incurred 240,100 262,300 272,60

Obligated balance, start of year - - - 

Obligated balance, end of year - - - 

Outlays 240,100 262,300 272,60

PAYMENT TO JUDICIARY TRUST FUND

Relation of Direct Obligations to Outlays ($000)
GENERAL STATEMENT AND INFORMATION

This appropriation is divided among three trust funds that finance payments to (1) retired bankruptcy and magistrate judges, 

(2) spouses and dependent children of deceased judges, and (3) retired Court of Federal Claims judges. This account is categorized as

a mandatory appropriation by Congress.

Statutes governing the three funds authorize the appropriation of amounts necessary to support the liability that accrues each year and 

to pay an installment on any unfunded liability. Although the funds (except for the Court of Federal Claims fund) receive participant 

contributions and earn interest on investment holdings, the purpose of the appropriation provision is to ensure that sufficient funds are 

deposited annually to support anticipated benefit payments in the distant future as well as in the short-term. The appropriation request 

is calculated annually by an enrolled actuary pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 9503. 

The Three Trust Funds

1) The Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund was established in 1988 to provide a pension to bankruptcy and full-time magistrate

judges (28 U.S.C. § 377(o)). 

2) The Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund was established in 1956 to provide annuities to widows, widowers, and dependent

children of judges and other officials who have elected to participate in the program: Justices and judges of the United States,

to include Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands; full-time bankruptcy judges; full-time United States

magistrate judges; judges of the United States Court of Federal Claims; the Directors of the Federal Judicial Center and the

Administrative Office of the United States Courts; and the Counselor to the Chief Justice of the United States (28 U.S.C.

§ 376(c)).

3) The Court of Federal Claims Judges’ Retirement Fund was established in 1990 to provide a pension plan to retired United

States Court of Federal Claims judges (28 U.S.C. § 178(l)). Appointment under Chapter 7 of Title 28 or service under section

167 of the Federal Courts Improvements Act of 1982 automatically qualifies a judge to participate.

FISCAL YEAR 2021 APPROPRIATIONS

The judiciary built the fiscal year (FY) 2022 mandatory budget request for the Judicial Retirement Funds on the FY 2021 enacted 

level of $262,300,000. This amount fully funds the FY 2022 requirements for the three retirement trust funds. For bill language, the 

judiciary used the language from P.L. 116-260, Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2021. 

13.5
JUSTIFICATION OF CHANGES

The appropriation request for FY 2022 is $272,600,000, an 

increase of $10,300,000 above the enacted appropriation level 

in FY 2021. This increase is requested as follows: an increase 

of $8,700,000 for the Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund, an 

increase of $1,300,000 for the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities 

Fund, and an increase of $300,000 for the Court of Federal 

Claims Judges’ Retirement Fund. 

ADJUSTMENTS TO BASE

1. Increase in payment to the Judicial 

Officers’ Retirement Fund

Mandatory Increase: $8,700,000 

The enacted appropriation for FY 2021 is $229,400,000. 

Based on actuarial calculations, $238,100,000, an increase of 

$8,700,000, is required to draw down the unfunded liability in 

FY 2022. 

2. Increase in payment to the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities 

Fund

Mandatory Increase: $1,300,000 

The enacted appropriation for FY 2021 is $29,100,000. 

Based on actuarial calculations, $30,400,000, an increase of 

$1,300,000, is required to draw down the unfunded liability 

in FY 2022. 

3. Increase in payment to the Court of Federal Claims 

Judges’ Retirement Fund

Mandatory Increase: $300,000 

The enacted appropriation for FY 2021 is $3,800,000. Based

on actuarial calculations, $4,100,000, an increase of 

$300,000, is required to draw down the unfunded liability in 

FY 2022. 

13.6