JUDICIAL RETIREMENT FUNDS

Payment to Judiciary Trust Funds

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT REQUIREMENTS

Fiscal Year 2020 Enacted Appropriation $240,100,000

Fiscal Year 2021 Requested Appropriation $262,300,000

Requested Increase from Fiscal Year 2020 Enacted Appropriation $22,200,000

Title VI General Provisions

 Sec. [619]___. (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 2021 Resource Requirements:

FTEs Amount

Fiscal Year 2020 Enacted Appropriation .............................................................................. - $240,100

Page

No. Adjustments to Base

13.6 1. Increase in payment to the Judicial Officers' Retirement Fund..................................................... - 25,500

13.6 2. Decrease in payment to the Judicial Survivors' Annuities Fund................................................. - (3,300)

13.6 3. No change in payment to the Court of Federal Claims Judges' Retirement Fund....................................... - -

 Subtotal, Adjustments to Base..................................................................................... - 22,200

 - $262,300

 - $22,200

Total Appropriation Required, Fiscal Year 2021..............................................................................

 Total Appropriation Increase, Fiscal Year 2020 to Fiscal Year 2021................................................

FISCAL YEAR 2021

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

SUMMARY OF REQUEST

JUDICIAL RETIREMENT FUNDS

PAYMENT TO JUDICIARY TRUST FUNDS

 13.2
FY 2019

Actual

FY 2020

Assumed

FY 

R

Trust Fund, Total Obligations 211,700 240,100 Available Appropriation 211,700 240,100 

FY 2019

Actual

FY 2020

Assumed

FY 

R

25 Other services 211,700 240,100 

Total Obligations 211,700 240,100 

Object Classification ($000)

PAYMENT TO JUDICIARY TRUST FUND

Obligations by activity ($000)

Description

Activity
FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 202

Actual Assumed Reque

Obligations incurred 211,700 240,100 262,30Obligated balance, start of year - - -

Obligated balance, end of year - - -

Outlays 211,700 240,100 262,30

PAYMENT TO JUDICIARY TRUST FUND

Relation of Direct Obligations to Outlays ($000)
13.5

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 2020 APPROPRIATIONS

The judiciary built the fiscal year (FY) 2021 mandatory budget request for the Judicial Retirement Funds on the FY 2020 enacted 

level of $240,100,000. This amount fully funds the FY 2020 requirements for the three retirement trust funds. For bill language, the 

judiciary used the language from P.L. 116-93, Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020. 
13.6

JUSTIFICATION OF CHANGES

The appropriation request for FY 2021 is $262,300,000, a net 

increase of $22,200,000 above the enacted appropriation level 

in FY 2020. This net increase is requested as follows: an 

increase of $25,500,000 for the Judicial Officers’ Retirement 

Fund, a decrease of $3,300,000 for the Judicial Survivors’ 

Annuities Fund, and no change for the Court of Federal Claims 

Judges’ Retirement Fund.

ADJUSTMENTS TO BASE

1. Increase in payment to the Judicial 

Officers’ Retirement Fund

Mandatory Increase: $25,500,000

The enacted appropriation for FY 2020 is $203,900,000. 

Based on actuarial calculations, $229,400,000, an increase of 

$25,500,000, is required to draw down the unfunded liability in 

FY 2021.

2. Decrease in payment to the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities 

Fund

Mandatory Decrease: ( $3,300,000)

The enacted appropriation for FY 2020 is $32,400,000. 

Based on actuarial calculations, $29,100,000, a decrease of 

$3,300,000, is required to draw down the unfunded liability 

in FY 2021.

3. No change in payment to the Court of Federal 

Claims Judges’ Retirement Fund

No mandatory change required

The enacted appropriation for FY 2020 is $3,800,000. Based

on actuarial calculations, $3,800,000 is required to draw 

down the unfunded liability in FY 2021.