Twenty-Seventh

Actuarial Valuation

of the Assets and Liabilities

Under the Railroad Retirement Acts

as of December 31, 2016

with

Technical Supplement

U.S. Railroad Retirement Board

Bureau of the Actuary and Research

Chicago, Illinois
Twenty-Seventh Actuarial Valuation

of the Assets and Liabilities

Under the Railroad Retirement Acts

as of December 31, 2016

with

Technical Supplement

by

Frank J. Buzzi, Chief Actuary

with Statements of the

Railroad Retirement Board

and the

Actuarial Advisory Committee

U.S. Railroad Retirement Board

Bureau of the Actuary and Research

September 2018
CONTENTS

Statement of the Railroad Retirement Board v

Statement of the Actuarial Advisory Committee vii

Report of the Actuary

I. Introduction 1

II. Summary of Recent Developments and Results 1

III. Regular and Supplemental Benefits and Their Financing 3

IV. The Financial Interchange and Dual Benefits 6

V. Assumptions, Methodology, and Valuation Results 8

VI. Statement of Actuarial Opinion 13

Appendix

Outline of the benefit and financing provisions of the railroad retirement system as

 amended through December 31, 2017 28

Technical Supplement

General Methodology and Assumptions 37

Mortality, Remarriage, and Related Experience 58

Retirement Studies 73

Withdrawal Studies 80

Employee and Beneficiary Censuses, Family Composition, and Miscellaneous Statistics 83

i
TABLES

1. Employment and economic assumptions 14

2. Progress of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust and Railroad

 Retirement Account, and the Social Security Equivalent Benefit Account 16

3. Present value of benefits in millions of dollars 19

4. Present value of benefits as a percentage of the present value of tier 2 payroll 20

5. Balance of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust and Railroad

 Retirement Account, and the Social Security Equivalent Benefit Account as of

 December 31, 2016 21

6. Actuarial surplus or (deficiency) for National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust and

 Railroad Retirement Account 22

7. Unfunded accrued liability 23

8. Vested dual benefit amounts and average number of beneficiaries 24

9. Supplemental annuity benefit amounts and average number of beneficiaries 25

10. Average number of railroad retirement annuitants and number of annuitants per full

 time employee 26

11. Transfers to railroad retirement system under financial interchange with social security

 system, 1937-2018 27

S-1. 2013 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table 43

S-2. 2013 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants with Disability Freeze 44

S-3. 2013 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants without Disability Freeze 45

S-4. 2012 RRB Active Service Mortality Table 46

S-5. 2013 Base Year RRB Spouse Total Termination Table 47

S-6. Probability of a retired employee having a spouse eligible for railroad retirement benefits 48

S-7. 2013 RRB Mortality Table for Widows 49

S-8. 1997 RRB Remarriage Table 50

S-9. 2004 RRB Total Termination Table for Disabled Children 51

S-10. 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale 52

S-11. Calendar year rates of immediate age retirement 53

S-12. Rates of immediate disability retirement and of eligibility for disability freeze 54

S-13. Calendar year rates of final withdrawal 55

S-14. Service months and salary scales 56

S-15. Family characteristics of railroad employees assumed for the valuation of survivor 57

 benefits

ii
S-16. Mortality experience of railroad age annuitants between anniversaries of retirement

 in 2012 and 2015, by sex and type of retirement 59

S-17. Mortality experience of railroad age annuitants between anniversaries of retirement

 in 2012 and 2015, by year 60

S-18. Mortality ratios for railroad age annuitants on a select and ultimate basis between

 anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015 61

S-19. Age specific death rates of railroad disability annuitants between anniversaries of

 retirement in 2012 and 2015, by age and duration 62

S-20. Mortality experience of railroad disability annuitants between anniversaries of

 retirement in 2012 and 2015, by disability freeze status 63

S-21. Percentages of railroad disability annuitants included in the 27th valuation mortality studies 

 who would have qualified for a benefit under the social security disability standards 64

S-22. Mortality experience of active railroad employees during calendar years 2010-2014 65

S-23. Total termination experience of spouse annuitants between anniversaries of retirement

 in 2012 and 2015 66

S-24. Mortality experience of spouse annuitants between anniversaries of retirement

 in 2012 and 2015 67

S-25. Number of retired employees and number with a spouse eligible for railroad retirement

 benefits, by age of employee on December 31, 2015 68

S-26. Mortality experience of widow annuitants between anniversaries of retirement

 in 2012 and 2015 69

S-27. Remarriage experience of widows between 2003 and 2015 anniversaries of widowhood 70

S-28. Total termination experience of disabled children annuitants between anniversaries of

 retirement in 2012 and 2015 71

S-29. Improvement in annuitant mortality and spouse total termination 72

S-30. Rates of immediate age retirement 74

S-31. Immediate age retirement experience of railroad employees with 5-29 years of

service during calendar years 2013-2015 75

S-32. Immediate age retirement experience of railroad employees with 30 or more years of

service during calendar years 2013-2015 76

S-33. Rates of immediate disability retirement 77

S-34. Immediate disability retirement experience of railroad employees during calendar

 years 2013-2015 78

S-35. Percentages of immediate disability retirements meeting the disability freeze standards

 of the Social Security Act 79

S-36 Withdrawal experience of railroad employees during calendar years 2011-2014, 

 by attained age and years of service 81

iii
S-37. Distribution of 2016 active employees by age and completed years of service 84

S-38. Census of vested inactive employees in 2016 by age and completed years of service 85

S-39. Comparison between 2016 and 2013 of selected characteristics of active railroad

 employees 86

S-40. Census of employee and spouse annuitants on December 31, 2016 87

S-41. Census of survivor annuitants on December 31, 2016 88

S-42. Comparison of service months of railroad employees during calendar years 2012-2014

 with assumptions used in the 27th valuation 89

S-43. Average creditable compensation per service month during 2016 90

S-44. Age distribution of new entrants during calendar years 2012-2015 and comparison with

 assumptions of the 26th valuation 91

S-45. Family characteristics of railroad employees who died in 2012-2015 with a current

 connection 92

S-46. Selected employment and benefit statistics for 2013 and 2016 93

iv
v
vi
STATEMENT OF THE ACTUARIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

June 5, 2018 

This statement sets forth the Committee’s conclusions from their review of the twenty-seventh 

actuarial valuation of the railroad retirement system. This valuation, performed as of the triennial 

period ending December 31, 2016, was completed in the spring of 2018 by Mr. Frank J. Buzzi, 

Chief Actuary of the Railroad Retirement Board, and his staff. In both the planning and carrying 

out of the valuation, the Committee has counseled with Mr. Buzzi as to the structure, data, actuarial 

methods, actuarial assumptions, and procedures of the valuation and as to the scope and content of 

this report. In all, The Committee has met with the Chief Actuary and his staff on May 4, 2017, 

December 20, 2017, and June 5, 2018, for the purpose of reviewing and discussing the significant 

elements of the twenty-seventh valuation. 

The Committee believes that the actuarial assumptions are reasonable, that the valuation results 

present a fair picture of the financial conditions of the railroad retirement system and that Mr. 

Buzzi and his staff’s work conform to all the applicable Actuarial Standards of Practice as 

promulgated by the Actuarial Standards Board.

 Section 502 of the Railroad Retirement Solvency Act requires the Board to report to Congress on 

the actuarial status of the railroad retirement system each year. The report must include 

recommendations for any desirable financing changes. The Chief Actuary recommends no change 

in the payroll tax rates structure under the railroad retirement system based on the results presented 

in this report. The Actuarial Advisory Committee on review of the assumptions and results concurs 

with the recommendations of the Chief Actuary. 

The Chief Actuary’s report indicates that the average cost of the program over the projection period 

as measured by the excess of the present value of tier 2 payroll taxes over the actuarial surplus or 

(deficiency) ranges from 16.31 to 21.11% of payroll based on three projected future employment 

levels as support for the Chief Actuary’s recommendation and detailed in table 6 of the report. 

These results compare to a range of 15.62% to 20.66% of payroll in the twenty-sixth valuation. 

The Committee gratefully acknowledges the valuable help of the Board, the Chief Actuary and his 

staff in assisting the Committee’s review of this valuation.

To the best of our knowledge, this report and its contents have been prepared in accordance with 

generally recognized and accepted actuarial principles and practices that are consistent with the 

Code of Professional Conduct and applicable Actuarial Standards of Practice set out by the 

Actuarial Standards Board. Furthermore, as credentialed actuaries, we meet the Qualification 

vii
viii
REPORT OF THE ACTUARY

I. INTRODUCTION

Section 15 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 requires that the Railroad Retirement Board, at 

intervals of not more than three years, prepare actuarial valuations of the railroad retirement system. 

Section 22 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 requires the Railroad Retirement Board to 

prepare an annual report containing a five-year projection of revenues to and payments from the 

Railroad Retirement Account and to submit the report to the President and the Congress by July 1. 

This report must also contain a five-year projection of the account benefits ratio and average 

account benefits ratio. If the five-year projection indicates that funds in the Railroad Retirement 

Account will be insufficient to pay full benefits, (1) representatives of railroad employees, railroad 

carriers and the President must submit proposals to the Congress to preserve the financial solvency 

of the Railroad Retirement Account, and (2) the Railroad Retirement Board must issue regulations 

to reduce annuity levels during any fiscal year in which there would be insufficient funds to make 

full payments.

Section 502 of the Railroad Retirement Solvency Act of 1983 requires the Railroad Retirement 

Board to prepare an annual report on the actuarial status of the railroad retirement system and to 

submit the report to the Congress by July 1. The report must contain recommendations for any 

financing changes which might be advisable, including (1) changes in the tax rates, and (2) whether 

any part of the taxes on employers should be diverted to the Railroad Unemployment Insurance 

Account to aid in the repayment of any debt to the Railroad Retirement Account. 

This report, the 27th actuarial valuation, is intended to meet these requirements for 2018. The 

recommendations required by Section 502 are presented below. 

1. No change in the rate of tax imposed on employers and employees is recommended. The

tier 2 tax rate schedule maintains a close balance between the present value of future income

and expenditures. Although future financing problems are projected to occur under

employment assumption III, as discussed below, the absence of projected cash flow

problems for at least 29 years under each employment assumption indicates that an

immediate change in the tax rate schedule is not required.

2. No diversion of taxes from the Railroad Retirement Account to the Railroad Unemployment

Insurance Account is recommended. As of June 5, 2018, there are no loans outstanding

from the Railroad Retirement Account to the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Account.

II. SUMMARY OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND RESULTS

The level of railroad employment is important to the system's financial stability. The payroll tax on 

railroad employment has been the major source of income to the system since its establishment in 

1
the 1930s. It is clear that with a fixed tax rate the fewer railroad workers there are, the less money 

the retirement account collects in payroll taxes, and the more likely the system is to require 

additional funds. Declines in railroad employment over a long period, coupled with inflation and 

subsequent benefit increases, required legislation to strengthen the system's financial condition in 

1974, 1981, 1983, and 1987. With the introduction of the average account benefits ratio (page 34 

item 36) to automatically adjust the payroll tax rates in 2004 and later, there is less need for 

corrective legislation. 

The 26th valuation (2015 actuarial report) projected a surplus of 0.37 percent of tier 2 payroll and an 

average projected tier 2 tax rate of 18.20 percent under the intermediate employment assumption. 

Recent declines in railroad employment have exceeded that projected under the intermediate 

employment assumption leading to a lower projected tax base and resulting in higher average

projected future tax rates. The average tier 2 tax rate has increased to 18.79 percent, and the surplus 

has declined to 0.32 percent of tier 2 payroll. The combined effect of a 0.59 percent of payroll 

increase in projected future tier 2 tax rates and a 0.05 percent of payroll decrease in projected 

surplus results in an increase in cost of 0.64 percent of tier 2 payroll. 

The 27th valuation has been prepared under three assumptions as to the future behavior of railroad 

employment. These employment assumptions are similar to the employment assumptions used in 

the 26th valuation. Employment assumptions I and II assume stable passenger employment and 

different rates of decline in freight employment. Employment assumption III follows the structure 

of assumptions I and II, except that it has declines in passenger employment and steeper declines in 

freight employment than employment assumptions I and II. Employment assumptions I, II and III 

are intended to provide an optimistic, moderate and pessimistic outlook, respectively. The specific 

results of the projections made in this report of the railroad retirement system's financial condition 

are as follows:

1. Under employment assumption I, the average tier 2 tax rate is 16.78 percent, and an

actuarial surplus of 0.47 percent of tier 2 payroll exists as of December 31, 2016. There are

no cash flow problems during the 75-year projection period, and the tier 2 payroll tax rate

ranges from 12.0% (in calendar years 2076-2079) to 18.0%.

2. Under employment assumption II, the average tier 2 tax rate is 18.79 percent, and an

actuarial surplus of 0.32 percent of tier 2 payroll exists as of December 31, 2016. There are

no cash flow problems during the 75-year projection period, and the tier 2 payroll tax rate

ranges from 18.0% to 27.0%.

3. Under employment assumption III, the average tier 2 tax rate is 20.65 percent, and an

actuarial deficiency of 0.46 percent of tier 2 payroll exists as of December 31, 2016. Cash

flow problems arise in 2047 and remain to the end of the 75-year projection period. The tier

2 payroll tax rate ranges from 18.0% to 27.0%.

The average tier 2 tax rate is calculated by dividing the present value of tier 2 payroll taxes by the 

present value of tier 2 payroll as of January 1, 2017. The surplus or deficiency figures given above 

and illustrated in Table 6 represent the change in the average tier 2 tax rate which would produce a 

balance of zero in the combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust, Railroad 

2
Retirement Account and Social Security Equivalent Benefit Account at the end of the 75-year 

projection period. 

The conclusion is that, barring a sudden, unanticipated, large drop in railroad employment or 

substantial investment losses, the railroad retirement system will experience no cash flow problems 

during the next 29 years. The long-term stability of the system, however, is not assured. Under the 

current financing structure, actual levels of railroad employment and investment return over the 

coming years will determine whether additional corrective action is necessary.

Section V of this report presents details of the valuations under the three employment assumptions. 

III. REGULAR AND SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS AND THEIR FINANCING

The Appendix contains a detailed description of the provisions of the current law. Sections III and 

IV provide a more general summary of the law.

Amounts available for payment of railroad retirement benefits are held in four Accounts: the 

National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (NRRIT), the Railroad Retirement (RR) Account, 

the Social Security Equivalent Benefit (SSEB) Account, and the Dual Benefits Payments Account. 

Because of their intertwined nature, the NRRIT, RR Account and SSEB Account are discussed 

together in this section. Dual benefits and the Dual Benefits Payments Account are discussed in a 

separate section, Section IV.

Amounts held in the NRRIT, RR Account and SSEB Account are mainly used to pay monthly 

benefits to retired or disabled employees, their spouses, and survivors. The various types of 

benefits and their eligibility requirements are described in the Appendix. The Accounts also pay 

out relatively small amounts in lump sums to employees and their survivors in certain cases. The 

monthly benefits consist of three components, known as tier 1, tier 2 and supplemental annuity. 

For all categories of recipients, the gross tier 1 benefit is generally equivalent to the benefit that the 

social security system would pay if all the employee's earnings (railroad and non-railroad) had been 

covered under the Social Security Act. Any benefit actually received from social security is 

subtracted to determine the net tier 1 benefit payable. Section IV explains the logic behind this 

determination. The cost-of-living increase paid to social security beneficiaries automatically carries 

over to the tier 1 component of railroad retirement annuities.

There are some differences between social security benefits and tier 1 benefits. The most 

significant are as follows:

1. An employee may not retire before age 62 under the social security system. Under the

railroad retirement system, an employee may retire at age 60 with 30 years of service. A

spouse of a 30-year employee may also retire at age 60. If the employee retired after 2001,

there is no age reduction.

3
2. Railroad retirement pays an occupational disability benefit under tier 1 and tier 2. Social

security requires total and permanent disability. A five-month waiting period applies under

both systems.

3. Widow(er)s who retire at age 60 or 61 under railroad retirement are deemed age 62 in the

computation of the tier 1 benefit, resulting in a smaller age reduction than under social

security.

4. From the start of the railroad retirement system through 1984, earnings up to a monthly

maximum amount were taxed and credited for benefit computation purposes. Social

security has always used an annual earnings limit. The 1983 Solvency Act changed railroad

retirement to an annual earnings limit for 1985 and later years, but benefit computations for

new beneficiaries continue to reflect the pre-1985 use of a monthly limit primarily because

of the use of the highest 35 years of indexed earnings in the tier 1 benefit formula.

The formula used to compute the tier 2 component of railroad retirement is comparable to a private 

pension formula. Under the formula adopted in 1981, the employee tier 2 benefit is equal to 0.7 

percent of the employee's average monthly railroad earnings for the 60 months of highest earnings, 

multiplied by the number of years of railroad service, less 25 percent of any vested dual benefit. 

Unlike many private pensions, tier 2 benefits (1) provide automatic cost-of-living increases, and (2) 

are paid to spouses and survivors without any reduction in employee benefit for the payment of 

these auxiliary benefits. 

Before applicable reductions, the tier 2 benefit for spouses and survivors is a specified percentage of 

the employee's tier 2 benefit. The Appendix lists the percentages and also describes the initial 

minimum widow(er)’s amount which became payable beginning in calendar year 2002. 

The tier 2 cost-of-living increases for employees, spouses and survivors are equal to 32.5 percent of 

the percentage increase which is used in computing social security increases (and tier 1 increases). 

The increase is paid at the same time as the tier 1 cost-of-living increase.

The portion of tier 1 benefits which is considered equivalent to social security benefits is subject to 

Federal income tax under the rules that apply to social security benefits. Tier 2 benefits, the portion 

of tier 1 benefits in excess of social security benefits, supplemental annuity benefits, and vested dual 

benefits are subject to Federal income tax under the rules that apply to private pensions. 

A railroad retiree may receive a supplemental annuity in addition to his regular annuity if (1) the 

retiree has a "current connection" with the railroad industry at the time of retirement, and (2) the 

retiree has attained age 65 with 25 years of railroad service, or attained age 60 with 30 years of 

railroad service. A current connection is generally defined as at least 12 months of railroad service 

in the 30 months preceding retirement. 

The monthly supplemental annuity benefit is $23, plus $4 for each year of service in excess of 25, 

with a maximum benefit of $43. No cost-of-living increases are applied. Spouses and survivors do 

not receive a supplemental annuity. 

4
If the recipient of a supplemental annuity receives a private pension from his railroad employer, the 

supplemental annuity is reduced by the portion of the private pension that is attributable to the 

employer's contributions. This reduction is not made if the private pension is reduced for receipt of 

the supplemental annuity. 

The 1981 amendments added the requirement that an employee must have worked in the railroad 

industry before October 1, 1981, to receive a supplemental annuity. This provision results in 

phasing out the supplemental annuity over a long period. The last supplemental annuity check will 

probably not be paid until after 2060. 

Benefits paid from the NRRIT, RR Account and SSEB Account are financed by the following 

sources of income: 

1. Payroll tax. Employees and employers pay a tax at the social security rate on earnings in a

year up to the social security, or tier 1, earnings limit. There is no limit to earnings subject

to the hospital insurance portion of the tier 1 tax rate. Beginning in 2013, employees pay an

additional 0.9 percent on earnings above $200,000 (for those who file an individual return)

or $250,000 (for those who file a joint return).

In addition, employers and employees pay a tier 2 tax equal to a percentage of the

employee's earnings up to the tier 2 earnings limit. The tier 2 earnings limit is what the

social security limit would be if the 1977 social security amendments had not been enacted.

The 2018 earnings limits are $128,400 and $95,400 for tier 1 and tier 2, respectively.

Tier 2 taxes on both employers and employees are based on a 10-year average of the ratio of

certain asset balances to the sum of benefits and administrative expenses (the average

account benefits ratio). Depending on the average account benefits ratio, the tier 2 tax rate

for employers will range between 8.2 percent and 22.1 percent, while the tier 2 tax rate for

employees will be between 0 percent and 4.9 percent. This calculation is described in the

Appendix.

2. Income tax. The tax on tier 1 benefits up to the social security level is credited to the SSEB

Account and then to social security through the financial interchange. Revenue derived

from taxing certain RR Account benefits (tier 2 and the excess of tier 1 over the social

security level) is transferred to the RR Account.

3. Investment income.

4. The financial interchange with the social security system. This extremely important

arrangement, which will be discussed in detail in Section IV, has resulted in the large annual

lump sum transfers of money from social security to railroad retirement shown in Table 11.

5. Advances from general revenues related to certain features of the financial interchange.

Financial interchange transfers are made in a lump sum for a whole fiscal year in the June

following the end of that fiscal year. For example, the transfer reflecting transactions which

occurred from October 2015 through September 2016 (fiscal year 2016) took place in June

5
2017. At any time, therefore, there are between 9 and 21 months' worth of financial 

interchange transfers that are, in a sense, owed to the railroad retirement system. Railroad 

retirement receives interest on this money, so this practice does no long-term harm to the 

financial condition of the railroad retirement system. The lag in the transfers, however, 

could cause short-term cash flow problems. 

In order to avoid the cash flow problems caused by this lag, the 1983 Solvency Act provided 

for monthly loans to railroad retirement from U.S. Treasury general funds. Each loan is 

equal to the transfer the Railroad Retirement Board estimates railroad retirement would have 

received in the preceding month, with interest, if the financial interchange with social 

security were on an up-to-date basis. Railroad retirement must repay these loans when it 

receives the transfer from social security against which the money was advanced.

The 1983 Solvency Act created the SSEB Account, effective October 1, 1984. Before that date, all 

tier 1 benefits, tier 2 benefits, lump sums and administrative expenses had been paid from the RR 

Account, and all the income described above had been credited to the RR Account. Since then, the 

SSEB Account has paid the social security level of benefits and the administrative expenses 

allocable to that level of benefits. The tier 1 portion of the payroll tax, the income taxes on the 

social security level of benefits, the income from the financial interchange, and the advances from 

general revenues are credited to the SSEB Account. Repayment of the advances is made from the 

SSEB Account. 

In order to maximize investment returns to the Railroad Retirement system, the Railroad Retirement 

and Survivors’ Improvement Act of 2001 created the National Railroad Retirement Investment 

Trust (NRRIT) to manage and invest amounts collected in the RR Account and SSEB Account. 

Since the initial transfer of assets to the NRRIT during calendar years 2002-2004, the NRRIT has 

been transferring funds back to the RR Account as needed for the payment of benefits. The balance 

of the SSEB Account not needed to pay current benefits and administrative expenses has generally

been transferred annually to the RR Account, reducing the amount needed from the NRRIT.

IV. THE FINANCIAL INTERCHANGE AND DUAL BENEFITS

In the early 1950s, an arrangement known as the financial interchange was established between the 

railroad retirement and social security systems. The purpose of the financial interchange is to place 

the social security trust funds in the same financial position they would have been if railroad 

employment had always been covered under social security. If railroad employment had been 

covered under social security, social security would have collected taxes on railroad employment, 

and it would have paid benefits based on railroad employment. Under the financial interchange, the 

railroad retirement system gives the social security system the taxes social security would have 

collected, and the social security system gives the railroad retirement system the additional benefits 

social security would have paid to railroad workers and their families over what it actually pays 

them.

The word "additional" in the preceding sentence is important, because it is possible for a railroad 

employee to be covered under both railroad retirement and social security. The social security 

6
coverage may be based on earnings from moonlighting while in a railroad job or from coverage 

under the two systems at different times. Fulfilling the purpose of the financial interchange requires 

deducting from social security's fund only the difference between what social security would have 

paid had it covered railroad employment and what it actually pays the person based on his nonrailroad employment. Under the financial interchange, therefore, social security subtracts an 

employee's social security benefit from the amount it would otherwise give to the railroad 

retirement system.

This arrangement gave rise to problems that became acute in the early 1970s. The problems arose 

from the weighting in the social security formula in favor of low-earning, short-service workers. A 

railroad employee's non-railroad earnings usually added little to the benefit social security would 

have paid on combined railroad and non-railroad earnings (called gross tier 1 today). However, the 

employee might qualify for the minimum social security benefit, receiving much more from social 

security than his non-railroad earnings added to his gross tier 1 benefit. 

In order to improve the system's financial condition, the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 provided 

that the tier 1 component of the railroad retirement annuity be reduced by any social security 

benefit. This essentially integrated the two systems and eliminated the advantage of qualifying for 

benefits under both systems. 

It was generally considered unfair to eliminate this advantage entirely for those already retired or 

close to retirement when the 1974 Act became effective. The 1974 Act, therefore, provided for a 

restoration of social security benefits that were considered vested at the end of 1974. The restored 

amount is known as the "vested dual benefit." 

Spouses and survivors were not awarded vested dual benefits after August 13, 1981, though they 

continue to receive these benefits if they were awarded before that date.

Since October 1981, vested dual benefits have been paid from a segregated Dual Benefits Payments 

Account, and appropriations have been made to that account. This means that, starting in fiscal year 

1982, each annual appropriation is to be sufficient to pay the benefits for that year. If the 

appropriation for a fiscal year is less than required for full funding, the Railroad Retirement Board 

must reduce benefits to a level that the amount appropriated will cover. 

The appropriation for vested dual benefits in fiscal years 1982, 1986 and 1988 were less than 

required for full funding, resulting in a cutback in benefits during those years. Benefits were cut 

back in January 1996 due to a lapse in government funding and then restored later that same month. 

For years other than those mentioned, full benefits have been paid. 

Vested dual benefits are phasing out over a long period, and the last vested dual benefit payment 

will probably be made after 2040. 

7
V. ASSUMPTIONS, METHODOLOGY, AND VALUATION RESULTS

A. Assumptions and Methodology 

Average railroad employment is assumed to be 223,000 in 2017 under each of the three 

employment assumptions. This is the estimated average for the year (subject to later adjustment) 

and was within the range of 220,000 to 239,000 projected for 2017 under the employment 

assumptions contained in the 26th actuarial valuation. 

Employment assumptions I and II, based on a model developed by the Association of American 

Railroads, assume that (1) passenger employment will remain at the level of 48,000, and (2) the 

employment base, excluding passenger employment, will decline at a constant annual rate (0.5 

percent for assumption I and 2.0 percent for assumption II) for 25 years, at a reducing rate over the 

next 25 years, and remain level thereafter.

Employment assumption III differs from employment assumptions I and II by assuming that (1) 

passenger employment will decline by 500 per year until a level of 40,000 is reached and then 

remain level, and (2) the employment base, excluding passenger employment, will decline at a 

constant annual rate of 3.5 percent for 25 years, at a reducing rate over the next 25 years, and 

remain level thereafter.

Because inflation has been fairly stable at relatively low levels in recent years, only one set of 

earnings and price inflation assumptions was used in this valuation. The ultimate earnings increase

and cost-of-living increase assumptions have been lowered from 3.7% and 2.7% in the 26th

valuation to 3.6% and 2.6%, respectively, in the 27th valuation. Table 1. Employment and 

economic assumptions shows the assumptions used in the 27th valuation. A comparison of 

historical and projected employment is illustrated in Figure 1.

Only one combination of non-economic assumptions (for example, rates of mortality, disability, 

retirement, and withdrawal) was used in this valuation. These assumptions, some of which were 

changed from the 26th valuation to reflect recent experience, are discussed in the Technical 

Supplement to this report. 

Projections were made for the various components of income and outgo under each employment 

assumption for the 75 calendar years 2017-2091. The projections of these components were 

combined and the investment income calculated to produce the projected balances in the combined 

NRRIT and RR Account and in the SSEB Account separately for each year. The results are 

summarized in Table 2. Present values of the various components of NRRIT and RR Account 

income and outgo were calculated by discounting amounts in each projection year to December 31, 

2016, using a constant 7.0% interest rate. The present values were combined to calculate the 

NRRIT and RR Account actuarial surplus or deficiency. The derivation of the surplus or deficiency 

appears in Table 6.

8
B. Valuation Results 

This section sets forth the results of the valuation in the form of a discussion of the tables in which 

the results appear. Because it is desirable for the discussion of a table to be reasonably selfcontained, there is some repetition between tables and between this section and preceding sections 

of this report. 

Table 2. Progress of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (NRRIT) and

Railroad Retirement (RR) Account, and the Social Security Equivalent Benefit (SSEB) Account. 

Projections were made for the various components of income and outgo under each employment 

assumption for the 75 calendar years 2017-2091. The projections of these components were 

combined and the investment income calculated to produce the projected balances in the combined 

NRRIT and RR Account, and the SSEB Account at the end of each projection year. The results are 

summarized in Table 2. 

Table 2 consists of three tables, one for each of employment assumptions I, II, and III. The tables 

show, for the SSEB Account and the combined NRRIT and RR Account for each projection year, 

(1) the various elements of income and outgo, (2) the account balance on December 31, and (3) the 

account benefits ratio, average account benefits ratio and combined employer and employee tier 2 

tax rate.

The balances of the RR Account and NRRIT are combined because amounts not needed to pay 

current benefit and administrative costs are invested by the NRRIT. The SSEB Account is assumed 

to maintain a target balance of approximately 1.5 months of benefit payments in order to meet 

benefit obligations and contingencies, and to transfer any excess to the RR Account or NRRIT. 

Table 2 indicates that no cash-flow problems arise under employment assumptions I and II (Tables 

2-I and 2-II).

Under employment assumption I, the combined account balance decreases slightly through 2021 

and increases thereafter. The combined employer and employee tier 2 tax rate remains at 18% 

through 2041, decreases to 14.0% in 2057 and 12% in 2076, and remains between 12.0% and 14.0% 

thereafter.

Under employment assumption II, the combined account balance is generally increasing with some 

declines primarily in 2019 through 2022, and 2040 through 2052. The combined employer and 

employee tier 2 tax rate remains at 18% through 2044, increases to 27% in 2057-2062, and then 

generally decreases until reaching 18.0% in 2073. 

Under employment assumption III, the combined account balance declines until the balance 

becomes negative in 2047. Negative after-transfer balances indicate the amount that would be 

owed, including interest, if unreduced benefits were paid by borrowing from some unknown source. 

The combined account deficit grows through the end of the projection period, when the balance 

reaches -$222,507 million. The combined employer and employee tier 2 tax rate increases to 27% 

in 2042 and remains at that level through the end of the projection period. Under this assumption, 

the tax rate mechanism does not avoid cash flow problems. 

9
Table 3. Present value of benefits in millions of dollars. This table shows, for each employment 

assumption, the present value of tier 2 benefits, supplemental annuity benefits and the portion of 

tier 1 benefits which exceeds the social security level of benefits. The portion of tier 1 benefits in 

excess of the social security level is referred to as "tier 1 liability." The most important components

of this liability were described in Section III. Supplemental annuity benefits are included with tier 2 

benefits in this table. The present values are shown separately by type of beneficiary (employee,

spouse, survivor) and by employee status on the valuation date (retired, retired and deceased, active, 

inactive, future entrants). 

Table 4. Present value of benefits as a percentage of the present value of tier 2 payroll. The format

for this table is the same as for Table 3. Each number in Table 4 was obtained by dividing the 

corresponding number in Table 3 by the appropriate present value of one percent of tier 2 payroll. 

The payroll figures are shown in Table 6. 

Table 5. Balance of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust and Railroad

Retirement Account, and the Social Security Equivalent Benefit Account as of December 31, 2016. 

This table derives the balance in the accounts as of December 31, 2016. No accrual adjustments are

made either for financial interchange amounts due and unpaid on that date or for benefits due on 

January 2, 2017, because these amounts are included in the projected future cash flows. For the 

purpose of the present value calculations, an adjustment is made as discussed in Table 6 below. 

Table 6. Actuarial surplus or (deficiency) for National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust and

Railroad Retirement Account. The top half of Table 6 expresses the asset and liability components 

of the actuarial balance as present values in dollars. The bottom half expresses these components as 

a percentage of tier 2 payroll. The actuarial surplus or deficiency was calculated for the NRRIT and

RR Account, but not for the SSEB Account, for the following reason. 

The SSEB Account pays the social security level of benefits and administrative expenses allocable 

to those benefits, and it receives as income the social security level of taxes. If there were no other

source of income or outgo during the course of a year, a surplus or deficiency would build up, 

depending on whether taxes exceeded or were less than benefits. However, the SSEB Account also 

receives or pays any financial interchange transfers. The financial interchange transfer, subject to

qualifications described in the next paragraph, should be enough to offset any surplus or deficit for 

the year. Furthermore, this would be the case even if the social security level of benefits or taxes

are raised or lowered. The SSEB Account can thus be regarded as automatically funded, the 

financial interchange being the mechanism for correcting any surplus or deficiency. Therefore, the

concept of actuarial balance is not meaningful when applied to the SSEB Account. 

The qualification mentioned above arises because, in a relatively small number of cases, the railroad 

retirement system does not pay benefits when social security would pay benefits. In these cases,

mainly dependent children of retired railroad employees, the SSEB Account collects an amount 

through the financial interchange but does not pay a corresponding benefit. This imbalance 

between outgo and income is transferred from time to time to the RR Account or NRRIT. The

value of these transfers, or amounts available for transfer, is included as an asset in Table 6 as

“Available from SSEB Account.” 

10
Revenue derived from taxing NRRIT and RR Account benefits (tier 2 and the excess of tier 1 over 

the social security level) is transferred to the RR Account. The present value of these transfers is

shown as an asset in Table 6 as “Income taxes on benefits.”

Although the actual return of the trust funds during calendar year 2017 was approximately 16.7%,

this rate is not used in the present value calculations. Instead, the present value calculations use 

7.0% as the rate for 2017, as well as for the remaining 74 years of the projection. The adjusted 

balance as of December 31, 2016, is calculated so that, assuming a 7.0% rate of return for 2017, the 

combined RRA, NRRIT, and SSEBA balance projected on December 31, 2017, is equal to the 

actual balance on that date. 

The cost of the system to the railroad industry may be considered as the excess of “Retirement

taxes” over “Actuarial surplus or (deficiency).” Table 6 shows that the cost of the system is much

more stable when expressed in dollars than when expressed as a percentage of payroll. For 

example, the cost of the system under employment assumption III is $63,385 million, or 21.11 

percent of payroll, whereas the cost under employment assumption I is $71,811 million, or 16.31 

percent of payroll. Using employment assumption III as the base, the percentage cost variation in 

dollars between the two valuations is 13.29 percent. As a percentage of payroll, the percentage cost 

variation is 22.74 percent.

Table 7. Unfunded accrued liability. The railroad retirement program is a social insurance program

rather than a private pension plan. A private pension plan should build up funds in an orderly way 

over the working lifetimes of the participants. With a fully funded program, the value of the 

accumulated assets will be sufficient to discharge all liabilities for the accrued benefits. Pay-asyou-go funding, where the pension costs are charged to the retirement years as the benefits are paid, 

is not acceptable for a private pension plan because of a lack of participant security. Because 

private pension plans can terminate, they should, ideally, be fully funded to protect the rights of 

active and retired participants. 

For a social insurance plan, however, the situation is different, and full funding is not necessary. 

The program is expected to operate indefinitely. Because the program is compulsory, new entrants 

will constantly be entering the program, and they and their employers will be paying taxes to

support the program. 

Unlike some other social insurance programs, the railroad retirement program relies on payroll 

taxes from the employers and employees of a single industry. Although the railroad retirement 

program is not subject to the funding standards of a private pension plan, it is still of interest to 

calculate the normal cost and the accrued liability for the plan.

Table 7 illustrates what the funded status would be for the railroad retirement system as of

December 31, 2016, using the entry age normal actuarial funding method. The present value of

future benefits and the present value of future administrative expenses for former and present 

employees are shown on lines 1 and 2, respectively. The portion of the actuarial present value of 

benefits assigned to a particular year is called the normal cost. For the entry age normal actuarial

funding method, the normal cost rate is the average cost expressed as a level percentage of payroll

11
(line 4) that would fund the average employee’s benefits, including dependent benefits, and 

expenses over the employee’s working lifetime. The normal cost rate is 7.80% of tier 2 payroll. 

The accrued liability for the program, shown on line 6, is equal to the difference between the 

present value of benefits and administrative expenses for former and present employees and the 

present value of future normal costs. The unfunded accrued liability (line 8) is the difference 

between the accrued liability and the funds on hand as of December 31, 2016 (line 6 minus line 7). 

This is the amount needed, in excess of funds on hand and future normal costs, to fund combined 

NRRIT and RR Account benefits and expenses for former and present employees. 

Table 8. Vested dual benefit amounts and average number of beneficiaries. This table shows a 

projection of vested dual benefit payments for every fiscal year from 2019 through 2030. After 

2030, the amounts become insignificant. The amounts shown assume that the benefits are fully 

funded. Fiscal years are shown because vested dual benefit appropriations are made on a fiscal year 

basis. The table also indicates the average number of vested dual beneficiaries in each fiscal year. 

The table applies to all the employment assumptions discussed in this report.

The 1981 amendments removed much of the uncertainty from projections of future vested dual 

benefit payments. The volatility caused by inflation is gone, since future awards take into account 

cost-of-living increases from 1975 through 1981, rather than through the date of retirement. Also, 

awards of these benefits to spouses and widow(er)s ceased after August 13, 1981. The primary 

uncertainty which remains in projecting future vested dual benefit payments is estimating the 

relatively high rates of future mortality for the very old.

The projections of vested dual benefit payments by the Railroad Retirement Board are the basis for 

the agency's requests for appropriated amounts. Generally, a margin of about 2 percent is added to 

projected amounts to determine the appropriated amounts requested. This margin is needed because 

of the uncertainties in making projections and to ensure that adequate funds are available for the full 

payment of vested dual benefits. Appropriated amounts remaining in a fiscal year after all benefit 

payments have been made are returned to the Treasury. 

Table 9. Supplemental annuity benefit amounts and average number of beneficiaries. This table 

shows a projection of supplemental annuity benefits for every calendar year from 2018 through 

2053. Since service before October 1, 1981, is required for a supplemental annuity, benefit amounts 

after 2053 are relatively insignificant. 

Table 10. Average number of railroad retirement annuitants and number of annuitants per full time 

employee. The left half of Table 10 shows the average number of annuitants under each 

employment assumption, and the right half shows the average number per full time employee. 

Under employment assumption I, the average number of annuitants per full time employee 

generally declines in the first half of the projection period and then remains relatively level. Under 

employment assumption II, the average number of annuitants per full time employee remains 

relatively level through 2055 and then declines. Under employment assumption III, the average 

number of annuitants per full time employee increases steadily to 3.33 in 2049 and declines 

thereafter.

12
VI. STATEMENT OF ACTUARIAL OPINION

I meet the Qualification Standards of the American Academy of Actuaries to render the actuarial 

opinion contained herein. It is my opinion that (1) the techniques and methodology used to 

evaluate the financial and actuarial status of the Railroad Retirement System are generally accepted 

within the actuarial profession; and (2) the assumptions used and the resulting actuarial estimates 

are, in the aggregate, reasonable for the purpose of evaluating the financial and actuarial status of 

the trust funds, taking into consideration the experience and expectations of the program. 

Frank J. Buzzi

Chief Actuary, Railroad Retirement Board

Fellow of the Society of Actuaries

Member of the American Academy of Actuaries

Enrolled Actuary #17-4940

13
Table 1. Employment and economic assumptions

Calendar Average employment (thousands) Percentage increase over prior year Investment

year I II III Earnings Cost of livinga return

2017 223 223 223 3.6% 0.3% b 16.7% b

2018 222 220 216 3.6 2.0 b 7.0 

2019 221 216 210 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2020 220 213 204 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2021 220 209 198 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2022 219 206 192 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2023 218 203 186 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2024 217 200 181 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2025 216 197 176 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2026 215 194 171 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2027 215 191 166 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2028 214 188 161 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2029 213 185 156 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2030 212 183 152 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2031 211 180 147 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2032 210 177 143 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2033 210 175 139 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2034 209 172 136 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2035 208 170 132 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2036 207 167 129 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2037 206 165 126 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2038 206 163 123 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2039 205 160 120 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2040 204 158 117 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2041 203 156 114 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2042 202 154 112 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2043 202 152 109 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2044 201 150 107 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2045 200 148 105 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2046 200 146 103 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2047 199 145 101 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2048 199 143 100 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2049 198 142 98 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2050 197 141 97 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2051 197 139 96 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2052 197 138 94 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2053 196 137 93 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2054 196 136 92 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2055 195 135 92 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2056 195 135 91 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2057 195 134 90 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2058 195 133 89 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2059 194 133 89 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2060 194 132 88 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2061 194 132 88 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2062 194 132 88 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2063 194 131 87 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2064 194 131 87 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2065 193 131 87 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2066 193 131 87 3.6 2.6 7.0 

2067-2091 193 131 87 3.6 2.6 7.0 

 a Page 31 item 16.

 b Actual.

14
1937 1947 1957 1967 1977 1987 1997 2007 2017 2027 2037 2047 2057 2067 

Calendar Year

Figure 1. Average Railroad Employment 1937-2091, Historical and Projected

50,000

800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

100,000

1,800,000

1,400,000

1,000,000

Employmen

Employmen

Employmen
Table 2-I. Progress of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (NRRIT) and Railroad Retirement (RR) Account, and

the Social Security Equivalent Benefit (SSEB) Account under Employment Assumption I

(Dollar amounts in millions)

Average Combined NRRIT and RR Account SSEB Account

Account account Tier 2 Benefits Benefits Other Combined

Calendar benefits benefits tax and admin- Tax Other Balance, and admin- Tax income and Balance, balance,

year ratioa ratiob rate istration incomec incomed end year istration incomec expensee end year end year

2018 4.92 5.20 18.0% $5,629 $3,559 $2,163 $27,353 $7,320 $3,230 $4,043 $912 $28,265

2019 4.84 5.10 18.0% 5,696 3,670 1,938 27,264 7,545 3,348 4,225 940 28,204

2020 4.79 5.00 18.0% 5,753 3,785 1,939 27,234 7,753 3,471 4,308 965 28,199

2021 4.73 5.00 18.0% 5,798 3,903 1,837 27,177 7,954 3,600 4,365 977 28,154

2022 4.72 5.00 18.0% 5,835 4,025 1,934 27,301 8,147 3,733 4,452 1,014 28,315

2023 4.73 4.90 18.0% 5,873 4,151 1,965 27,544 8,326 3,869 4,480 1,037 28,581

2024 4.75 4.90 18.0% 5,917 4,278 1,990 27,895 8,496 4,006 4,511 1,058 28,953

2025 4.77 4.90 18.0% 5,968 4,408 1,939 28,274 8,663 4,145 4,538 1,078 29,352

2026 4.83 4.90 18.0% 6,021 4,604 2,057 28,914 8,831 4,357 4,495 1,099 30,013

2027 4.91 4.90 18.0% 6,080 4,740 2,107 29,681 9,001 4,503 4,519 1,120 30,801

2028 4.99 4.90 18.0% 6,156 4,879 2,166 30,571 9,173 4,651 4,543 1,142 31,713

2029 5.08 4.90 18.0% 6,250 5,022 2,233 31,576 9,348 4,788 4,582 1,163 32,739

2030 5.17 4.90 18.0% 6,354 5,169 2,307 32,698 9,528 4,928 4,622 1,186 33,884

2031 5.27 4.90 18.0% 6,466 5,320 2,357 33,910 9,719 5,072 4,670 1,209 35,119

2032 5.39 5.00 18.0% 6,574 5,476 2,478 35,289 9,922 5,222 4,726 1,235 36,524

2033 5.53 5.00 18.0% 6,671 5,637 2,579 36,833 10,140 5,378 4,789 1,262 38,095

2034 5.69 5.10 18.0% 6,785 5,803 2,693 38,544 10,359 5,539 4,847 1,289 39,833

2035 5.84 5.20 18.0% 6,933 5,976 2,817 40,403 10,576 5,703 4,900 1,316 41,719

2036 5.99 5.30 18.0% 7,091 6,154 2,946 42,412 10,804 5,872 4,960 1,344 43,756

2037 6.15 5.40 18.0% 7,258 6,338 3,095 44,587 11,044 6,047 5,027 1,374 45,961

2038 6.32 5.60 18.0% 7,443 6,529 3,251 46,925 11,287 6,228 5,089 1,404 48,329

2039 6.49 5.70 18.0% 7,630 6,728 3,419 49,441 11,537 6,418 5,150 1,435 50,876

2040 6.67 5.80 18.0% 7,821 6,936 3,599 52,155 11,798 6,616 5,213 1,467 53,622

2041 6.85 6.00 18.0% 8,042 7,150 3,790 55,053 12,069 6,820 5,283 1,501 56,554

2042 6.98 6.10 17.0% 8,294 6,998 3,982 57,739 12,361 7,028 5,369 1,537 59,276

2043 7.09 6.30 17.0% 8,565 7,216 4,171 60,561 12,671 7,245 5,465 1,576 62,137

2044 7.15 6.50 16.0% 8,865 7,048 4,354 63,098 12,997 7,470 5,567 1,616 64,714

2045 7.19 6.60 16.0% 9,191 7,272 4,532 65,710 13,343 7,704 5,682 1,659 67,369

2046 7.23 6.70 16.0% 9,515 7,506 4,714 68,414 13,716 7,951 5,811 1,705 70,119

2047 7.28 6.90 16.0% 9,821 7,751 4,904 71,247 14,123 8,215 5,959 1,756 73,003

2048 7.32 7.00 15.0% 10,126 7,556 5,087 73,764 14,557 8,492 6,120 1,810 75,574

2049 7.36 7.10 15.0% 10,424 7,808 5,267 76,415 15,009 8,786 6,279 1,866 78,281

2050 7.39 7.20 15.0% 10,773 8,072 5,456 79,171 15,468 9,089 6,436 1,923 81,094

2051 7.37 7.20 15.0% 11,201 8,345 5,652 81,967 15,923 9,395 6,584 1,979 83,946

2052 7.36 7.30 15.0% 11,593 8,626 5,845 84,845 16,432 9,719 6,776 2,043 86,888

2053 7.41 7.30 15.0% 11,910 8,916 6,047 87,899 17,007 10,065 7,013 2,114 90,013

2054 7.49 7.40 15.0% 12,203 9,220 6,271 91,187 17,587 10,431 7,227 2,186 93,373

2055 7.57 7.40 15.0% 12,550 9,538 6,512 94,687 18,150 10,808 7,412 2,256 96,943

2056 7.61 7.40 15.0% 12,977 9,868 6,765 98,344 18,698 11,190 7,576 2,324 100,668

2057 7.62 7.50 14.0% 13,398 9,600 7,000 101,545 19,286 11,587 7,772 2,397 103,942

2058 7.64 7.50 14.0% 13,794 9,929 7,226 104,906 19,926 12,002 8,003 2,477 107,383

2059 7.67 7.50 14.0% 14,204 10,270 7,468 108,440 20,579 12,432 8,228 2,558 110,998

2060 7.70 7.60 14.0% 14,640 10,625 7,722 112,148 21,247 12,877 8,453 2,641 114,789

2061 7.72 7.60 14.0% 15,105 10,994 7,988 116,024 21,934 13,337 8,682 2,726 118,750

2062 7.74 7.60 14.0% 15,591 11,376 8,264 120,073 22,647 13,814 8,921 2,815 122,888

2063 7.76 7.70 14.0% 16,093 11,772 8,553 124,305 23,388 14,309 9,172 2,907 127,212

2064 7.78 7.70 14.0% 16,617 12,184 8,855 128,727 24,158 14,822 9,431 3,002 131,729

2065 7.81 7.70 14.0% 17,162 12,612 9,170 133,347 24,959 15,356 9,703 3,102 136,449

2070 7.91 7.80 14.0% 20,285 15,014 10,962 159,604 29,464 18,339 11,245 3,662 163,266

2075 7.99 7.90 14.0% 24,122 17,899 13,156 191,740 34,944 21,917 13,174 4,342 196,082

2080 7.63 7.90 14.0% 28,775 21,360 15,015 218,424 41,609 26,206 15,582 5,171 223,595

2085 7.62 7.80 14.0% 34,387 25,504 17,915 260,634 49,698 31,354 18,561 6,176 266,810

2090 7.62 7.70 14.0% 41,030 30,456 21,380 311,046 59,478 37,525 22,214 7,391 318,437

2091 7.62 7.70 14.0% 42,507 31,555 22,149 322,243 61,666 38,896 23,042 7,663 329,906

 a The fair market value of the assets in the RR Account and NRRIT as of the close of the fiscal year (September 30) divided by the total benefits and administrative

 expenses paid from the RR Account and NRRIT during the fiscal year.

 b The average of the account benefits ratios for the 10 most recent fiscal years ending before the calendar year.

 c Includes payroll taxes and income taxes on benefits.

 d Includes investment income and transfers from SSEB Account.

 e Other income includes financial interchange income, advances from general revenues, and interest income. Other expense includes repayment of advances 

 from general revenues and transfers to the NRRIT or RRA.

16
Table 2-II. Progress of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (NRRIT) and Railroad Retirement (RR) Account, and

the Social Security Equivalent Benefit (SSEB) Account under Employment Assumption II

(Dollar amounts in millions)

Average Combined NRRIT and RR Account SSEB Account

Account account Tier 2 Benefits Benefits Other Combined

Calendar benefits benefits tax and admin- Tax Other Balance, and admin- Tax income and Balance, balance,

year ratioa ratiob rate istration incomec incomed end year istration incomec expensee end year end year

2018 4.92 5.20 18.0% $5,629 $3,540 $2,163 $27,333 $7,320 $3,213 $4,060 $912 $28,245

2019 4.83 5.10 18.0% 5,696 3,614 1,934 27,186 7,545 3,300 4,273 940 28,126

2020 4.76 5.00 18.0% 5,753 3,693 1,930 27,056 7,753 3,391 4,388 965 28,021

2021 4.68 5.00 18.0% 5,797 3,772 1,819 26,850 7,954 3,485 4,480 976 27,826

2022 4.64 5.00 18.0% 5,834 3,853 1,904 26,773 8,147 3,580 4,605 1,014 27,787

2023 4.61 4.90 18.0% 5,871 3,935 1,920 26,757 8,326 3,676 4,672 1,037 27,794

2024 4.58 4.90 18.0% 5,915 4,015 1,925 26,783 8,495 3,771 4,745 1,058 27,841

2025 4.54 4.80 18.0% 5,964 4,096 1,850 26,764 8,662 3,865 4,817 1,078 27,842

2026 4.52 4.80 18.0% 6,016 4,239 1,937 26,924 8,829 4,029 4,820 1,099 28,023

2027 4.51 4.70 18.0% 6,073 4,321 1,952 27,123 8,998 4,125 4,894 1,120 28,243

2028 4.50 4.70 18.0% 6,147 4,403 1,969 27,348 9,168 4,219 4,969 1,141 28,489

2029 4.47 4.70 18.0% 6,239 4,485 1,987 27,581 9,339 4,301 5,060 1,162 28,743

2030 4.44 4.60 18.0% 6,340 4,569 2,005 27,816 9,516 4,383 5,155 1,184 29,000

2031 4.40 4.60 18.0% 6,448 4,655 1,990 28,013 9,701 4,465 5,259 1,207 29,220

2032 4.36 4.60 18.0% 6,552 4,742 2,038 28,241 9,898 4,550 5,372 1,232 29,473

2033 4.34 4.50 18.0% 6,644 4,831 2,056 28,483 10,107 4,640 5,493 1,258 29,741

2034 4.31 4.50 18.0% 6,752 4,923 2,076 28,731 10,316 4,730 5,611 1,283 30,014

2035 4.26 4.50 18.0% 6,892 5,018 2,096 28,952 10,520 4,821 5,725 1,309 30,261

2036 4.20 4.50 18.0% 7,041 5,115 2,106 29,133 10,734 4,913 5,848 1,335 30,468

2037 4.13 4.40 18.0% 7,198 5,215 2,125 29,275 10,958 5,008 5,977 1,363 30,638

2038 4.05 4.40 18.0% 7,371 5,318 2,136 29,358 11,180 5,105 6,103 1,391 30,749

2039 3.96 4.30 18.0% 7,543 5,426 2,143 29,384 11,406 5,207 6,227 1,419 30,803

2040 3.87 4.30 18.0% 7,716 5,539 2,145 29,352 11,639 5,315 6,353 1,447 30,799

2041 3.76 4.20 18.0% 7,917 5,654 2,142 29,231 11,878 5,423 6,485 1,477 30,708

2042 3.63 4.20 18.0% 8,144 5,772 2,133 28,991 12,132 5,532 6,632 1,509 30,500

2043 3.49 4.10 18.0% 8,388 5,896 2,115 28,614 12,399 5,647 6,785 1,542 30,156

2044 3.33 4.00 18.0% 8,657 6,028 2,087 28,071 12,675 5,767 6,942 1,576 29,647

2045 3.17 3.90 19.0% 8,950 6,468 2,057 27,646 12,965 5,892 7,109 1,612 29,258

2046 3.01 3.80 19.0% 9,237 6,621 2,025 27,056 13,275 6,027 7,286 1,650 28,706

2047 2.85 3.70 19.0% 9,501 6,784 1,982 26,321 13,611 6,176 7,477 1,692 28,013

2048 2.69 3.60 19.0% 9,753 6,955 1,932 25,455 13,962 6,334 7,672 1,735 27,190

2049 2.56 3.40 20.0% 9,989 7,473 1,888 24,827 14,317 6,508 7,853 1,779 26,606

2050 2.42 3.30 20.0% 10,266 7,676 1,847 24,084 14,668 6,687 8,025 1,823 25,907

2051 2.27 3.10 20.0% 10,593 7,884 1,798 23,174 15,007 6,867 8,183 1,865 25,039

2052 2.12 3.00 20.0% 10,845 8,103 1,734 22,166 15,394 7,065 8,378 1,913 24,079

2053 2.08 2.80 23.0% 11,023 9,446 1,709 22,298 15,820 7,279 8,593 1,966 24,264

2054 2.07 2.70 23.0% 11,187 9,725 1,733 22,568 16,221 7,509 8,762 2,016 24,584

2055 2.07 2.60 23.0% 11,394 10,015 1,765 22,955 16,596 7,744 8,899 2,062 25,017

2056 2.06 2.50 23.0% 11,652 10,315 1,804 23,422 16,945 7,981 9,008 2,105 25,527

2057 2.19 2.40 27.0% 11,869 12,306 1,906 25,765 17,325 8,231 9,141 2,152 27,917

2058 2.37 2.30 27.0% 12,066 12,683 2,080 28,462 17,729 8,494 9,285 2,202 30,664

2059 2.58 2.30 27.0% 12,281 13,076 2,285 31,543 18,117 8,766 9,399 2,250 33,793

2060 2.80 2.30 27.0% 12,512 13,486 2,514 35,031 18,506 9,048 9,507 2,298 37,329

2061 3.05 2.30 27.0% 12,761 13,913 2,771 38,954 18,900 9,340 9,609 2,347 41,301

2062 3.32 2.40 27.0% 13,020 14,359 3,059 43,353 19,304 9,644 9,711 2,397 45,750

2063 3.49 2.50 23.0% 13,288 12,789 3,303 46,157 19,721 9,961 9,812 2,448 48,605

2064 3.65 2.70 23.0% 13,565 13,208 3,510 49,311 20,149 10,291 9,911 2,501 51,812

2065 3.83 2.80 23.0% 13,855 13,646 3,742 52,844 20,595 10,637 10,013 2,556 55,400

2070 4.23 3.70 19.0% 15,562 13,559 4,636 65,237 23,092 12,600 10,560 2,866 68,103

2075 4.56 4.20 18.0% 17,745 15,323 5,671 80,339 26,204 14,975 11,313 3,253 83,592

2080 4.94 4.60 18.0% 20,555 18,230 7,052 100,844 30,129 17,837 12,399 3,740 104,584

2085 5.44 5.00 18.0% 24,025 21,730 9,027 130,241 35,079 21,296 13,918 4,354 134,595

2090 6.12 5.50 18.0% 28,177 25,922 11,836 172,130 41,247 25,466 15,947 5,120 177,250

2091 6.28 5.60 18.0% 29,107 26,853 12,524 182,399 42,647 26,393 16,427 5,294 187,693

 a The fair market value of the assets in the RR Account and NRRIT as of the close of the fiscal year (September 30) divided by the total benefits and administrative

 expenses paid from the RR Account and NRRIT during the fiscal year.

 b The average of the account benefits ratios for the 10 most recent fiscal years ending before the calendar year.

 c Includes payroll taxes and income taxes on benefits.

 d Includes investment income and transfers from SSEB Account.

 e Other income includes financial interchange income, advances from general revenues, and interest income. Other expense includes repayment of advances 

 from general revenues and transfers to the NRRIT or RRA.

17
Table 2-III. Progress of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (NRRIT) and Railroad Retirement (RR) Account, and

the Social Security Equivalent Benefit (SSEB) Account under Employment Assumption III

(Dollar amounts in millions)

Average Combined NRRIT and RR Account SSEB Account

Account account Tier 2 Benefits Benefits Other Combined

Calendar benefits benefits tax and admin- Tax Other Balance, and admin- Tax income and Balance, balance,

year ratioa ratiob rate istration incomec incomed end year istration incomec expensee end year end year

2018 4.92 5.20 18.0% $5,629 $3,518 $2,162 $27,310 $7,320 $3,194 $4,079 $912 $28,222

2019 4.82 5.10 18.0% 5,696 3,550 1,930 27,094 7,545 3,244 4,330 940 28,034

2020 4.73 5.00 18.0% 5,753 3,586 1,920 26,847 7,753 3,297 4,482 965 27,812

2021 4.62 5.00 18.0% 5,797 3,622 1,799 26,471 7,954 3,352 4,613 976 27,447

2022 4.54 4.90 18.0% 5,832 3,657 1,870 26,165 8,147 3,406 4,779 1,014 27,179

2023 4.46 4.90 18.0% 5,869 3,691 1,868 25,855 8,326 3,459 4,889 1,037 26,892

2024 4.38 4.80 18.0% 5,912 3,721 1,850 25,514 8,495 3,508 5,008 1,058 26,572

2025 4.27 4.80 18.0% 5,960 3,749 1,748 25,051 8,661 3,554 5,127 1,078 26,129

2026 4.17 4.70 18.0% 6,011 3,839 1,802 24,681 8,827 3,669 5,179 1,099 25,780

2027 4.06 4.60 18.0% 6,066 3,864 1,778 24,257 8,994 3,712 5,302 1,120 25,377

2028 3.94 4.50 18.0% 6,138 3,888 1,749 23,757 9,162 3,753 5,429 1,140 24,897

2029 3.79 4.40 18.0% 6,227 3,911 1,714 23,156 9,330 3,779 5,571 1,161 24,317

2030 3.63 4.30 18.0% 6,324 3,934 1,672 22,437 9,501 3,803 5,719 1,182 23,619

2031 3.44 4.20 18.0% 6,428 3,956 1,588 21,553 9,680 3,827 5,876 1,205 22,758

2032 3.24 4.10 18.0% 6,527 3,978 1,558 20,561 9,870 3,850 6,043 1,228 21,789

2033 3.03 4.00 18.0% 6,614 4,004 1,488 19,438 10,070 3,879 6,215 1,253 20,691

2034 2.82 3.80 19.0% 6,715 4,228 1,418 18,370 10,267 3,911 6,380 1,277 19,647

2035 2.60 3.70 19.0% 6,848 4,264 1,343 17,129 10,458 3,943 6,539 1,301 18,430

2036 2.35 3.50 19.0% 6,988 4,301 1,250 15,691 10,657 3,976 6,705 1,326 17,017

2037 2.10 3.30 20.0% 7,135 4,538 1,160 14,254 10,862 4,011 6,876 1,351 15,605

2038 1.83 3.10 20.0% 7,297 4,582 1,059 12,599 11,063 4,047 7,040 1,376 13,975

2039 1.61 2.90 23.0% 7,455 5,233 965 11,342 11,262 4,087 7,200 1,401 12,743

2040 1.40 2.70 23.0% 7,613 5,291 877 9,897 11,465 4,132 7,359 1,426 11,323

2041 1.16 2.50 23.0% 7,796 5,352 772 8,225 11,671 4,176 7,521 1,451 9,676

2042 0.98 2.30 27.0% 8,002 6,239 685 7,147 11,886 4,219 7,694 1,478 8,625

2043 0.80 2.00 27.0% 8,224 6,316 607 5,846 12,107 4,267 7,867 1,505 7,351

2044 0.60 1.80 27.0% 8,467 6,401 514 4,294 12,330 4,319 8,039 1,533 5,827

2045 0.38 1.60 27.0% 8,730 6,494 401 2,459 12,563 4,375 8,217 1,562 4,021

2046 0.14 1.40 27.0% 8,983 6,597 269 342 12,810 4,440 8,401 1,592 1,934

2047 0.06 1.10 27.0% 9,209 6,712 1,744 (411) 13,075 4,515 6,968 - (411)

2048 -0.21 0.90 27.0% 9,419 6,839 (13) (3,004) 13,343 4,600 8,743 - (3,004)

2049 -0.49 0.70 27.0% 9,601 6,985 (194) (5,814) 13,600 4,700 8,901 - (5,814)

2050 -0.79 0.50 27.0% 9,816 7,137 (391) (8,884) 13,844 4,801 9,043 - (8,884)

2051 -1.10 0.30 27.0% 10,046 7,295 (606) (12,242) 14,070 4,904 9,166 - (12,242)

2052 -1.43 0.10 27.0% 10,162 7,467 (837) (15,773) 14,340 5,027 9,313 - (15,773)

2053 -1.77 -0.30 27.0% 10,208 7,651 (1,077) (19,407) 14,620 5,163 9,457 - (19,407)

2054 -2.13 -0.50 27.0% 10,248 7,852 (1,323) (23,126) 14,846 5,309 9,537 - (23,126)

2055 -2.48 -0.80 27.0% 10,323 8,060 (1,577) (26,966) 15,038 5,454 9,583 - (26,966)

2056 -2.84 -1.10 27.0% 10,416 8,273 (1,839) (30,948) 15,199 5,601 9,598 - (30,948)

2057 -3.21 -1.40 27.0% 10,432 8,498 (2,109) (34,992) 15,385 5,762 9,623 - (34,992)

2058 -3.60 -1.70 27.0% 10,427 8,730 (2,381) (39,070) 15,567 5,929 9,638 - (39,070)

2059 -3.99 -2.00 27.0% 10,449 8,974 (2,657) (43,201) 15,706 6,100 9,606 - (43,201)

2060 -4.38 -2.40 27.0% 10,477 9,228 (2,936) (47,387) 15,837 6,276 9,562 - (47,387)

2061 -4.76 -2.70 27.0% 10,515 9,493 (3,220) (51,629) 15,965 6,457 9,507 - (51,629)

2062 -5.15 -3.10 27.0% 10,553 9,770 (3,506) (55,920) 16,093 6,647 9,446 - (55,920)

2063 -5.54 -3.50 27.0% 10,598 10,060 (3,796) (60,254) 16,224 6,845 9,380 - (60,254)

2064 -5.92 -3.90 27.0% 10,656 10,365 (4,089) (64,635) 16,360 7,051 9,309 - (64,635)

2065 -6.29 -4.20 27.0% 10,725 10,686 (4,385) (69,059) 16,507 7,268 9,239 - (69,059)

2070 -7.97 -6.10 27.0% 11,361 12,545 (5,917) (92,039) 17,439 8,504 8,935 - (92,039)

2075 -9.26 -7.80 27.0% 12,482 14,832 (7,576) (117,065) 18,901 10,019 8,882 - (117,065)

2080 -10.16 -9.10 27.0% 14,166 17,623 (9,445) (145,400) 21,079 11,875 9,203 - (145,400)

2085 -10.82 -10.10 27.0% 16,298 21,017 (11,589) (177,972) 24,087 14,159 9,928 - (177,972)

2090 -11.35 -10.80 27.0% 18,760 25,102 (14,008) (214,693) 27,975 16,944 11,031 - (214,693)

2091 -11.44 -10.90 27.0% 19,299 26,008 (14,523) (222,507) 28,865 17,565 11,300 - (222,507)

 a The fair market value of the assets in the RR Account and NRRIT as of the close of the fiscal year (September 30) divided by the total benefits and administrative

 expenses paid from the RR Account and NRRIT during the fiscal year.

 b The average of the account benefits ratios for the 10 most recent fiscal years ending before the calendar year.

 c Includes payroll taxes and income taxes on benefits.

 d Includes investment income and transfers from SSEB Account.

 e Other income includes financial interchange income, advances from general revenues, and interest income. Other expense includes repayment of advances 

 from general revenues and transfers to the NRRIT or RRA.

18
Table 3. Present valuea

 of benefits in millions of dollars

Employment assumption I Employment assumption II Employment assumption III

Tier 1 Tier 1 Tier 1

Tier 2b liabilityc Total Tier 2b liabilityc Total Tier 2b liabilityc Total

Employee annuities

Retired $ 24,401 $ 8,416 $ 32,817 $ 24,401 $ 8,416 $ 32,817 $ 24,401 $ 8,416 $ 32,817

Active 20,857 8,633 29,490 20,857 8,633 29,490 20,857 8,633 29,490

Inactive 1,051 201 1,253 1,051 201 1,253 1,051 201 1,253

Future entrants 7,793 2,940 10,733 5,447 2,057 7,505 3,361 1,265 4,626

Total 54,101 20,191 74,293 51,756 19,308 71,064 49,670 18,516 68,186

Spouse annuities

Retired 7,120 2,777 9,897 7,120 2,777 9,897 7,120 2,777 9,897

Active 5,299 2,881 8,179 5,299 2,881 8,179 5,299 2,881 8,179

Inactive 236 57 293 236 57 293 236 57 293

Future entrants 1,816 851 2,668 1,271 596 1,867 782 365 1,148

Total 14,471 6,566 21,037 13,926 6,311 20,237 13,437 6,080 19,517

Survivor annuities

Retired & deceased 6,623 858 7,481 6,623 858 7,481 6,623 858 7,481

Active 2,217 275 2,492 2,217 275 2,492 2,217 275 2,492

Inactive 32 13 44 32 13 44 32 13 44

Future entrants 642 119 761 450 83 533 273 51 324

Total 9,514 1,264 10,778 9,321 1,228 10,550 9,144 1,196 10,340

All annuities combined

Retired & deceased 38,144 12,051 50,195 38,144 12,051 50,195 38,144 12,051 50,195

Active 28,372 11,789 40,161 28,372 11,789 40,161 28,372 11,789 40,161

Inactive 1,319 271 1,590 1,319 271 1,590 1,319 271 1,590

Future entrants 10,251 3,910 14,162 7,168 2,737 9,905 4,416 1,681 6,097

Total annuities $ 78,086 $ 28,022 $ 106,107 $ 75,003 $ 26,848 $ 101,851 $ 72,250 $ 25,793 $ 98,043

Lump sum payments 46 46 46

Total benefits $ 106,153 $ 101,896 $ 98,089

Note: Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

a

 Present values are determined using a 7% interest rate for all years.

b

 Includes supplemental annuity benefits.

c

 Tier 1 benefits in excess of social security level.

19
Table 4. Present valuea

 of benefits as a percentage of the present valuea of tier 2 payroll

Employment assumption I Employment assumption II Employment assumption III

Tier 1 Tier 1 Tier 1

Tier 2b liabilityc Total Tier 2b liabilityc Total Tier 2b liabilityc Total

Employee annuities

Retired 5.54% 1.91% 7.46% 6.70% 2.31% 9.01% 8.13% 2.80% 10.93%

Active 4.74 1.96 6.70 5.72 2.37 8.09 6.95 2.88 9.82 

Inactive 0.24 0.05 0.28 0.29 0.06 0.34 0.35 0.07 0.42 

Future entrants 1.77 0.67 2.44 1.50 0.56 2.06 1.12 0.42 1.54 

Total 12.29 4.59 16.88 14.21 5.30 19.50 16.54 6.17 22.71 

Spouse annuities

Retired 1.62 0.63 2.25 1.95 0.76 2.72 2.37 0.93 3.30 

Active 1.20 0.65 1.86 1.45 0.79 2.24 1.77 0.96 2.72 

Inactive 0.05 0.01 0.07 0.06 0.02 0.08 0.08 0.02 0.10 

Future entrants 0.41 0.19 0.61 0.35 0.16 0.51 0.26 0.12 0.38 

Total 3.29 1.49 4.78 3.82 1.73 5.55 4.48 2.03 6.50 

Survivor annuities

Retired & deceased 1.50 0.19 1.70 1.82 0.24 2.05 2.21 0.29 2.49 

Active 0.50 0.06 0.57 0.61 0.08 0.68 0.74 0.09 0.83 

Inactive 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 

Future entrants 0.15 0.03 0.17 0.12 0.02 0.15 0.09 0.02 0.11 

Total 2.16 0.29 2.45 2.56 0.34 2.90 3.05 0.40 3.44 

All annuities combined

Retired & deceased 8.67 2.74 11.40 10.47 3.31 13.78 12.71 4.01 16.72 

Active 6.45 2.68 9.12 7.79 3.24 11.02 9.45 3.93 13.38 

Inactive 0.30 0.06 0.36 0.36 0.07 0.44 0.44 0.09 0.53 

Future entrants 2.33 0.89 3.22 1.97 0.75 2.72 1.47 0.56 2.03 

Total annuities 17.74% 6.37% 24.10% 20.59% 7.37% 27.95% 24.07% 8.59% 32.66%

Lump sum payments 0.01 0.01 0.02 

Total benefits 24.11% 27.97% 32.67%

Note: Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

a

 Present values are determined using a 7% interest rate for all years.

b

 Includes supplemental annuity benefits.

c

 Tier 1 benefits in excess of social security level.

20
Table 5. Balance of the Combined National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust

and Railroad Retirement Account, and the Social Security

Equivalent Benefit Account as of December 31, 2016

(Dollar amounts in millions)

Combined NRRIT SSEB

and RR Account Account

Securities:

Market value of NRRIT investments $ 24,866 -$ 

Par value specialsa (including accrued interest) 425 718 

Cash accounts 23 22

Balance 25,314 740 

Adjustment for present value calculationb

 2,434 -

Adjusted balance for use in present value calculation $ 27,748 $ 740

a

 Par value specials are securities issued by the Treasury directly to the RR and SSEB Accounts,

 maturing on the first business day of the month following the month of issue. Their yield rate

 each month is the average yield rate, computed as of the last day of the previous month, of

 marketable Treasury notes with maturity dates not less than three years away.

b

 This adjustment accounts for the difference between the actual assets on December 31, 2017,

 used in Tables 2-I, 2-II and 2-III, and the assets that would have been projected starting with

 the December 31, 2016 assets using a 7.0% rate. With this adjustment the present value of the

 ultimate combined account values in Tables 2 discounted at a 7.0% rate will equal the surplus

 or deficiency shown in Table 6.

21
Table 6. Actuarial surplus or (deficiency) for National Railroad Retirement

Investment Trust and Railroad Retirement Account

Employment assumption

I II III

Present values in millions of dollars

Adjusted funds on hand, 12/31/2016 27,748$ 27,748$ 27,748$ 

Retirement taxes 73,874 68,469 61,993 

Income taxes on benefits 8,537 8,178 7,856 

Available from SSEB Account 1,825 1,760 1,703 

Total, present and prospective assets 111,984 106,155 99,300 

Benefit payments 106,153 101,896 98,089 

Administrative expenses 3,768 3,085 2,603 

Total liabilities 109,921 104,981 100,692 

Actuarial surplus or (deficiency) 2,063 1,174 (1,392) 

One percent of tier 2 payroll 4,402$ 3,643$ 3,002$ 

Present values as a

percentage of tier 2 payroll

Adjusted funds on hand, 12/31/2016 6.30% 7.62% 9.24%

Retirement taxes 16.78 18.79 20.65 

Income taxes on benefits 1.94 2.24 2.62 

Available from SSEB Account 0.41 0.48 0.57 

Total, present and prospective assets 25.44 29.14 33.08 

Benefit payments 24.11 27.97 32.67 

Administrative expenses 0.86 0.85 0.87 

Total liabilities 24.97 28.81 33.54 

Actuarial surplus or (deficiency) 0.47 0.32 (0.46) 

22
Table 7. Unfunded accrued liability

(Dollar amounts in millions)

Amount or rate

1. Present value of benefits for former and present employees 91,991$ 

2. Present value of administrative expenses for former and present

employees 2,785 

3. Present value of tier 2 payroll for present employees 192,273 

4. Normal cost as a level percentage of tier 2 payroll 7.80%

5. Present value of future service costs for present employees = 14,997 

(3) x (4)

6. Accrued liability = (1) + (2) - (5) 79,779 

7. Funds on hand, 12/31/2016a 28,488 

8. Unfunded accrued liability = (6) - (7) 51,291 

a

 The amount shown is the sum of the NRRIT, RR Account and SSEB Account balances

 shown in Table 5.

23
Table 8. Vested dual benefit amounts and average number of beneficiaries

Vested dual Average

Fiscal benefit amountsa number of

year (Millions) beneficiaries

2019 $19 9,000 

2020 16 8,000 

2021 13 6,000 

2022 11 5,000 

2023 9 4,000 

2024 8 4,000 

2025 6 3,000 

2026 5 2,000 

2027 4 2,000 

2028 3 2,000 

2029 3 1,000 

2030 2 1,000 

a

 When projected amounts are used to determine the appropriation

 needed for benefit payments, a margin must be added to ensure

 payment of full benefits.

24
Table 9. Supplemental annuity benefit amounts and average number of beneficiaries

Supplemental Average

Calendar benefit amounts number of

year (Millions) beneficiariesa

2018 $61 121,000 

2019 60 118,000 

2020 58 115,000 

2021 56 112,000 

2022 54 108,000 

2023 52 103,000 

2024 50 99,000 

2025 47 94,000 

2026 45 90,000 

2027 43 85,000 

2028 40 80,000 

2029 38 75,000 

2030 36 71,000 

2031 33 66,000 

2032 31 62,000 

2033 29 57,000 

2034 27 53,000 

2035 25 49,000 

2036 22 45,000 

2037 20 41,000 

2038 19 37,000 

2039 17 33,000 

2040 15 30,000 

2041 13 26,000 

2042 12 23,000 

2043 10 20,000 

2044 9 17,000 

2045 7 15,000 

2046 6 13,000 

2047 5 11,000 

2048 4 9,000 

2049 4 7,000 

2050 3 6,000 

2051 2 5,000 

2052 2 4,000 

2053 1 3,000 

a

 Average number in a year. Excludes cases where the supplemental annuity is totally 

 eliminated because of a private pension. On January 1, 2017, there were about 34,000

 of these cases.

25
Table 10. Average number of railroad retirement annuitantsa

 and number of annuitants per full time employee

Average number of annuitants Average number of annuitants

Calendar under each employment assumption per full time employee

year I II III I II III

2018 518,100 518,100 518,100 2.33 2.36 2.39

2019 513,100 513,100 513,100 2.32 2.37 2.44

2020 507,300 507,300 507,300 2.30 2.38 2.49

2021 500,900 500,900 500,900 2.28 2.39 2.53

2022 494,100 494,100 494,100 2.26 2.40 2.57

2023 486,800 486,800 486,800 2.23 2.40 2.61

2024 479,300 479,300 479,300 2.21 2.40 2.65

2025 471,700 471,600 471,600 2.18 2.39 2.68

2026 464,000 463,900 463,800 2.15 2.39 2.72

2027 456,300 456,200 456,000 2.13 2.39 2.75

2028 449,000 448,700 448,500 2.10 2.38 2.79

2029 441,900 441,500 441,100 2.08 2.38 2.82

2030 434,900 434,500 433,900 2.05 2.38 2.86

2031 428,300 427,600 426,900 2.03 2.38 2.90

2032 421,800 420,900 419,900 2.00 2.37 2.93

2033 415,300 414,200 413,000 1.98 2.37 2.97

2034 409,100 407,700 406,200 1.96 2.37 3.00

2035 403,400 401,600 399,700 1.94 2.37 3.02

2036 397,900 395,800 393,500 1.92 2.37 3.05

2037 392,700 390,200 387,500 1.90 2.37 3.08

2038 387,700 384,800 381,500 1.89 2.37 3.11

2039 382,800 379,300 375,500 1.87 2.37 3.13

2040 378,000 373,900 369,500 1.85 2.37 3.15

2041 373,800 369,000 363,800 1.84 2.37 3.18

2042 370,100 364,600 358,600 1.83 2.37 3.21

2043 366,800 360,500 353,600 1.82 2.38 3.23

2044 364,000 356,700 349,000 1.81 2.38 3.26

2045 361,700 353,400 344,600 1.81 2.39 3.28

2046 359,600 350,200 340,400 1.80 2.39 3.30

2047 357,600 347,100 336,100 1.80 2.40 3.31

2048 355,800 344,000 331,700 1.79 2.40 3.32

2049 354,000 340,700 326,900 1.79 2.40 3.33

2050 352,700 337,700 322,200 1.79 2.40 3.32

2051 351,800 334,900 317,500 1.79 2.40 3.32

2052 351,000 331,900 312,400 1.79 2.40 3.31

2053 350,000 328,600 306,700 1.78 2.39 3.28

2054 348,700 324,900 300,600 1.78 2.38 3.25

2055 347,400 321,100 294,400 1.78 2.37 3.22

2060 341,800 301,100 260,900 1.76 2.27 2.95

2065 336,400 280,700 228,000 1.74 2.14 2.62

2070 332,000 262,800 200,700 1.72 2.01 2.31

2075 329,200 248,600 180,600 1.70 1.90 2.08

2080 328,000 238,600 167,500 1.70 1.82 1.93

2085 328,300 232,300 159,800 1.70 1.77 1.84

2090 329,300 228,600 155,300 1.70 1.75 1.79

2091 329,600 228,100 154,600 1.70 1.74 1.78

a

 Excludes partition payments to spouses and divorced spouses where the employee is deceased or not

 otherwise entitled to an annuity. On December 31, 2016, there were 1,568 of these cases.

26
Table 11. Transfers to railroad retirement system under financial interchange with social security system, 1937-2018a

(Millions of dollars)

Benefit Tax Cash transfers toc

Fiscal credits to credits to railroad retirement

Determination years railroad social Year of

number covered retirementb security Amount transfer

1-25 1937-76 d 20,912.4 e 9,743.9 11,826.7 d 1953-77 d

26 1977 f 2,556.6 e 1,060.8 1,618.5 1978

27 1978 2,230.3 902.6 1,477.4 1979

28 1979 2,389.5 1,089.9 1,429.9 1980

29 1980 2,683.4 1,204.8 1,614.4 1981

30 1981 2,973.7 1,322.5 1,819.6 1982

31 1982 3,321.9 1,296.0 2,278.6 1983

32 1983 3,471.8 1,287.9 2,425.6 1984

33 1984 3,524.1 1,472.8 2,352.9 1985

34 1985 3,658.5 1,443.1 2,652.8 1986

35 1986 3,744.8 1,398.7 2,614.2 1987

36 1987 3,864.4 1,305.0 2,851.3 1988

37 1988 4,028.8 1,427.3 2,933.5 1989

38 1989 4,149.5 1,418.9 3,049.1 1990

39 1990 4,415.3 1,451.1 3,456.7 1991

40 1991 4,434.7 1,476.5 3,206.4 1992

41 1992 4,720.1 1,523.1 3,435.4 1993

42 1993 4,796.5 1,583.3 3,525.5 1994

43 1994 5,199.6 1,515.5 4,120.1 1995

44 1995 4,836.2 e 1,545.1 3,556.3 1996

45 1996 5,008.0 1,566.8 3,747.2 1997

46 1997 5,114.1 1,615.4 3,819.1 1998

47 1998 5,173.5 1,641.9 3,816.0 1999

48 1999 5,195.6 1,767.5 3,697.6 2000

49 2000 4,767.8 e 1,750.9 3,282.8 2001

50 2001 5,180.5 1,756.9 3,646.8 2002

51 2002 5,217.5 1,748.2 3,747.3 2003

52 2003 5,350.6 1,731.1 3,843.5 2004

53 2004 5,480.8 1,820.0 3,917.3 2005

54 2005 5,527.6 1,906.1 3,846.3 2006

55 2006 5,746.8 1,976.5 4,019.8 2007

56 2007 5,853.6 2,076.6 4,049.9 2008

57 2008 6,005.5 2,095.6 4,137.3 2009

58 2009 6,212.0 2,035.4 4,391.6 2010

59 2010 6,431.5 2,074.1 4,574.3 2011

60 2011 6,524.1 2,143.3 4,651.0 2012

61 2012 6,714.8 e 2,442.5 4,499.0 2013

62 2013 6,939.1 2,433.4 4,700.8 2014

63 2014 7,053.1 2,575.3 4,676.6 2015

64 2015 7,226.7 2,747.6 4,662.7 2016

65 2016 7,013.8 e 2,654.3 4,522.5 2017

66 2017 7,318.7 2,562.9 4,942.4 2018

Total 1937-2017 222,967.8 80,591.1 153,436.5

a

 Financial interchange transactions with the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund are not included. These involve mainly a transfer of collected

 taxes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, with some adjustments for difference in earnings bases under the two systems.

b

 Amounts include allowances for administrative expenses and adjustments to previous determinations.

c

 Transfers include interest which is not shown in table.

d

 First determination covered period January 1937-June 1952. Initial balance of $488.2 million was never transferred to social security;

 only interest was paid until debt was liquidated by subsequent offsets in favor of railroad retirement.

e

 Includes adjustment for pre-1957 military service.

f

 1977 figure covered 15 months (July 1976 - September 1977) because of change in definition of fiscal year.

27
A P P E N D I X

Outline of the benefit and financing provisions

of the railroad retirement system as amended through December 31, 2017

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

1. Normal age annuity

Requirement of 10 years of service or 5 years of service after 1995 for retirement at social security retirement age (see definition at end of 

outline). Employees with less than 10 years of service must meet Social Security Act eligibility requirements to receive a tier 1 benefit.

2. Prenormal age annuity

A. Eligible for unreduced benefit upon later of (1) attainment of age 60 and (2) completion of 30 years of service (60/30 eligibility).

B. Eligible for reduced benefit with less than 30 years of service upon later of (1) attainment of age 62 and (2) completion of 10 years

of service or 5 years of service after 1995. The benefit is reduced by 1/180 for each of the first 36 months and by 1/240 for each 

additional month the employee is under social security retirement age. (Reduction for age in excess of 36 months applies only to 

tier 1 benefit if employee had any service before 8-12-1983.)

3. Total and permanent disability annuity

10-year service requirement or 5 years of service after 1995. Benefit may not begin earlier than the later of (1) the first day of the sixth 

month following date disability begins and (2) the first day of the twelfth month before the month in which the application is filed. 

Employees with less than 10 years of service and at least 5 years of service after 1995 who meet Social Security eligibility requirements 

may qualify for a tier 1 benefit only (with an age reduced tier 2 benefit payable at age 62).

4. Occupational disability annuity

Requirement of 20 years of service or attainment of age 60 with 10 years of service; current connection (see definition at end of outline) 

required. Benefit may not begin earlier than the later of (1) the first day of the sixth month following date disability begins and (2) the first 

day of the twelfth month before the month in which the application is filed.

5. Supplemental annuity

Requirement of attainment of age 60 with 30 years of service if retired on or after 7-1-1974, or age 65 with 25 years of service. Must have 

service before 10-1-1981. Current connection required.

6. Vested dual benefit

A. Requirement of fully insured (see definition at end of outline) status under Social Security Act effective 12-31-1974 and either

(1) 25 years of railroad service before 1975 or (2) 10 years of railroad service before 1975, with some railroad work in 1974 or a 

current connection on 12-31-1974 or at the time the annuity begins, or

B. Requirement of fully insured status under Social Security Act as of last year of railroad work before 1975 and 10 years of railroad 

service before 1975.

28
7. Work restrictions

Suspension of annuity for any month annuitant is employed by a railroad. For disabilities in 2018, loss of one month's annuity for each 

$920 in excess of $11,040 earned in a year with the last $460 of such excess treated as $920 (no annuity is lost for any month with earnings 

below $920). In addition, the tier 1 portion of a regular annuity based on railroad earnings (see definition at end of outline) after 1974 and 

all social security earnings (see definition at end of outline) is subject to social security work restrictions, unless a social security benefit is 

also being paid. If annuitant is employed by last non-railroad employer preceding retirement, the tier 2 portion and the supplemental 

annuity are reduced by one dollar for each two dollars of earnings, subject to a maximum reduction of 50 percent. 

8. Creditable service (continuity not required)

All service after December 31, 1936. Service before 1937 may be used if annuitant had employment relation on August 29, 1935 or 6 

months of service after August 29, 1935 and before 1946. No limit on service except 30-year maximum if pre-1937 service used. 

Additional service months may be deemed, for years after 1984, where employee does not work in every month of year, but railroad 

earnings exceed monthly prorations of annual tier 2 maximum earnings creditable.

9. Creditable and taxable railroad earnings

From 1966 through 1978, the maximum monthly earnings were one-twelfth of the annual social security maximum. The 1977 social 

security amendments introduced a difference between the maximum monthly earnings creditable for tier 1 and tier 2 benefits starting

in 1979. 

before July 1, 1954 $ 300 Tier 1 Tier 2 

July 1, 1954 - May 31, 1959 350 1979 $1,908.33 $1,575

June 1, 1959 – Oct. 31, 1963 400 1980 2,158.33 1,700

Nov. 1, 1963 – Dec. 31, 1965 450 1981 2,475 1,850

1966-67 550 1982 2,700 2,025

1968-71 650 1983 2,975 2,225

1972 750 1984 3,150 2,350

1973 900

1974 1,100

1975 1,175

1976 1,275

1977 1,375

1978 1,475

Starting in 1985, earnings are credited on an annual rather than a monthly basis. The annual maximums are:

 Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 1 Tier 2

1985 $39,600 $29,700 2002 $84,900 $63,000

1986 42,000 31,500 2003 87,000 64,500

1987 43,800 32,700 2004 87,900 65,100

1988 45,000 33,600 2005 90,000 66,900

1989 48,000 35,700 2006 94,200 69,900

1990 51,300 38,100 2007 97,500 72,600

1991 53,400 39,600 2008 102,000 75,900

1992 55,500 41,400 2009 106,800 79,200

1993 57,600 42,900 2010 106,800 79,200

1994 60,600 45,000 2011 106,800 79,200

1995 61,200 45,300 2012 110,100 81,900

1996 62,700 46,500 2013 113,700 84,300

1997 65,400 48,600 2014 117,000 87,000

1998 68,400 50,700 2015 118,500 88,200

1999 72,600 53,700 2016 118,500 88,200

2000 76,200 56,700 2017 127,200 94,500

2001 80,400 59,700 2018 128,400 95,400

29
10. Creditable military service and earnings

Military service is creditable in war and national emergency periods, and in some cases between June 15, 1948 and December 15, 1950, if 

preceded by railroad service in the year of entry into military service or the preceding year.

Earnings: $160 before 1968

$260 after 1967 but before 1975

For each calendar year after 1974, earnings are the same as that credited under social security.

11. Basic monthly annuity computation

Tier 1: Social security benefit based on combined railroad and social security earnings, less social security benefit actually payable (based 

on social security earnings only). See item 2 for computation of tier 1 benefit for employees with 60/30 eligibility.

Tier 2: 0.7% of the average monthly compensation (AMC) multiplied by the number of years of service. This amount is then reduced by 

25% of the employee's gross vested dual benefit. The AMC is the average of an individual's highest 60 months of railroad earnings 

up to the tier 2 maximum. For each month of service in a year for which the Railroad Retirement Board's records do not show 

earnings on a monthly basis, the total earnings for the year divided by the months of service in that year will be considered the 

monthly earnings for each month of service in the year.

12. Vested dual benefit computation

A. For employees satisfying requirements in item 6.A., benefit is social security benefit based on railroad earnings through 1974, plus

social security benefit based on social security earnings through 1974, less social security benefit based on combined railroad and 

social security earnings through 1974.

B. For employees satisfying requirements of item 6.B., benefit is the same as in A., except for the exclusion of all earnings after last 

pre-1975 year employee had railroad employment.

In both cases, benefit might be proportionally reduced so that the total amount paid out in vested dual benefits in any fiscal year does 

not exceed the total amount appropriated for that year (see item 39). 

13. Supplemental annuity computation

For employees first entitled or potentially entitled after 1974, the monthly benefit is a minimum of $23 increased by $4 for each year of 

service over 25, with a maximum benefit of $43. Supplemental annuity will be reduced if employee receives a private pension from 

railroad employer based on employer contributions.

14. Tax rebate lump sum

Employee who has at least 10 years of railroad service and is not eligible for the vested dual benefit will receive a lump sum at retirement 

computed by summing for each year from 1951 through 1974 the product of the social security tax rate for the year times the excess of the 

employee's combined railroad and social security earnings for the year over (approximately) the maximum creditable for the year under the

1937 Act. Survivors of employee may receive refund if employee dies before receiving it.

15. Separation/severance lump sum

Lump sum, equal to tier 2 payroll taxes deducted from separation or severance payments, will be paid at retirement to employees with at 

least 10 years of service or 5 years of service after 1995 to the extent that separation or severance payments did not yield additional tier 2 

service credits.

30
16. Cost-of-living increases (annually, effective with January 1 payments)

Tier 1: Same as social security increases.

Tier 2: 32.5% of social security increases.

Vested dual benefits: Frozen at the 1974 level, except that social security cost-of-living increases effective between 12-31-1974 and the 

earlier of January 1, 1982 and the annuity beginning date are included in the benefit computation.

Supplemental annuity: None.

SPOUSE BENEFITS

17. Eligibility

A. Unreduced annuity:

1. Spouse retiring at age 60 if the employee retired with an unreduced annuity, has 30 or more years of service and is age 60 or

over.

2. Spouse retiring at social security normal retirement age or any age with a child in care, if (a) employee is age 62 or over, or

(b) employee has 30 or more years of service and is age 60 or over.

B. Reduced annuity:

1. Spouse retiring at age 60 if employee attained 60/30 eligibility after 6-30-1984 and retired with a reduced age annuity before

1-1-2002 before attaining age 62.

2. Spouse retiring at age 62, if employee has less than 30 years of service, is retired, and has attained age 62. Age reduction is

1/144 for each of the first 36 months spouse is under social security retirement age and 1/240 for each month in excess of 36

that spouse is under retirement age. (Reduction for age in excess of 36 months applies to tier 1, but not tier 2, if employee had

any service before 8-12-1983.)

18. Work restrictions

Same as employee; in addition, spouse is not paid for any month employee annuity is not payable by virtue of work restrictions, and spouse 

is reduced $1 for each $2 of employee's earnings for last non-railroad employer preceding employee's retirement (see item 7).

19. Annuity computation

Tier 1: One-half of social security benefit based on employee's combined railroad and social security earnings. See item 17 for 

computation of spouse tier 1 in cases where employee is receiving a reduced 60/30 benefit. If spouse is entitled to a social security 

benefit, tier 1 is reduced by the amount of the benefit, but not below 0. If spouse is entitled to employee annuity or a public service 

pension, certain additional restrictions apply.

Tier 2: 45% of employee's tier 2 benefit. Spouse receives additional benefit if spouse is also an employee annuitant and either the 

employee or spouse has railroad service prior to 1975.

20. Vested dual benefit

A spouse receiving a vested dual benefit on August 13, 1981 will continue to receive a benefit (adjusted as described in item 12). No 

vested dual benefits will be awarded after that date.

31
21. Divorced spouse, partitioned spouse and partitioned divorced spouse

A divorced spouse is entitled to a tier 1 benefit if the employee is retired, the employee and divorced spouse have been married for at least 

10 consecutive years and have both attained age 62, and the divorced spouse is unmarried. If the employee is not retired, but has sufficient 

railroad service to otherwise be eligible for an annuity, the divorced spouse can receive a tier 1 benefit if the above conditions are met and 

the parties have been divorced for a period of not less than 2 years, and the employee is fully insured under the Social Security Act using 

combined railroad and social security earnings.

If the employee is retired, a court ordered partition of tier 2, supplemental annuity, vested dual benefit or minimum guarantee amounts (see 

item 42) is payable with the employee’s monthly annuity reduced by the amount of the partition payment. If the employee is not retired, a 

court ordered partition of tier 2 or vested dual benefit payments is payable if (1) the employee has 10 years of service or 5 years of service 

after 1995, and (2) both the employee and spouse or former spouse have attained age 62. 

22. Cost-of-living increases for spouses

Each tier is subject to same percentage increase as corresponding tier of employee benefit.

SURVIVOR AND DEATH BENEFITS

23. Employee requirement for survivor benefits

All benefits except residual lump sum require deceased employee to have 10 years of railroad service or 5 years of service after 1995 and a 

current connection. If employee does not meet above conditions, his or her earnings record is transferred to social security, which pays any 

survivor benefits.

24. Aged widow's and widower's eligibility

A widow or widower must be age 60 and unremarried. Those age 60-61 are deemed age 62 in computing the benefit. The age reduction 

for each month of age under social security retirement age is 28.5% divided by the number of months from age 60 to social security 

retirement age.

25. Disabled widow's and widower's eligibility

A widow or widower must be at least age 50 and under age 60, unremarried, and totally and permanently disabled if disability occurs 

within 7 years of employee's death or within 7 years after widowed mother's or father's status terminated. Age reduction is 28.5%. Benefit 

may not begin earlier than the later of (1) the first day of the sixth month following the date disability begins and (2) the first day of the 

twelfth month before the month in which the application is filed.

26. Widowed mother's and father's eligibility

Unremarried surviving spouse of a deceased employee who is under social security retirement age and who at the time of filing an 

application has in his or her care a minor or disabled child of the deceased employee.

27. Divorced widow(er)'s, remarried widow(er)'s eligibility, partitioned surviving spouse and partitioned surviving divorced spouse

The following are eligible for a tier 1 benefit.

A. Divorced widow(er) - must (1) have been married to employee at least 10 years, be unmarried or remarried after age 60 (after age 

50 and disability onset if disabled), and have attained age 60 or age 50 if disabled, or (2) be unmarried at any age with a child of the 

employee in care. 

B. Remarried widow(er) - must have remarried after age 60 (after age 50 and disability onset if disabled), or the remarriage must have 

ended. Widow(er) must have attained age 60, be between 50 and 59 and disabled or be any age with a child in care.

Benefits for divorced aged widow(er)s and remarried aged widow(er)s are reduced for the full number of months under social security 

retirement age.

32
Where court ordered partition of tier 2, supplemental annuity and vested dual benefit payments are in effect at the time of the employee’s 

death, such payments will continue after the employee’s death unless the court order requires termination upon the employee’s death. 

Where the employee dies before partition payments are initiated, and the employee acquired 120 months of railroad service, or 60 months 

of service after 1995, such payments may be made when both the surviving spouse/divorced spouse, and the employee if he or she had 

survived, would be 62.

28. Child's eligibility

A child of a deceased employee must be under 18 or under 19 and a full-time elementary or secondary school student. Unmarried children 

continuously disabled since before age 22 are also eligible, regardless of age.

29. Parent's eligibility

A parent of a deceased employee who has attained age 60 and received at least one-half of his or her support from the employee will be 

eligible for an annuity. If the employee died leaving a widow, widower or child who is or might become eligible in the future, the parent 

will be eligible for a tier 1 benefit only. In certain instances, a remarried parent of a deceased employee will be eligible for a tier 1 benefit.

30. Work restrictions

Annuity not payable for any month in which survivor engages in railroad employment. Entire benefit subject to social security work 

restrictions.

31. Annuity computation

Tier 1: Amount payable to survivor under Social Security Act, based on the deceased employee's combined railroad and social security 

earnings after 12-31-1936, less the amount of any social security benefit received. Additional restrictions exist for a widow or 

widower who also receives an annuity as a railroad employee or who receives a public service pension.

Tier 2: Widow or widower - 50% of employee tier 2 benefit

Parent - 35% of employee tier 2 benefit

Children - 15% of employee tier 2 benefit for each child

The total family tier 2 benefit has a minimum of 35% and a maximum of 80% of the employee's tier 2 benefit (a maximum

of 130% is used for the purpose of calculating the widow(er) intitial minimum amount).

For a widow or widower an “initial minimum amount” based on the two-tier annuity amount that would have been payable to the railroad 

employee at the time the widow(er)’s annuity is awarded is computed with a widow(er)’s tier 2 amount equal to 100 percent of the 

employee’s tier 2 amount. Widow(er)s’ annuities computed on the basis of the initial minimum amount are not adjusted for annual cost-ofliving increases until the total annuity amount is exceeded by the annuity amount the widow(er) would have been paid under prior law (tier 

2 amount equal to 50 percent of the employee’s tier 2 amount), with all interim cost-of-living increases otherwise payable.

For an aged widow or widower, the total benefit exclusive of any vested dual benefit may not be less than amount received as spouse in 

month before employee's death.

All percentages are before deductions for work or entitlement to social security benefit or railroad retirement employee annuity.

32. Vested dual benefit for widow or widower

A widow or widower receiving a vested dual benefit on August 13, 1981 will continue to receive a benefit (adjusted as described in item 

12). No vested dual benefits will be awarded after that date.

33
33. Insurance lump sum

Payable if employee leaves no survivor eligible for monthly benefits in the month of his or her death.

A. If employee had 10 years of service before 1-1-1975, the benefit is 10 times the basic amount. The basic amount is 52.4% of the 

first $75 of average monthly remuneration (AMR), plus 12.8% of the remainder, increased by 1% for each year before 1975 with 

earnings of $200 or more. The AMR is based on combined railroad and social security earnings before 1975 and after 1936. 

B. If employee had less than 10 years of service as of 12-31-1974, the amount will be the amount social security would have paid 

(currently $255). This amount will only be paid to a widow or widower living with the employee at the time of the employee's

death.

34. Residual lump sum death benefit

Payable when it appears no further benefits will derive from deceased employee except possibly to a widow, widower or parent at a future 

date. In this case, survivor must waive the right to all future benefits based on the deceased employee's railroad service. The amount 

payable is the sum of 4% of taxable railroad earnings from 1-1-1937 to 12-31-1946, 7% from 1-1-1947 to 12-31-1958, 7-1/2% from 

1-1-1959 to 12-31-1961, 8% from 1-1-1962 to 12-31-1965, 8.1% from 1-1-1966 to 12-31-1966, 8.65% from 1-1-1967 to 12-31-1967, 8.8% 

from 1-1-1968 to 12-31-1968, 9.45% from 1-1-1969 to 12-31-1970, 9.85% from 1-1-1971 to 12-31-1972, 10.1% from 1-1-1973 to 

9-30-1973, 5.35% from 10-1-1973 to 12-31-1973, and 5.45% from 1-1-1974 to 12-31-1974. Railroad earnings after 1974 are not taken 

into account. The amount actually paid is reduced by the amount of benefits paid deriving from the deceased employee.

35. Cost-of-living increases for survivors

Each tier is subject to same percentage increase as corresponding tier of employee benefit.

FINANCING, INVESTMENTS AND TAXATION OF BENEFITS

36. Employee and employer payroll taxes

Employees and employers contribute at the prevailing social security rate up to the tier 1 earnings limit. There is no limit to earnings 

subject to the hospital insurance portion of the tier 1 tax rate. Beginning in 2013, employees pay an additional 0.9 percent on earnings 

above $200,000 (for those who file an individual return) or $250,000 (for those who file a joint return).

In addition, employees and employers pay a tier 2 tax up to the tier 2 earnings limit. Tier 2 taxes on both employers and employees are 

based on the ratio of certain asset balances to the sum of benefits and administrative expenses (the average account benefits ratio). At the 

end of each fiscal year (September 30), an Account Benefits Ratio (ABR) is calculated by dividing the fair market value of the assets in the 

RR Account and the NRRIT (and for years before 2002, the SSEB Account) as of the close of such fiscal year by the total benefits and 

administrative expenses paid from the RR Account and the NRRIT during such fiscal year. The Average Account Benefits Ratio (AABR), 

with respect to any calendar year, is then calculated as the average of the account benefits ratios for the 10 most recent fiscal years ending 

before such calendar year. If the AABR is not a multiple of 0.1, it is increased to the next highest multiple of 0.1. The tier 2 tax rate is 

determined from a tax rate table based on the AABR.

 AABR Tier 2 tax rate 

At least But less than Employer Employee

2.5 22.1 4.9

2.5 3.0 18.1 4.9

3.0 3.5 15.1 4.9

3.5 4.0 14.1 4.9

4.0 6.1 13.1 4.9

6.1 6.5 12.6 4.4

6.5 7.0 12.1 3.9

7.0 7.5 11.6 3.4

7.5 8.0 11.1 2.9

8.0 8.5 10.1 1.9

8.5 9.0 9.1 0.9

9.0 8.2 0.0

Contributions to 401(k) deferred compensation plans and the value of employer-paid premiums for group term life insurance coverage in 

excess of $50,000 are included in railroad earnings for payroll tax purposes.

34
37. Financial interchange

Railroad retirement system pays to social security system the taxes social security would have collected and receives the additional amount 

of benefits and administrative expenses social security would have paid if railroad employment had been covered under social security. 

The net difference (including interest) is transferred in the June after the fiscal year for which the transfer is made.

The Railroad Retirement Board estimates the amount and direction of the financial interchange transfer that would be made for each month 

if transfers were on a current monthly basis. If this estimate favors the railroad retirement system, Treasury advances the amount with 

interest to the Railroad Retirement Account, as a loan from the general fund, by the middle of the succeeding month. Within 10 days after 

receipt of the annual financial interchange for a fiscal year, the RRB must repay the amount, with interest, advanced during the fiscal year.

38. Investments

Amounts in the Railroad Retirement Account and in the Social Security Equivalent Benefit Account not needed to pay current benefits and 

administrative expenses are invested by the National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust, whose Board of seven trustees is empowered 

to invest Trust assets in non-governmental assets, such as equities and debt, as well as in governmental securities. The Trust transfers 

funds back to the Railroad Retirement Account as needed for the payment of benefits.

39. Financing of vested dual benefits

General revenue appropriations finance all vested dual benefit payments since September 1981. Beginning October 1, 1981, each annual 

appropriation is placed in the Dual Benefits Payments Account. Total benefits paid in any fiscal year (starting with 1982) may not exceed 

the total available in the account. The account may borrow at the end of a fiscal year the amount that the Railroad Retirement Board 

estimates will be necessary to pay vested dual benefits for the first month of the next fiscal year.

40. Taxability of benefits

The portion of tier 1 benefits equivalent to social security benefits is taxed under the same rules as are social security benefits. Tier 1 

benefits in excess of social security equivalent benefits, tier 2 benefits, vested dual benefits, and supplemental annuities are taxed under the 

rules by which private pensions are taxed. 

Revenues from taxes on social security equivalent benefits are transferred to the social security system through the financial interchange. 

Revenues from taxes on tier 1 benefits in excess of social security equivalent benefits and tier 2 benefits are transferred to the Railroad 

Retirement Account. Revenues from taxes on vested dual benefits are transferred to the Dual Benefits Payments Account.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

41. Benefit preservation

Each year the Railroad Retirement Board must report to the President and Congress the results of a five-year projection of anticipated

revenues to and payments from the Railroad Retirement Account. If the results show that the funds in the account will be insufficient to 

pay full benefits at any time during the five-year period, the report must indicate (1) the first fiscal year in which benefits would have to be 

reduced because of insufficient funds in the absence of any changes, and (2) the amount of adjustments necessary to preserve financial 

solvency. Within 180 days after publication of this report, representatives of railroad labor and management are obligated to submit 

proposals designed to preserve the fund's solvency. The Railroad Retirement Board will publish regulations necessary to provide a 

constant level of benefits at the maximum level possible and to insure that no individual receives less than what he or she would have had 

all his earnings been covered under social security. The Railroad Retirement Board's regulations will take effect beginning with the first 

year in which benefit reductions will be necessary and continue until legislative action supersedes them.

42. Minimum annuity

The overall minimum guaranty for employees and dependents is 100% of the amount, or the additional amount, the family would receive 

under the Social Security Act if the employee's railroad earnings after 1936 were credited as social security earnings.

35
43. Automatic benefit eligibility adjustments

A liberalization of entitlement provisions enacted for title II of the Social Security Act will be applied to provide entitlement to a tier 1 

benefit under the Railroad Retirement Act.

44. Transfer of credits

Transfer of railroad retirement credits is made to social security if an employee had less than 10 years of railroad service and less than 5 

years of service after 1995 or, in the case of a survivor, if the employee lacked a current connection.

DEFINITIONS

The meanings of terms used in the outline are defined below:

Railroad earnings - earnings derived from covered railroad employment, up to the maximums specified in item 9.

Social security earnings - earnings derived from employment covered under the Social Security Act (excludes railroad earnings), up to 

the maximums allowed.

Current connection - generally defined as having at least 12 months of railroad service in the 30 months preceding death or retirement. 

An employee whose last 12 months of railroad service occurred prior to the 30 months before retirement or death may maintain a 

current connection if the employee did not perform any regular employment between the end of the 30 month period containing the last 

12 months of railroad service and the month of retirement or death. For purposes of the supplemental annuity or survivors' benefits, an 

employee who was terminated involuntarily and without fault on or after October 1, 1975, after 25 years of service and did not 

thereafter decline an offer of employment in the same class or craft in the railroad industry is deemed to have a current connection. 

Fully insured - insured for retirement at age 62 under social security; does not necessarily imply an insured status for disability benefits 

or for survivor benefits for death before age 62.

Social security benefit - when used in describing the computation of the vested dual benefit, the term "social security benefit" means a 

primary insurance amount computed by using the social security formula in effect in 1974 and the specified earnings; it does not imply 

an actual benefit.

Social security retirement age - the age at which an individual may receive an unreduced benefit at retirement under the Social Security 

Act, as follows:

Year of attainment

of early retirement age 

(62 for employees and spouses, Retirement age

60 for widows and widowers) (age for unreduced benefit)

1999 or earlier 65 years, 0 months

2000 65 years, 2 months

2001 65 years, 4 months

2002 65 years, 6 months

2003 65 years, 8 months

2004 65 years, 10 months

2005-2016 66 years, 0 months

2017 66 years, 2 months

2018 66 years, 4 months

2019 66 years, 6 months

2020 66 years, 8 months

2021 66 years, 10 months

2022 or later 67 years, 0 months

36
TECHNICAL SUPPLEMENT

GENERAL METHODOLOGY AND ASSUMPTIONS

1. Approach. The 27th valuation presents results under three different employment assumptions.

The same set of earnings inflation, price inflation, and investment return assumptions was used

with each of the three employment assumptions. This set of assumptions is discussed in Section

V and listed in Table 1 of the valuation report.

A projection of the progress of the railroad retirement fund through 2091 is shown under each of

the three employment assumptions. All the projections are based on an open group (that is, they

include future entrants). The calculations were arranged so that closed-group valuations, limited

to former and present employees, could be obtained as a by-product. A balance sheet deriving

actuarial surplus or deficiency is also shown.

2. Basic data. All data concerning current beneficiaries were derived from "universe" files (files

including all beneficiaries as of December 31, 2016). These files included information needed

to project benefits for current beneficiaries. Information needed to derive exposures and

terminations for mortality and remarriage studies was obtained from similar universe files

created at an earlier date.

Active and inactive census data and data needed to study the withdrawal, mortality, and age and

disability retirement experience of active employees were also compiled from universe files.

3. Service tables. For the projections of employees in active service and new entrants, a service

month table was prepared.

Five sets of withdrawal rates were used with the differentiation made by attained age. Four sets

of rates for disability retirement and two sets of rates for age retirement were used, with the

differentiation made by completed years of service. Rates of death in active service are

aggregate.

4. Actuarial assumptions.

Mortality after age retirement. Mortality studies for nondisability retirements covering the

period 2012-2015 showed that mortality improvement during the period was less than expected.

The overall ratio of actual to expected deaths based on the 2010 Base Year RRB Annuitants

Mortality Table projected to 2013 using the 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale was

101.4%. The greatest improvement in mortality occurred in the age 60-64 group, where the

ratio of actual to expected deaths was 96.4%. Although the actual to expected ratios were close

to 100%, it was decided that some improvement in fit by five-year age groups could be obtained

by the graduation of a new table. As a result, the 2013 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality

Table was produced. The 2013 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table is intended to be

projected using the 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale.

37
Mortality after disability retirement. The overall ratio of actual to expected deaths after 

disability retirement with disability freeze based on the 2010 Base Year RRB Disabled 

Mortality Table for Annuitants with Disability Freeze projected to 2013 using the 2013 RRB 

Mortality Improvement Scale was 99.5%. The overall ratio of actual to expected deaths after 

disability retirement without disability freeze based on the 2010 Base Year RRB Disabled 

Mortality Table for Annuitants without Disability Freeze projected to 2013 using the 2013 RRB 

Mortality Improvement Scale was 100.3%. The projections were very close to 100% overall. 

Although, based on the experience, new mortality tables would not be required, a slightly better 

fit by age could be obtained with new tables. The new tables, the 2013 Base Year RRB 

Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants with Disability Freeze and the 2013 Base Year RRB 

Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants without Disability Freeze, were based on experience 

between the anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015. The tables are intended to be 

projected using the 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale. 

Mortality of employees in active service. Mortality studies for active employees showed an 

overall ratio of actual to expected deaths of 94.1%. Based on the recent improvement in the 

mortality experience, a new table, the 2012 Active Service Mortality Table, was constructed. 

Because of the relatively low rates of active service mortality, the relatively small impact on the 

valuation results, and the lack of consistency in improvement in active service mortality, we 

continue to provide no margin for active service mortality improvement.

Total termination for spouses. Total termination rates are used in projecting future tier 1 and 

tier 2 benefits for spouses receiving these benefits on the valuation date. Spouse benefits 

terminate at either the spouse's or the employee's death. A spouse receiving benefits at the time 

of the employee's death would begin to receive survivor benefits if the employee maintained a 

current connection. 

The overall ratio of actual terminations to those expected on the basis of the 2010 Base Year 

RRB Spouse Total Termination Table projected to 2013 using the 2013 RRB Mortality 

Improvement Scale was 102.2%. The greatest improvement in terminations was in the age 

group 60-64. In aggregate, improvement was somewhat less than projected. So that the 

assumed termination rates will more closely reflect recent actual experience, a new table, the 

2013 Base Year RRB Spouse Total Termination Table, was constructed. The table is intended 

to be projected using the 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale. 

Probability of a retired employee having an eligible spouse. Projected tier 1 and tier 2 benefits 

for spouses of active employees and future entrants were determined by applying factors to the 

projected employee tier 1 and tier 2 benefits, respectively. These factors, shown in Table S-6, 

reflect the age-by-age probability that an employee annuitant has a spouse receiving benefits. 

Although the overall ratio of the actual number of spouses on December 31, 2015, to the 

expected number based on the 26th valuation standard was 99.2% and 100.7%, for employees 

with fewer than 30 years of service and employees with 30 or more years of service, 

respectively, it has been past practice to update this table for each new valuation.

38
Mortality of widow annuitants. The ratio of actual to expected deaths for widow annuitants was 

107.0% based on the 26th valuation standard, the 2013 RRB Mortality Table for Widows. The 

2013 Mortality Table was graduated with a 6% margin to provide for future mortality 

improvement. Since the current 7% margin continues to be adequate both overall and at most 

ages, the 26th valuation standard was retained. A one-year rateback in age is used to provide for

longer-term mortality improvement for widows coming from future employee deaths.

Remarriage of widows. The overall ratio of actual to expected remarriages on the basis of the

26th valuation standard, the 1997 RRB Remarriage Table, was 80.6%. Based on the sparsity of

data, relative newness of the current standard, relatively small number of remarriages, and

relatively small impact of a change in remarriage rates on the valuation results, the 26th

valuation standard was retained.

Total termination for disabled children. The overall ratio of actual terminations to those

expected on the basis of the 26th valuation standard, the 2004 RRB Total Termination Table for

Disabled Children, was 112.2%. Based on the relatively small number of terminations and the

accompanying higher volatility of termination rates, the 26th valuation standard was retained.

Withdrawal from the railroad industry. The overall ratio of actual final withdrawals 

(withdrawals net of re-entrants) to those expected on the basis of the 26th valuation standard was 

78.8%. Based on the continuing decline in withdrawal rates, a new valuation standard for 

withdrawal rates was adopted for the 27th valuation. 

Age retirement. A normal age annuity is payable at social security normal retirement age 

(SSNRA) with 10 years of total service or 5 years of service after 1995. For employees with 30 

or more years of service, an unreduced benefit is payable to those who retire after the attainment 

of age 60. Benefits are reduced for employees who retire from age 62 to SSNRA with 5-29 

years of service. A supplemental annuity is payable to employees with service before October,

1981, who have attained age 60 with 30 or more years of service, or attained age 65 with 25 or 

more years of service.

A comparison between the rates of age retirements assumed in the 26th and 27th valuations and 

the crude rates during calendar years 2013-2015 is shown in Table S-30. For employees with 5-

29 years of service, the assumed 27th valuation rates are close to the 2013-2015 crude rates at

ages under 68 and smoothed thereafter for ages over 67. For employees with 30 or more years 

of service, the assumed 27th valuation rates are close to the crude rates at ages under 66 and

smoothed thereafter for ages over 65. 

Disability retirement. An employee is eligible for disability retirement based on total and

permanent disability at any age with at least 10 years of service or 5 years of service after 1995. 

Eligibility for occupational disability requires (i) permanent disability for an employee's regular 

railroad occupation, (ii) attainment of age 60 with 10 years of service or any age with 20 years 

of service, and (iii) a current connection. 

39
For employees with 10-19 years of service, the ratio of actual disability retirements during 

2013-2015 to those expected based on the 26th valuation standard was 73.9%. The ratio of 

actual to expected disability retirements for employees with 20-24 years of service was 71.2%, 

and for employees with 25-29 years of service it was 70.8%. For employees with 30 or more 

years of service the ratio of actual to expected disability retirements was 78.1%. The overall 

ratio of actual to expected disability retirements for all employees was 74.6%. Because of the 

recent volatility of experience, current experience was combined with that of the period 2010-

2012, and a new table of rates of disability retirement was constructed based on the combined 

2010-2015 experience.

Disability retirements are not projected for participants with 5-9 years of service because the 

benefits are limited to what social security would pay and are reimbursed through the financial 

interchange. These employees become eligible for tier 2 benefits at age 62 and are treated as 

vested withdrawals in our projections. 

The ratio of actual to expected disability retirements qualifying for a disability freeze based on 

the 26th valuation standard was 100.5% and 100.3% for employees with 10-19 years of service 

and 20 or more years of service, respectively. A new table of percentages eligible for a 

disability freeze was constructed for the 27th valuation. In the current experience, as shown in 

table S-35, the disability freeze rates for the 20-24 years of service group, the 25-29 years of 

service group, and the 30 or more years of service group are close, and therefore a single set of 

rates is assumed for employees with 20 or more years of service. These rates are shown in 

Table S-12. 

Mortality Improvement. For the 26th valuation, the mortality experience of aged and disabled 

annuitants and the spouse termination experience for the period 1957 through 2011 were studied 

to see how mortality had improved in the past. As well as reviewing the RRB historical 

experience, other sources, such as the mortality experience of the U. S. population and the 

mortality assumptions in the 2014 OASDI Trustees’ Report, were taken into account in 

developing the 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale shown in Table S-10. 

For the 27th valuation, the RRB historical mortality and spouse termination experience was 

updated through 2014, as shown in Table S-29, and other sources, such as the mortality 

experience of the U. S. population through 2013 and the mortality assumptions in the 2016 

OASDI Trustees’ Report, were reviewed. Based on the results of this review, the 26th valuation 

standard was retained.

Other assumptions. Assumptions involving (1) service months and salary scales, (2) family 

composition, and (3) the age distribution of new entrants are shown in Tables S-14, S-15, and 

S-44, respectively. 

Investment and administrative expenses. For investment and administrative expenses, best 

estimates are used in the initial projection years. Thereafter, investment expenses are assumed 

to equal 0.3% (30 basis points) of the prior year end combined NRRIT and RR Account fund 

balance. Administrative expenses are assumed to increase at the same rate as the wage increase 

assumption shown in Table 1 of the valuation report, subject to the following limits. 

40
Administrative expenses for the RR Account are limited to 2% of benefits paid from the RR 

Account and NRRIT. Administrative expenses for the SSEB Account are limited to 0.7% of 

benefits paid from the SSEB Account. 

A complete list of the assumptions and the tables that present them follows.

41
List of assumptions and tables used in the 27th valuation 

Item Assumption or table 

A. Mortality and total termination rates

1. After age retirement Table S-1 with Table S-10

2. After disability retirement

(a) with Disability Freeze Table S-2 with Table S-10

(b) without Disability Freeze Table S-3 with Table S-10

3. Employees in active service Table S-4 

4. Spouses Table S-5 with Table S-10

5. Nondisabled widows

(a) Widows of deceased employees Table S-7 

(b) Widows coming from future Table S-7 with a 1-year rateback in age

 employee deaths

6. Disabled widows Table S-2 with Table S-10

7. Children under age 18 Disregarded

8. Disabled children age 18 and over Table S-9 

9. Mortality improvement Table S-10 

B. Remarriage rates for widows Table S-8 

C. Retirement rates

1. Age retirement Table S-11 

2. Disability (with "disability Table S-12 

freeze" percentages)

D. Withdrawal rates Table S-13 

E. Other assumptions 

1. Probability of a retired employee Table S-6 

having an eligible spouse

2. Economic assumptions Table 1 of valuation report 

3. Service months and salary scales Table S-14 

4. Family composition Table S-15 

5. Age distribution of future entrants Table S-44 

42
Table S-1. 2013 Base Yeara

 RRB Annuitants Mortality Table

Ageb 1,000qx Ageb 1,000qx

60 5.69 95 268.47

61 6.41 96 291.65

62 7.21 97 312.77

63 8.12 98 332.03

64 9.14 99 349.64

65 10.28 100 365.75

66 11.58 101 380.52

67 13.03 102 394.09

68 14.66 103 406.58

69 16.49 104 418.11

70 18.56 105 428.79

71 20.86 106 438.71

72 23.44 107 448.72

73 26.32 108 458.56

74 29.54 109 468.22

75 33.13 110 1,000.00

76 37.13

77 41.58

78 46.52

79 52.02

80 58.12

81 64.88

82 72.36

83 80.62

84 89.75

85 99.80

86 110.86

87 123.00

88 136.30

89 150.85

90 166.73

91 184.00

92 202.75

93 223.04

94 244.93

a

 For use with 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale.

b

 Age nearest birthday.

43
Table S-2. 2013 Base Yeara

 RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants with Disability Freezeb

Agec 1,000qx Agec 1,000qx Agec 1,000qx

30 15.55 65 27.94 100 376.26

31 15.96 66 29.45 101 390.98

32 16.36 67 31.29 102 404.80

33 16.75 68 33.50 103 417.65

34 17.13 69 36.19 104 429.44

35 17.50 70 39.43 105 440.10

36 17.86 71 42.95 106 449.57

37 18.21 72 46.79 107 459.39

38 18.54 73 50.95 108 469.03

39 18.86 74 55.48 109 478.51

40 19.17 75 60.39 110 1,000.00

41 19.45 76 65.72

42 19.73 77 71.51

43 19.98 78 77.79

44 20.21 79 84.59

45 20.43 80 91.95

46 20.62 81 99.92

47 20.79 82 108.54

48 20.94 83 117.85

49 21.07 84 127.90

50 21.18 85 138.74

51 21.27 86 150.42

52 21.37 87 162.98

53 21.49 88 176.48

54 21.64 89 190.97

55 21.83 90 206.49

56 22.05 91 222.90

57 22.32 92 239.96

58 22.65 93 257.44

59 23.04 94 275.14

60 23.52 95 292.87

61 24.10 96 310.44

62 24.80 97 327.70

63 25.66 98 344.51

64 26.69 99 360.73

a

 For use with 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale.

b

 Qualified under social security definition of disability.

c

 Age nearest birthday.

44
Table S-3. 2013 RRB Base Yeara

 Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants without Disability Freezeb

Agec 1,000qx Agec 1,000qx Agec 1,000qx

40 4.53 70 29.95 100 368.74

41 4.71 71 32.96 101 384.04

42 4.91 72 36.26 102 398.35

43 5.12 73 39.88 103 411.58

44 5.35 74 43.86 104 423.65

45 5.60 75 48.22 105 434.47

46 5.87 76 53.00 106 443.98

47 6.15 77 58.25 107 453.90

48 6.47 78 64.00 108 463.64

49 6.83 79 70.29 109 473.21

50 7.22 80 77.17 110 1,000.00

51 7.65 81 84.70

52 8.13 82 92.93

53 8.68 83 101.91

54 9.28 84 111.70

55 9.95 85 122.36

56 10.44 86 133.97

57 11.00 87 146.58

58 11.63 88 160.27

59 12.34 89 175.09

60 13.15 90 191.13

61 14.06 91 208.20

62 15.09 92 226.02

63 16.26 93 244.32

64 17.58 94 262.87

65 19.07 95 281.47

66 20.75 96 299.90

67 22.65 97 318.00

68 24.80 98 335.60

69 27.22 99 352.56

a

 For use with 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale.

b

 Not qualified under social security definition of disability.

c

 Age nearest birthday.

45
Table S-4. 2012 RRB Active Service Mortality Tablea

Ageb 1,000qx-1/2 Ageb 1,000qx-1/2

45 1.46 

46 1.54 

17 .73 47 1.64 

18 .73 48 1.74 

19 .73 49 1.85 

20 .73 50 1.97 

21 .73 51 2.10 

22 .73 52 2.23 

23 .73 53 2.39 

24 .73 54 2.55 

25 .73 55 2.73 

26 .73 56 2.92 

27 .73 57 3.13 

28 .73 58 3.35 

29 .73 59 3.60 

30 .73 60 3.86 

31 .76 61 4.15 

32 .79 62 4.46 

33 .82 63 4.79 

34 .85 64 5.16 

35 .89 65 5.55 

36 .92 66 5.98 

37 .97 67 6.44 

38 1.01 68 6.95 

39 1.06 69 7.49 

40 1.12 70 8.08 

41 1.17 71 8.72 

42 1.24 72 9.41 

43 1.30 73 10.16 

44 1.38 74 10.97 

75 11.85 

a

 Deaths in active service are those of employees who last worked in the

 railroad industry in the year in which death occurred or in the preceding

 calendar year. The exposures correspond to this definition.

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

46
Table S-5. 2013 Base Yeara

 RRB Spouse Total Terminationb Table

Agec Agec

60 17.46 95 375.44

61 19.21 96 394.72

62 21.13 97 413.33

63 23.23 98 431.25

64 25.55 99 448.46

65 28.09 100 464.93

66 30.88 101 480.65

67 33.95 102 495.61

68 37.31 103 509.80

69 41.00 104 523.22

70 45.05 105 535.86

71 49.48 106 547.72

72 54.34 107 558.81

73 59.66 108 569.13

74 65.48 109 578.67

75 71.85 110 1,000.00

76 78.81

77 86.41

78 94.71

79 103.76

80 113.62

81 124.35

82 136.01

83 148.67

84 162.40

85 177.25

86 193.30

87 210.61

88 229.23

89 249.23

90 270.65

91 292.55

92 314.04

93 335.05

94 355.54

a

 For use with 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale.

b

 Mainly death of employee or death of spouse.

c

 Age nearest birthday.

t 000qx ,1 t 000qx ,1

47
Table S-6. Probability of a retired employee having a spouse eligible for railroad retirement benefits

Employees with Employees with

Agea of 30 or more less than 30

employee years of service years of service

59 and under 0.000 0.000

60 0.252 0.000

61 0.356 0.000

62 0.462 0.084

63 0.547 0.177

64 0.614 0.258

65 0.664 0.328

66 0.701 0.387

67 0.728 0.438

68 0.746 0.480

69 0.760 0.514

70 0.770 0.541

71 0.777 0.562

72 0.782 0.578

73 0.784 0.589

74 0.784 0.597

75 0.781 0.602

76 0.776 0.605

77 0.768 0.605

78 0.758 0.603

79 0.746 0.599

80 0.731 0.592

81 0.714 0.582

82 0.695 0.569

83 0.673 0.553

84 0.650 0.534

85 0.624 0.511

86 0.596 0.485

87 0.567 0.455

88 0.536 0.424

89 0.503 0.391

90 0.470 0.357

91 0.437 0.323

92 0.403 0.290

93 0.369 0.258

94 0.335 0.228

95 0.302 0.201

96 0.269 0.177

97 0.238 0.158

98 0.208 0.139

99 & over 0.181 0.119

a

 Age nearest birthday.

48
Table S-7. 2013 RRB Mortality Table for Widows

Agea 1,000qx Agea 1,000qx Agea 1,000qx

20 0.39 55 4.79 90 128.04

21 0.41 56 5.25 91 141.79

22 0.42 57 5.76 92 157.64

23 0.43 58 6.32 93 175.10

24 0.45 59 6.92 94 193.69

25 0.47 60 7.59 95 212.98

26 0.48 61 8.32 96 232.53

27 0.50 62 9.12 97 251.99

28 0.52 63 9.99 98 271.00

29 0.54 64 10.95 99 289.28

30 0.56 65 12.00 100 306.54

31 0.58 66 13.16 101 322.55

32 0.61 67 14.42 102 337.10

33 0.65 68 15.80 103 349.99

34 0.70 69 17.31 104 361.04

35 0.76 70 18.96 105 370.06

36 0.83 71 20.77 106 376.89

37 0.91 72 22.76 107 382.53

38 1.00 73 24.92 108 388.11

39 1.10 74 27.30 109 393.63

40 1.20 75 29.89 110 1,000.00

41 1.32 76 32.78

42 1.45 77 35.98

43 1.59 78 39.55

44 1.74 79 43.51

45 1.91 80 47.90

46 2.09 81 52.78

47 2.30 82 58.19

48 2.52 83 64.18

49 2.76 84 70.82

50 3.03 85 78.17

51 3.32 86 86.29

52 3.64 87 95.26

53 3.99 88 105.15

54 4.37 89 116.05

a

 Age nearest birthday.

49
Table S-8. 1997 RRB Remarriage Table

(Probabilities of remarriage)

Agea at for n equal to

widowhood [x] 0 1 2 3 4 Agea

 x

20 24.76 56.57 66.98 72.11 61.24 25 45.66

21 23.57 53.82 63.69 68.54 58.18 26 43.35

22 22.42 51.18 60.54 65.12 55.24 27 41.14

23 21.32 48.64 57.51 61.83 52.42 28 39.02

24 20.27 46.21 54.61 58.67 49.71 29 36.98

25 19.25 43.88 51.82 55.64 47.12 30 35.02

26 18.28 41.64 49.14 52.73 44.62 31 33.14

27 17.35 39.49 46.58 49.94 42.23 32 31.34

28 16.45 37.42 44.11 47.27 39.93 33 29.61

29 15.59 35.44 41.74 44.69 37.73 34 27.95

30 14.77 33.54 39.47 42.23 35.61 35 26.36

31 13.97 31.72 37.29 39.86 33.58 36 24.83

32 13.21 29.97 35.20 37.59 31.63 37 23.36

33 12.48 28.29 33.20 35.40 29.76 38 21.95

34 11.78 26.67 31.27 33.31 27.97 39 20.60

35 11.11 25.13 29.42 31.30 26.24 40 19.30

36 10.47 23.64 27.64 29.37 24.59 41 18.05

37 9.85 22.21 25.94 27.52 23.00 42 16.86

38 9.25 20.84 24.31 25.74 21.48 43 15.71

39 8.68 19.53 22.74 24.04 20.02 44 14.61

40 8.14 18.27 21.23 22.40 18.61 45 13.55

41 7.61 17.06 19.79 20.83 17.26 46 12.53

42 7.11 15.90 18.40 19.32 15.97 47 11.56

43 6.62 14.78 17.07 17.88 14.73 48 10.63

44 6.16 13.71 15.79 16.49 13.54 49 9.73

45 5.71 12.69 14.56 15.15 12.40 50 8.87

46 5.29 11.70 13.38 13.87 11.30 51 8.04

47 4.87 10.75 12.25 12.65 10.25 52 7.25

48 4.48 9.85 11.17 11.47 9.24 53 6.49

49 4.10 8.98 10.13 10.34 8.27 54 5.76

50 3.74 8.14 9.13 9.25 7.33 55 5.06

51 3.39 7.34 8.17 8.21 6.44 56 4.38

52 3.06 6.57 7.25 7.21 5.58 57 3.74

53 2.74 5.83 6.37 6.25 4.76 58 3.12

54 2.43 5.12 5.52 5.33 3.97 59 2.52

55 2.13 4.44 4.71 4.44 3.21 60 8.29

56 1.85 3.78 3.93 3.60 14.84 61 4.17

57 1.58 3.15 3.18 15.76 8.28 62 5.24

58 1.31 2.55 14.26 8.24 9.93 63 4.67

59 1.06 13.76 8.54 10.16 8.98 64 4.16

60 7.27 8.49 9.95 9.11 8.13 65 3.71

61 3.77 9.78 9.10 8.16 7.35 66 3.31

62 4.67 8.98 8.32 7.32 6.65 67 2.95

63 4.18 8.24 7.60 6.56 6.01 68 2.63

64 3.74 7.56 6.95 5.88 5.44 69 2.34

65 3.35 6.94 6.35 5.27 4.92 70 2.08

66 3.00 6.38 5.81 4.72 4.45 71 1.85

67 2.68 5.86 5.31 4.23 4.03 72 1.64

68 2.40 5.38 4.85 3.79 3.60 73 1.45

69 2.15 4.94 4.43 3.36 3.17 74 1.27

70 1.92 4.54 4.02 2.95 2.77 75 1.10

71 1.72 4.13 3.60 2.56 2.38 76 0.94

72 1.54 3.73 3.21 2.20 2.03 77 0.81

73 1.39 3.34 2.83 1.86 1.70 78 0.69

74 1.26 2.96 2.47 1.57 1.42 79 0.58

75 1.14 2.61 2.14 1.30 1.16 80 0.49

76 1.04 2.28 1.84 1.08 0.95 81 0.40

77 0.95 1.97 1.57 0.88 0.76 82 0.33

78 0.87 1.70 1.33 0.71 0.60 83 0.27

79 0.79 1.45 1.11 0.57 0.47 84 0.22

80 0.73 1.22 0.92 0.45 0.37 85 0.18

81 0.68 1.03 0.76 0.35 0.28 86 0.15

82 0.63 0.85 0.62 0.27 0.22 87 0.12

83 0.59 0.71 0.50 0.21 0.16 88 0.09

84 0.48 0.38 0.32 0.16 0.12 89 0.06

a

 Age nearest birthday.

m 1,000q ][ +nx

m 1,000qx

50
Table S-9. 2004 RRB Total Termination Table for Disabled Children

Agea Agea Agea

50 16.97 85 142.28

51 17.85 86 152.12

52 18.79 87 162.66

18 21.92 53 19.79 88 173.96

19 21.83 54 20.87 89 186.07

20 21.54 55 22.03 90 199.04

21 21.06 56 23.27 91 212.94

22 20.39 57 24.59 92 227.83

23 19.53 58 26.01 93 243.79

24 18.50 59 27.54 94 260.90

25 17.30 60 29.17 95 279.22

26 15.95 61 30.92 96 298.86

27 14.45 62 32.79 97 319.90

28 13.19 63 34.80 98 342.44

29 12.14 64 36.96 99 366.60

30 11.30 65 39.26 100 379.29

31 10.65 66 41.73 101 384.08

32 10.17 67 44.38 102 386.52

33 9.85 68 47.22 103 387.90

34 9.68 69 50.26 104 389.28

35 9.63 70 53.52 105 390.66

36 9.70 71 57.01 106 392.03

37 9.88 72 60.75 107 393.39

38 10.14 73 64.76 108 394.76

39 10.47 74 69.05 109 396.12

40 10.86 75 73.65 110 1,000.00

41 11.30 76 78.58

42 11.77 77 83.87

43 12.27 78 89.53

44 12.81 79 95.60

45 13.39 80 102.10

46 14.01 81 109.06

47 14.68 82 116.53

48 15.39 83 124.53

49 16.15 84 133.10

a

 Age nearest birthday.

t 000qx ,1 t 000qx ,1 t 000qx ,1

51
Table S-10. 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale

Annual rate of mortality

Agea improvement

85 & under 1.00%

86 0.95%

87 0.90%

88 0.86%

89 0.81%

90 0.77%

91 0.74%

92 0.70%

93 0.66%

94 0.63%

95 0.60%

96 0.57%

97 0.54%

98 0.51%

99 0.49%

100 0.46%

101 0.44%

102 0.42%

103 0.40%

104 0.38%

105 0.36%

106 0.34%

107 0.32%

108 0.31%

109 0.29%

110 0.00%

a

 Age nearest birthday.

52
Table S-11. Calendar year ratesa

 of immediateb age retirement

(Retirements per 1,000 exposed)

 Years of service 

Agec 5-29 30 & over

60 590

61 460

62 90 350

63 90 320

64 80 320

65 170 340

66 330 300

67 270 300

68 250 300

69 250 300

70 250 300

71 250 250

72 200 250

73 200 250

74 200 250

75 & over 200 250

a

 Technically probabilities.

b

 Immediate retirements are defined as those for which the calendar year of retirement

 is the same as, or the year following, the calendar year of last employment in the 

 railroad industry.

c

 The age interval is from x-.5 to x+.5, except as indicated below:

Interval for

Age Years of service Exposure Retirements

60 30 or more 59.5-60.5 60-60.5

62 5-29 61.5-62.5 62-62.5

53
Table S-12. Ratesa

 of immediateb disability retirement and of eligibility for disability freezec

Percent of retirements eligible

Calendar year rates per 1,000 exposed for disability freeze

10-19 years 20-24 years 25-29 years 30 or more 10-19 years 20 or more

Aged of service of service of service years of service of service years of service

Under 35 1.2 3.5 3.5 3.5 97.8% 44.8% 

35 1.3 3.7 3.7 3.7 97.8 44.8 

36 1.3 3.8 3.8 3.8 97.8 44.8 

37 1.3 4.0 4.0 4.0 97.8 44.8 

38 1.4 4.2 4.2 4.2 97.8 44.8 

39 1.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 97.8 44.8 

40 1.6 4.8 4.8 4.8 97.8 44.8 

41 1.7 5.2 5.2 5.2 97.8 44.8 

42 1.8 5.6 5.6 5.6 97.8 44.8 

43 2.0 6.2 6.2 6.2 97.8 44.8 

44 2.1 6.8 6.8 6.8 97.8 44.8 

45 2.4 7.6 7.6 7.6 97.8 44.9 

46 2.6 8.5 8.5 8.5 97.8 44.9 

47 2.9 9.6 9.6 9.6 97.8 45.1 

48 3.3 10.8 10.8 10.8 97.8 45.3 

49 3.8 12.2 12.1 12.1 97.8 45.8 

50 4.3 13.7 13.5 13.5 97.8 46.8 

51 4.9 15.2 14.8 14.8 97.8 48.9 

52 5.7 16.8 16.2 16.2 97.8 53.3 

53 6.6 18.5 17.5 17.5 97.8 62.1 

54 7.7 20.4 18.8 18.8 97.8 80.0 

55 9.0 22.4 20.2 20.2 97.8 94.6 

56 10.6 24.7 21.7 21.7 97.8 94.6 

57 12.5 27.4 23.4 23.4 97.8 94.6 

58 14.8 30.6 25.4 25.4 97.8 94.6 

59 17.5 34.5 27.9 27.9 97.8 94.6 

60 23.9 39.3 31.1 14.4 94.3 94.6 

61 29.1 56.5 35.4 10.3 94.3 94.6 

62 32.2 51.7 44.4 7.0 94.3 94.6 

63 33.8 45.4 38.0 4.6 94.3 94.6 

64 25.7 36.9 29.6 2.9 94.3 94.6 

65 20.7 25.7 18.3 2.0 94.3 94.6 

66 5.2 10.8 3.4 1.9 94.3 94.6 

a

 Technically probabilities.

b

 Immediate retirements are defined as those for which the calendar year of retirement is the same as,

 or the year following, the calendar year of last employment in the railroad industry.

c

 Qualified under the social security definition of disability.

d

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

54
Table S-13. Calendar year ratesa

 of final withdrawal

Years of Attained agec

serviceb Under 25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55 & over

0 0.158 0.110 0.146 0.188 0.198

1 0.119 0.082 0.084 0.095 0.103

2 0.069 0.053 0.046 0.050 0.066

3 0.049 0.037 0.029 0.032 0.050

4 0.041 0.031 0.025 0.028 0.042

5 0.037 0.028 0.023 0.025 0.037

6 0.033 0.026 0.021 0.023 0.033

7 0.030 0.024 0.020 0.021 0.028

8 0.027 0.022 0.018 0.019 0.025

9 0.024 0.020 0.017 0.017 0.022

10 0.022 0.018 0.015 0.016 0.019

11 0.016 0.014 0.014 0.017

12 0.014 0.013 0.013 0.016

13 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.014

14 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.013

15 0.010 0.010 0.010 0.012

16 0.010 0.009 0.010 0.012

17 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.011

18 0.009 0.008 0.008 0.011

19 0.008 0.007 0.008 0.010

20 0.008 0.006 0.007 0.010

21 0.006 0.007 0.010

22 0.005 0.006 0.010

23 0.005 0.006 0.009

24 0.004 0.005 0.009

25 0.004 0.005 0.008

26 0.004 0.005 0.007

27 0.003 0.005 0.006

28 0.003 0.004 0.004

29 0.002 0.004 0.003

30 & over 0.005 0.005 0.010

a

 Technically probabilities.

b

 Rounded up to nearest whole year.

c

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

55
Table S-14. Service months and salary scales

Years Increase in average monthly salary

of Service from prior service level

servicea months Tier 1 Tier 2

0 6.4 

1 11.5 21.3% 20.8%

2 11.6 9.4% 8.3%

3 11.7 5.3% 4.3%

4 11.7 4.3% 3.4%

5 11.7 3.5% 2.8%

6 11.8 2.8% 2.2%

7 11.8 2.3% 1.8%

8 11.8 1.8% 1.4%

9 11.8 1.5% 1.1%

10 11.8 1.1% 0.8%

11 11.8 0.9% 0.6%

12 11.8 0.7% 0.4%

13 11.8 0.5% 0.3%

14 11.8 0.4% 0.2%

15 11.8 0.4% 0.1%

16 11.8 0.4% 0.1%

17 11.8 0.4% 0.1%

18 11.8 0.4% 0.1%

19 11.8 0.4% 0.1%

20 11.8 0.4% 0.1%

21 11.8 0.3% 0.1%

22 11.8 0.3% 0.1%

23 11.8 0.3% 0.1%

24 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

25 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

26 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

27 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

28 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

29 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

30 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

31 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

32 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

33 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

34 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

35 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

36 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

37 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

38 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

39 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

40 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

41 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

42 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

43 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

44 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

45 & over 11.9 0.3% 0.1%

a

 Rounded up to nearest whole year.

56
Table S-15. Family characteristics of railroad employees assumed for the valuation of survivor benefits

Percent married

eligible child

Widow Widow Widow Youngest Youngest Youngest eligible child

Age of age age under child child child Minor Disabled

employeea Total 62 & over 60-61 age 60 under 16 age 16-17 disabled child child

Under 35 68.0 - - 68.0 60.3 - - 84.8 - 

35 - 39 68.0 - - 68.0 59.7 2.4 - 88.4 1.9 

40 - 44 68.0 - - 68.0 58.9 4.7 - 84.8 1.9 

45 - 49 68.0 - - 68.0 34.7 8.7 0.6 60.0 1.9 

50 - 54 68.0 2.2 1.2 64.6 15.4 6.8 1.0 31.3 1.9 

55 - 59 68.0 4.4 3.7 59.9 5.2 2.2 1.2 11.0 1.9 

60 - 64 68.0 19.5 14.5 34.0 1.9 0.6 0.6 4.0 1.9 

65 - 69 68.0 51.2 6.9 9.9 0.6 0.4 0.2 2.1 1.4 

70 - 74 68.0 62.1 2.3 3.6 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.8 1.2 

75 - 79 68.0 65.4 0.9 1.7 0.1 - - 0.3 1.0 

80 - 84 60.7 59.7 0.4 0.6 - - - 0.2 0.8 

85 - 89 51.7 51.2 0.1 0.4 - - - 0.1 0.7 

90 & over 35.1 34.8 0.1 0.2 - - - - 0.6 

Average

Widow Widow Widow Youngest Youngest Youngest Youngest All All number

Age of age age under child child child child minor disabled of minor

employeea 62 & over 60-61 age 60 under 16 age 16-17 disabled under 16b children children childrenc

Under 35 - - 32 32 - - 5 6 - 2.2 

35 - 39 - - 37 37 38 - 7 8 20 2.2 

40 - 44 - - 41 41 42 - 9 10 20 1.9 

45 - 49 - - 46 44 47 48 11 12 22 1.7 

50 - 54 64 61 51 47 50 52 11 12 24 1.5 

55 - 59 65 61 54 50 51 55 12 13 27 1.4 

60 - 64 66 61 56 50 52 56 12 13 31 1.3 

65 - 69 67 61 56 50 53 56 12 13 35 1.3 

70 - 74 70 61 55 50 53 57 12 13 39 1.2 

75 - 79 74 61 55 50 - - 12 13 44 1.2 

80 - 84 79 61 55 - - - - 13 48 1.2 

85 - 89 83 61 55 - - - - 13 52 1.2 

90 & over 87 61 55 - - - - - 56 - 

a

 Age nearest birthday at time of death.

b

 Includes families with widows under 60 and children under 16 only.

c

 Includes families with minor children only.

eligible child Average ages of children

Widow under 60 with

Percent with

Average ages of widows

Widow under 60 with

57
MORTALITY, REMARRIAGE, AND RELATED EXPERIENCE

1. Mortality of age annuitants. The mortality studies conducted for age annuitants are summarized

in Tables S-16 through S-18. The tables show actual-to-expected ratios by age, sex, year and

duration on the basis of the 26h and 27th valuation standards.

2. Mortality after disability retirement. The mortality studies conducted for disability annuitants

are summarized in Tables S-19 through S-21. The tables show select, ultimate and aggregate

crude death rates, actual-to-expected ratios, and disability freeze percentages.

3. Mortality in active service. The mortality experience of active railroad employees is shown in

Table S-22. The table provides crude rates and actual-to-expected ratios.

4. Total termination, mortality and probability of spouse. Tables S-23 and S-24 show,

respectively, the total termination and mortality experience of spouse annuitants between

anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015. Spouse mortality is not used directly in any part

of the valuation. Table S-25 shows, as of December 31, 2015, the number of retired employees

and the number of eligible spouses of employees, by age of employee. The probabilities shown

in Table S-6 are based on the results shown in Table S-25.

5. Mortality and remarriage of widows. Table S-26 shows ratios of actual deaths of widow

annuitants to those expected on the basis of the 26th and 27th valuation standards. Table S-27

shows ratios of actual remarriages to those expected on the basis of the 1997 RRB Remarriage

Table.

6. Termination of disabled children. Table S-28 shows ratios of actual terminations of disabled

children annuitants to those expected on the basis of the 2004 RRB Total Termination Table for

Disabled Children.

7. Mortality improvement. Table S-29 shows average annual improvement in annuitant mortality

and spouse total termination from 1957 through 2014.

58
Table S-16. Mortality experience of railroad age annuitantsa

 between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015, by sex and type of retirement

Ageb

All ages 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94 95 & over

A. Both sexes combined

Exposed 585,082 98,361 133,032 95,614 76,360 74,618 68,484 30,720 7,893

Actual deaths 30,125 731 1,740 2,242 3,222 5,381 8,418 5,968 2,423

Age specific death rates (per thousand) 51.5 7.4 13.1 23.4 42.2 72.1 122.9 194.3 307.0

Ratio of actual to expected deaths

1994 GAM malesc 98.3% 69.1% 73.2% 83.3% 92.3% 95.1% 106.8% 110.4% 115.6%

2010 Base Year RRBd 98.7% 93.5% 98.0% 100.3% 100.4% 97.5% 99.0% 98.1% 101.0%

2010 Base Year RRB projected to 2013e 101.4% 96.4% 101.0% 103.4% 103.5% 100.5% 101.7% 100.2% 102.7%

2013 Base Year RRBf 100.0% 97.5% 100.5% 101.2% 100.6% 98.3% 100.9% 99.6% 100.1%

B. Male

Exposed 523,163 90,425 119,454 86,167 68,600 67,481 58,973 25,587 6,476

Actual deaths 27,168 688 1,631 2,102 2,973 5,011 7,574 5,157 2,032

Age specific death rates (per thousand) 51.9 7.6 13.7 24.4 43.3 74.3 128.4 201.5 313.8

Ratio of actual to expected deaths

1994 GAM malesc 101.5% 71.0% 76.5% 86.7% 94.8% 97.8% 112.0% 114.5% 118.6%

2010 Base Year RRBd 102.4% 96.0% 102.3% 104.4% 103.1% 100.3% 103.9% 101.7% 103.6%

2013 Base Year RRBf 103.7% 100.1% 104.9% 105.3% 103.4% 101.1% 105.9% 103.3% 102.6%

C. Female

Exposed 61,919 7,936 13,578 9,447 7,760 7,137 9,511 5,133 1,417

Actual deaths 2,957 43 109 140 249 370 844 811 391

Age specific death rates (per thousand) 47.8 5.4 8.0 14.8 32.1 51.8 88.7 158.0 275.9

Ratio of actual to expected deaths

2013 RRB Widowsg, 1-year rateback 100.3% 61.2% 61.3% 72.1% 97.0% 97.4% 101.0% 115.8% 117.6%

2010 Base Year RRBd 74.2% 66.4% 60.2% 63.4% 76.1% 70.5% 69.5% 79.9% 89.6%

2013 Base Year RRBf 75.1% 69.2% 61.8% 63.9% 76.3% 71.0% 70.9% 81.2% 88.5%

D. Immediateh

Exposed 381,499 77,752 86,404 60,356 46,042 42,751 41,927 20,732 5,535

Actual deaths 19,030 546 1,071 1,440 1,893 3,120 5,182 4,048 1,730

Age specific death rates (per thousand) 49.9 7.0 12.4 23.9 41.1 73.0 123.6 195.3 312.6

Ratio of actual to expected deaths

2010 Base Year RRBd 98.7% 89.6% 93.2% 102.3% 98.2% 98.6% 99.2% 98.2% 102.9%

2013 Base Year RRBf 99.9% 93.5% 95.6% 103.2% 98.4% 99.4% 101.1% 99.7% 102.0%

E. Deferredh

Exposed 203,583 20,609 46,628 35,258 30,318 31,867 26,557 9,988 2,358

Actual deaths 11,095 185 669 802 1,329 2,261 3,236 1,920 693

Age specific death rates (per thousand) 54.5 9.0 14.3 22.7 43.8 71.0 121.9 192.2 293.9

Ratio of actual to expected deaths

2010 Base Year RRBd 98.9% 107.2% 106.7% 97.0% 103.7% 96.0% 98.6% 97.8% 96.6%

2013 Base Year RRBf 100.1% 111.6% 109.4% 97.9% 104.0% 96.8% 100.5% 99.4% 95.7%

a

 Nondisability retirement.

b

 Age nearest birthday at the beginning of the year of exposure.

c

 1994 Group Annuity Mortality Static Table.

d

 2010 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table.

e

 2010 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table projected to 2013 using 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale.

f

 2013 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table.

g

 2013 RRB Mortality Table for Widows.

h

 Immediate retirements are those which occur in the same calendar year as, or the calendar year following, the year of last employment

 in the railroad industry; all others are deferred retirements.

59
Table S-17. Mortality experience of railroad age annuitantsa

 between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015, by year

Ageb

All ages 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94 95 & over

1. 2012-2015 experience

Exposedc 585,082 98,361 133,032 95,614 76,360 74,618 68,484 30,720 7,893

Actual deaths 30,125 731 1,740 2,242 3,222 5,381 8,418 5,968 2,423

Crude rate per 1,000 51.5 7.4 13.1 23.4 42.2 72.1 122.9 194.3 307.0

Ratio Act./Exp. Id 98.7% 93.5% 98.0% 100.3% 100.4% 97.5% 99.0% 98.1% 101.0%

Ratio Act./Exp. IIe 101.4% 96.4% 101.0% 103.4% 103.5% 100.5% 101.7% 100.2% 102.7%

Ratio Act./Exp. IIIf 100.0% 97.5% 100.5% 101.2% 100.6% 98.3% 100.9% 99.6% 100.1%

2. Crude rate per 1,000 for

individual years

2012 - 2013 52.9 7.1 13.5 24.2 42.6 71.5 124.0 197.3 319.5

2013 - 2014 51.0 7.7 12.6 23.5 39.6 73.5 123.1 188.3 302.8

2014 - 2015 50.6 7.5 13.1 22.7 44.4 71.3 121.6 197.2 299.0

3. Ratio Act./Exp. for

individual years Id

2012 - 2013 99.9% 89.3% 101.4% 103.0% 101.5% 96.5% 100.3% 99.6% 105.2%

2013 - 2014 97.8% 96.8% 95.0% 101.1% 94.3% 99.4% 99.2% 95.2% 99.7%

2014 - 2015 98.5% 94.5% 97.7% 97.2% 105.5% 96.7% 97.4% 99.4% 98.4%

4. Ratio Act./Exp. for

individual years IIe

2012 - 2013 102.6% 92.1% 104.5% 106.2% 104.6% 99.4% 103.1% 101.7% 106.9%

2013 - 2014 100.4% 99.8% 97.9% 104.2% 97.2% 102.4% 102.0% 97.2% 101.3%

2014 - 2015 101.2% 97.4% 100.7% 100.2% 108.8% 99.7% 100.0% 101.6% 100.0%

5. Ratio Act./Exp. for

individual years IIIf

2012 - 2013 101.1% 93.2% 104.0% 103.9% 101.7% 97.2% 102.2% 101.1% 104.2%

2013 - 2014 99.0% 100.9% 97.5% 102.0% 94.5% 100.2% 101.1% 96.7% 98.7%

2014 - 2015 99.8% 98.6% 100.2% 98.1% 105.8% 97.5% 99.2% 101.0% 97.4%

a

 Nondisability retirement.

b

 Age nearest birthday at the beginning of the year of exposure.

c

 Exposure is between anniversaries of retirement in indicated years.

d

 Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table.

e

 Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table projected to 2013 using 2013 RRB

 Mortality Improvement Scale.

f

 Expected based on 2013 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table.

60
Table S-18. Mortality ratios for railroad age annuitants on a select and ultimate

basis between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015

Actual Crude rate Ratio Ratio Ratio

Duration Exposure deaths per 1,000 Act./Exp.a Act./Exp.b Act./Exp.c

0 30,395 212 7.0 85.1% 87.7% 88.6% 

1 30,356 264 8.7 96.5 99.5 100.1 

2 30,528 284 9.3 93.6 96.5 96.8 

3 30,604 338 11.0 100.6 103.6 103.7 

4 29,629 351 11.8 97.1 100.0 99.8 

5 28,405 356 12.5 92.7 95.5 95.0 

6 25,988 348 13.4 89.0 91.7 90.9 

7 23,886 411 17.2 102.1 105.2 104.0 

8 21,753 393 18.1 95.6 98.5 97.0 

9 20,956 469 22.4 106.3 109.5 107.6 

10 & over 312,582 26,699 85.4 99.1 101.7 100.1 

All durations 585,082 30,125 51.5 98.7% 101.4% 100.0% 

a

 Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table.

b

 Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table projected

 to 2013 using 2013 RRB Mortality Improvement Scale.

c

 Expected based on 2013 Base Year RRB Annuitants Mortality Table.

61
Table S-19. Age specific death rates of railroad disability annuitants between anniversaries

 of retirement in 2012 and 2015, by age and duration

Age at retirementa

All ages Under 40 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60 & over

Exposed

Duration 0 6,598 134 251 373 1,069 2,960 1,812 

1 7,309 144 260 367 1,290 3,426 1,822 

2 7,977 152 270 412 1,537 3,802 1,806 

3 8,511 165 248 439 1,837 3,984 1,839 

4 8,870 179 231 491 2,107 4,077 1,785 

Actual deaths

Duration 0 204 b b b 36 89 65 

1 245 b b b 36 126 66 

2 181 b b b 33 85 46 

3 187 b b b 41 81 55 

4 181 b b 11 35 85 48 

Crude rate per 1,000

Duration 0 30.9 b b b 33.7 30.1 35.9 

1 33.5 b b b 27.9 36.8 36.2 

2 22.7 b b b 21.5 22.4 25.5 

3 22.0 b b b 22.3 20.3 29.9 

4 20.4 b b 22.4 16.6 20.8 26.9 

Actual Crude rate

Agec Exposed deaths per 1,000

Under 50 1,763 22 12.5

50-54 4,270 53 12.4

55-59 23,049 388 16.8

60-64 49,242 1,110 22.5

65-69 54,166 1,505 27.8

70-74 34,028 1,504 44.2

75-79 20,430 1,323 64.8

80-84 14,373 1,425 99.1

85 & over 11,736 2,043 174.1

All ages 213,056 9,373 44.0

a

 Age nearest birthday.

b

 Fewer than 10 actual deaths.

c

 Age nearest birthday at the beginning of the year of exposure.

Select section

Ultimate section, durations 5 and over

62
Table S-20. Mortality experience of railroad disability annuitants between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015, by disabilit

All disability annuitants Annuitants with disability freeze Annuitants without 

Actual Crude rate Actual Crude rate Ratio Ratio Ratio Actual Crude rate 

Agea Exposed deaths per 1,000 Exposed deaths per 1,000 Act./Expb Act./Expc Act./Expd Exposed deaths per 1,000 A

Under 40 598 h h 585 h h h h h 13 h h 

40-44 1,573 23 14.6 1,461 22 15.1 82.3 84.8 76.1 112 h h 

45-49 2,689 42 15.6 2,320 39 16.8 87.8 90.5 80.8 369 h h 

50-54 9,004 161 17.9 6,367 137 21.5 106.9 110.1 100.3 2,637 24 9.1 

55-59 36,779 755 20.5 26,555 628 23.6 108.1 111.4 105.0 10,224 127 12.4 

60-64 64,519 1,521 23.6 47,589 1,251 26.3 103.7 106.9 105.2 16,930 270 15.9 

65-69 56,583 1,565 27.7 40,616 1,204 29.6 90.1 92.9 95.0 15,967 361 22.6 

70-74 34,037 1,504 44.2 23,698 1,130 47.7 97.5 100.5 103.3 10,339 374 36.2 

75-79 20,430 1,323 64.8 13,233 911 68.8 92.3 95.1 97.3 7,197 412 57.2 

80-84 14,373 1,425 99.1 8,193 857 104.6 92.6 95.5 97.2 6,180 568 91.9 

85-89 8,627 1,306 151.4 4,317 701 162.4 97.9 100.6 102.3 4,310 605 140.4 

90-94 2,565 582 226.9 1,441 335 232.5 96.9 99.0 99.9 1,124 247 219.8 

95 & over 544 155 284.9 354 102 288.1 88.9 90.3 87.4 190 53 278.9 

All ages 252,319 10,371 41.1 176,729 7,326 41.5 96.6% 99.5% 100.0% 75,591 3,045 40.3 

a Age nearest birthday at the beginning of the year of exposure.

b

 Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants with Disability Freeze.

c

Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants with Disability Freeze projected to 2013 using 2013 RRB Morta

d

 Expected based on 2013 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants with Disability Freeze.

e

Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants without Disability Freeze.

f

Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants without Disability Freeze projected to 2013 using 2013 RRB M

g

 Expected based on 2013 Base Year RRB Disabled Mortality Table for Annuitants without Disability Freeze.

h

 Fewer than 10 actual deaths.
Table S-21. Percentages of railroad disability annuitants included in the 27th valuation mortality studies

who would have qualified for a benefit under the social security disability standards

Period between anniversaries of retirement

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

Duration and type Actual Actual Actual

of freeze decision Exposures deaths Exposures deaths Exposures deaths

Duration 0

 Freeze allowed 87.8% 94.0% 87.8% 92.6% 87.3% 86.5% 

 Freeze disallowed 12.2 6.0 11.8 7.4 10.8 13.5 

 No freeze decision 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 1.9 0.0 

Duration 1

 Freeze allowed 86.1 94.0 87.6 95.0 87.8 90.8 

 Freeze disallowed 13.9 6.0 12.4 5.0 11.9 7.7 

 No freeze decision 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.5 

Duration 2

 Freeze allowed 86.0 91.7 85.9 93.8 87.5 92.9 

 Freeze disallowed 14.0 8.3 14.1 6.2 12.5 7.1 

 No freeze decision 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

Duration 3

 Freeze allowed 86.3 82.8 86.0 82.3 85.9 93.4 

 Freeze disallowed 13.7 17.2 14.0 17.7 14.1 6.6 

 No freeze decision 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

Duration 4

 Freeze allowed 86.2 92.4 86.5 93.3 86.1 85.5 

 Freeze disallowed 13.8 7.6 13.5 6.7 13.9 14.5 

 No freeze decision 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

Duration 5 and over

 Freeze allowed 66.2 68.3 67.0 68.8 67.7 68.3 

 Freeze disallowed 33.8 31.7 33.0 31.2 32.3 31.7 

 No freeze decision 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

64
Table S-22. Mortality experience of activea

 railroad employees during calendar years 2010-2014

Actual Crude rate Ratio Ratio

Ageb Exposed deaths per 1,000 Act./Exp.c Act./Exp.d

Under 35 272,599 195 0.7 80.0% 93.9% 

35-39 153,906 135 0.9 81.7 90.3 

40-44 164,128 217 1.3 100.7 106.6 

45-49 145,952 232 1.6 94.1 96.7 

50-54 157,853 329 2.1 89.9 92.1 

55-59 203,157 673 3.3 101.0 105.0 

60-64 83,537 400 4.8 105.4 112.4 

65 & over 16,214 81 5.0 67.0 75.2 

All ages 1,197,344 2,262 1.9 94.1% 100.0% 

a

 An employee is said to have died in active service if he died before retirement and had last

 worked in the railroad industry in the calendar year of his death or the calendar year

 immediately preceding.

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

c

 Expected deaths based on 2009 RRB Active Service Mortality Table.

d

 Expected deaths based on 2012 RRB Active Service Mortality Table.

65
Table S-23. Total termination experience of spouse annuitantsa

 between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015

Ageb

All ages 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90 & over

1. 2012-2015 experience

Exposedc 440,515 96,415 120,874 86,038 61,026 45,424 23,639 7,099

Actual terminations 29,283 2,069 4,256 4,572 5,153 6,140 4,883 2,210

Crude rate per 1,000 66.5 21.5 35.2 53.1 84.4 135.2 206.6 311.3

Ratio Act./Exp. Id 99.3% 92.4% 100.1% 96.1% 97.1% 100.7% 102.8% 106.3%

Ratio Act./Exp. IIe 102.2% 95.3% 103.1% 99.0% 100.0% 103.8% 105.6% 108.5%

Ratio Act./Exp. IIIf 100.0% 97.8% 104.3% 98.5% 97.9% 100.1% 100.7% 100.7%

2. Crude rate per 1,000 for

individual years

2012 - 2013 69.0 22.5 35.7 54.8 85.7 133.4 213.2 326.3

2013 - 2014 65.7 20.2 36.5 53.8 83.6 133.3 202.0 290.3

2014 - 2015 64.8 21.7 33.5 50.9 83.9 139.1 204.3 317.2

3. Ratio Act./Exp. for

individual years Id

2012 - 2013 101.2% 96.8% 101.5% 99.0% 98.4% 99.6% 106.1% 111.4%

2013 - 2014 98.4% 86.9% 104.1% 97.6% 96.1% 99.3% 100.5% 99.3%

2014 - 2015 98.3% 93.6% 95.0% 91.9% 96.6% 103.5% 101.5% 108.1%

4. Ratio Act./Exp. for

individual years IIe

2012 - 2013 104.2% 99.8% 104.6% 102.0% 101.4% 102.6% 109.1% 113.8%

2013 - 2014 101.3% 89.6% 107.3% 100.6% 99.1% 102.4% 103.3% 101.4%

2014 - 2015 101.2% 96.5% 97.9% 94.7% 99.6% 106.7% 104.4% 110.4%

5. Ratio Act./Exp. for

individual years IIIf

2012 - 2013 101.9% 102.4% 105.8% 101.4% 99.3% 98.9% 104.0% 105.5%

2013 - 2014 99.1% 91.9% 108.5% 100.0% 97.0% 98.7% 98.5% 94.1%

2014 - 2015 99.0% 99.0% 99.0% 94.2% 97.5% 102.8% 99.5% 102.4%

a

 Excludes spouses under age 60 with child in care.

b

 Age nearest birthday at the beginning of the year of exposure.

c

 Exposure is between anniversaries of retirement in indicated years.

d

 Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Spouse Total Termination Table.

e

 Expected based on 2010 Base Year RRB Spouse Total Termination Table projected to 2013 using 2013 RRB

 Mortality Improvement Scale

f

 Expected based on 2013 Base Year RRB Spouse Total Termination Table.

66
Table S-24. Mortality experience of spouse annuitants between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015a

Ageb

All ages 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90 & over

1. 2012-2015 experience

Exposedc 430,855 95,662 119,362 84,472 59,320 43,430 22,114 6,496

Actual deaths 9,962 562 1,231 1,440 1,741 2,152 1,832 1,004

Crude rate per 1,000 23.1 5.9 10.3 17.0 29.3 49.6 82.8 154.6

Ratio Act./Exp.d 78.3% 61.6% 71.0% 74.1% 79.3% 81.9% 83.7% 90.0%

2. Crude rate per 1,000 for

individual years

2012 - 2013 23.6 6.1 10.3 16.7 28.9 45.0 89.6 166.3

2013 - 2014 22.8 5.8 10.7 17.5 28.8 48.3 79.4 144.8

2014 - 2015 23.0 5.7 10.0 16.9 30.4 56.0 79.2 152.8

3. Ratio Act./Exp. for

individual yearsd

2012 - 2013 78.3% 64.4% 70.7% 72.5% 77.9% 74.3% 90.6% 96.5%

2013 - 2014 77.3% 60.6% 74.0% 76.1% 77.9% 79.7% 80.3% 85.2%

2014 - 2015 79.4% 59.9% 68.5% 73.5% 82.3% 92.5% 79.8% 88.2%

a

 Excludes spouses under age 60 with child in care.

b

 Age nearest birthday at the beginning of the year of exposure.

c

 Exposure is between anniversaries of retirement in indicated years.

d

 Expected based on 2013 RRB Mortality Table for Widows.

67
Table S-25. Number of retired employees and number with a spouse eligible for railroad

retirement benefits, by age of employee on December 31, 2015

30 or more years of service Less than 30 years of service

Number of Ratio of Number of Ratio of

Agea of Number of eligible spouses to Number of eligible spouses to

employee employees spouses employees employees spouses employees

60 2,361 596 0.252

61 5,266 1,903 0.361

62 6,251 2,812 0.450 3,317 260 0.078

63 6,695 3,723 0.556 4,259 822 0.193

64 7,253 4,489 0.619 4,875 1,195 0.245

65 7,764 5,107 0.658 5,300 1,724 0.325

66 7,577 5,267 0.695 5,931 2,324 0.392

67 7,780 5,694 0.732 6,611 2,910 0.440

68 7,724 5,795 0.750 6,675 3,131 0.469

69 8,085 6,153 0.761 7,030 3,667 0.522

70 5,703 4,371 0.766 4,856 2,660 0.548

71 5,691 4,442 0.781 4,718 2,674 0.567

72 5,258 4,069 0.774 4,547 2,588 0.569

73 5,474 4,346 0.794 4,435 2,551 0.575

74 4,469 3,496 0.782 3,849 2,289 0.595

75 4,015 3,145 0.783 3,499 2,133 0.610

76 3,413 2,646 0.775 3,046 1,875 0.616

77 3,332 2,539 0.762 2,961 1,790 0.605

78 3,324 2,518 0.758 2,906 1,783 0.614

79 3,138 2,316 0.738 2,576 1,505 0.584

80 2,873 2,098 0.730 2,554 1,529 0.599

81 2,915 2,106 0.722 2,535 1,472 0.581

82 2,705 1,872 0.692 2,240 1,235 0.551

83 2,729 1,798 0.659 2,242 1,248 0.557

84 2,619 1,727 0.659 2,002 1,078 0.538

85 2,700 1,675 0.620 2,058 1,028 0.500

86 2,660 1,602 0.602 1,908 971 0.509

87 2,657 1,533 0.577 1,800 827 0.459

88 2,688 1,453 0.541 1,776 775 0.436

89 2,405 1,202 0.500 1,651 622 0.377

90 2,049 963 0.470 1,378 473 0.343

91 1,595 666 0.418 1,089 337 0.309

92 1,344 547 0.407 909 257 0.283

93 1,184 451 0.381 706 186 0.263

94 763 255 0.334 550 124 0.225

95 619 175 0.283 391 87 0.223

96 453 111 0.245 271 61 0.225

97 285 73 0.256 186 32 0.172

98 206 51 0.248 134 22 0.164

99 & over 305 54 0.177 242 22 0.091

a

 Age nearest birthday.

68
Table S-26. Mortality experience of widow annuitants between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015

Agea

All ages under 50 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94 

1. 2012-2015 experience

Exposedb 363,598 1,255 572 456 15,755 28,269 36,778 50,714 73,231 79,692 54,261 

Actual deaths 31,510 d d d 152 457 913 2,065 4,649 8,031 9,151 

Crude rate per 1,000 86.7 d d d 9.6 16.2 24.8 40.7 63.5 100.8 168.6 

Ratio Act./Exp.c 107.0% d d d 101.9% 110.4% 107.2% 110.6% 106.6% 105.4% 109.0% 

2. Crude rate per 1,000 for

individual years

2012 - 2013 87.2 d d d 8.9 16.4 24.7 41.0 64.8 100.5 169.2 

2013 - 2014 84.4 d d d 10.0 16.0 25.3 40.8 61.3 99.2 164.0 

2014 - 2015 88.4 d d d 10.1 16.1 24.5 40.4 64.2 102.7 172.7 

3. Ratio Act./Exp.c for

individual years

2012 - 2013 108.3% d d d 93.6% 111.7% 106.6% 111.2% 109.2% 105.3% 109.8% 

2013 - 2014 104.3% d d d 105.4% 109.7% 109.3% 110.7% 102.9% 103.7% 106.1% 

2014 - 2015 108.3% d d d 107.1% 109.9% 105.7% 109.7% 107.7% 107.2% 111.3% 

a

 Age nearest birthday at the beginning of the year of exposure.

b

 Exposure is between anniversaries of retirement in indicated years.

c

 Expected based on 2013 RRB Mortality Table for Widows.

d Fewer than 10 actual deaths.
Table S-27. Remarriage experience of widows between 2003 and 2015 anniversaries of widowhood

Agea

All ages Under 35 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70 & over

1. Exposed

Durationb 0 70,562 106 151 269 375 697 906 6,094 8,023 53,943

1 70,337 108 157 266 406 765 1,820 6,175 7,998 52,643

2 69,464 100 158 253 414 790 2,504 6,226 7,993 51,026

3 68,554 94 149 239 386 793 3,141 6,184 8,126 49,442

4 67,700 99 138 223 379 805 3,682 6,185 8,317 47,873

5 or more 1,262,522 48 259 762 1,274 2,764 5,813 38,807 69,249 1,143,547

2. Actual remarriages

Durationb 0 62 c c c c c c 12 15 26

1 139 c c c c c c 22 38 62

2 142 c c c c 10 10 17 28 60

3 147 c c c c c 20 29 23 55

4 116 c c c c c 23 25 23 37

5 or more 883 c c c 10 14 22 158 184 480

3. Crude remarriage rate per 1,000

Durationb 0 0.88 c c c c c c 1.97 1.87 0.48

1 1.98 c c c c c c 3.56 4.75 1.18

2 2.04 c c c c 12.66 3.99 2.73 3.50 1.18

3 2.14 c c c c c 6.37 4.69 2.83 1.11

4 1.71 c c c c c 6.25 4.04 2.77 0.77

5 or more 0.70 c c c 7.85 5.07 3.78 4.07 2.66 0.42

4. Ratio Act./Exp.d

Durationb 0 58.3% c c c c c c 42.3% 69.5% 56.3%

1 62.2% c c c c c c 41.5% 81.1% 71.5%

2 67.0% c c c c 178.9% 43.2% 33.0% 66.1% 83.4%

3 82.1% c c c c c 61.8% 64.2% 67.1% 122.9%

4 68.5% c c c c c 63.1% 60.9% 69.5% 91.1%

5 or more 92.3% c c c 68.5% 71.8% 105.6% 79.7% 90.8% 99.7%

a

 For durations 0-4, age nearest birthday on date of employee's death. For durations 5 and over, age nearest birthday at

 beginning of year of exposure which is on an anniversary of employee's death.

b

 Completed years since employee's death.

c

 Fewer than 10 actual remarriages.

d

 Expected based on 1997 RRB Remarriage Table.

70
Table S-28. Total termination experience of disabled children annuitants

between anniversaries of retirement in 2012 and 2015

Actual Ratio

Agea Exposed terminations Act./Exp.b

Under 25 421 c c 

25-29 478 12 173.8% 

30-34 707 c c 

35-39 897 10 111.5 

40-44 1,287 17 111.1 

45-49 2,042 33 108.2 

50-54 3,127 69 116.7 

55-59 3,603 111 124.6 

60-64 3,285 114 105.7 

65-69 2,877 136 106.7 

70-74 2,173 157 120.3 

75-79 1,453 124 102.5 

80-84 902 124 119.0 

85-89 482 88 114.5 

90 & over 197 48 104.3 

All ages 23,931 1,054 112.2% 

a

 Age nearest birthday at beginning of the year of exposure.

b

 Expected based on 2004 RRB Total Termination Table for Disabled Children.

c

 Fewer than 10 actual terminations.

71
Table S-29. Improvement in annuitant mortality and spouse total termination

Age of Average annual improvement in annuitant mortalitya

employee 1957 - 1984 1984 - 2014 1957 - 2014

60 - 64 2.7% 1.7% 2.2%

65 - 69 1.4 1.9 1.7 

70 - 74 0.9 1.7 1.3 

75 - 79 0.8 1.4 1.1 

80 - 84 0.8 1.0 0.9 

85 - 89 0.9 0.5 0.7 

90 & over 0.5 0.1 0.3 

Age of Average annual improvement in spouse total terminationb

spouse 1957 - 1984 1984 - 2014 1957 - 2014

60 - 64 NA 1.9% NA

65 - 69 1.2% 1.5 1.4%

70 - 74 0.7 1.4 1.1 

75 - 79 0.7 1.0 0.9 

80 - 84 0.8 0.6 0.7 

85 & over 0.4 0.1 0.2 

a

 Includes both disabled and nondisabled annuitants.

b

 Mainly death of employee or death of spouse.

72
RETIREMENT STUDIES

1. Age retirement. Age retirement studies covering experience during calendar years 2013-2015

are summarized in Tables S-30 through S-32. Table S-30 shows a comparison among crude

retirement rates for 2013-2015, the 26th valuation retirement rates, and the 27th valuation

retirement rates. Tables S-31 and S-32 show ratios of actual retirements to those expected for 

employees with 5-29 years of service and for employees with 30 or more years of service, 

respectively.

2. Disability retirement. Table S-33 shows a comparison of crude disability retirement rates for

2013-2015 with the 26th and 27th valuation standards. Table S-34 shows ratios of actual

retirements in 2013-2015 to those expected by age and service.

Table S-35 shows percentages of disability retirements in 2013-2015 that were eligible for a

disability freeze. Disability freeze standards are needed because of the financial interchange

with social security. Assumptions must be made regarding the percentage of railroad retirement

disability annuitants who would qualify under the social security definition of disability. Only

these disabilities qualify for reimbursement under the financial interchange.

73
Table S-30. Ratesa

 of immediate age retirement

5-29 years of service 30 or more years of service

Assumed Assumed 2013-2015 Assumed Assumed 2013-2015

rates 26th rates 27th Crude rates 26th rates 27th Crude

Ageb valuation valuation rates valuation valuation rates

60 0.60 0.59 0.588

61 0.46 0.46 0.460

62 0.10 0.09 0.093 0.35 0.35 0.351

63 0.09 0.09 0.082 0.35 0.32 0.323

64 0.08 0.08 0.080 0.31 0.32 0.317

65 0.15 0.17 0.169 0.37 0.34 0.338

66 0.32 0.33 0.329 0.33 0.30 0.318

67 0.26 0.27 0.273 0.32 0.30 0.294

68 0.20 0.25 0.228 0.30 0.30 0.269

69 0.20 0.25 0.259 0.30 0.30 0.272

70 0.20 0.25 0.303 0.30 0.30 0.340

71 0.20 0.25 0.273 0.25 0.25 0.258

72 0.20 0.20 0.204 0.20 0.25 0.231

73 0.20 0.20 0.242 0.20 0.25 0.267

74 0.20 0.20 0.211 0.20 0.25 0.254

75 & over 0.20 0.20 0.140 0.20 0.25 0.245

a

 Technically probabilities, because exposures were not adjusted for other separations.

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

74
Table S-31. Immediate agea

 retirement experience of railroad employees with

5-29 years of service during calendar years 2013-2015 

Actual Crude rated Ratio Ratio

Ageb Exposedc retirements per 1,000 Act./Exp. Ie Act./Exp. IIe

62 5,414 502 92.7 92.7% 103.0% 

63 4,164 343 82.4 91.5 91.5 

64 3,247 260 80.1 100.1 100.1 

65 2,562 432 168.6 112.4 99.2 

66 1,858 612 329.4 102.9 99.8 

67 1,105 302 273.3 105.1 101.2 

68 671 153 228.0 114.0 91.2 

69 441 114 258.5 129.3 103.4 

70-74 852 225 264.1 132.0 114.0 

75 & over 172 24 139.5 69.8 69.8 

All ages 20,486 2,967 144.8 103.4% 99.6% 

a

 Nondisability retirement.

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

c

 Exposure includes part of the year in which employees were not eligible for age

 retirement because they were under 62.

d

 Technically probabilities, because exposures were not adjusted for other separations.

e

 I and II denote expected according to rates used in the 26th and 27th valuations,

 respectively.

75
Table S-32. Immediate agea

 retirement experience of railroad employees with

30 or more years of service during calendar years 2013-2015 

Actual Crude rated Ratio Ratio

Ageb Exposedc retirements per 1,000 Act./Exp. Ie Act./Exp. IIe

60 16,650 9,782 587.5 97.9% 99.6% 

61 7,503 3,454 460.3 100.1 100.1 

62 4,439 1,560 351.4 100.4 100.4 

63 3,165 1,023 323.2 92.3 101.0 

64 2,285 725 317.3 102.4 99.2 

65 1,659 561 338.2 91.4 99.5 

66 1,168 372 318.5 96.5 106.2 

67 788 232 294.4 92.0 98.1 

68 517 139 268.9 89.6 89.6 

69 346 94 271.7 90.6 90.6 

70-74 683 194 284.0 114.3 105.9 

75 & over 200 49 245.0 122.5 98.0 

All ages 39,403 18,185 461.5 98.1% 99.8% 

a

 Nondisability retirement.

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

c

 Exposure includes part of the year in which employees were not eligible for age

 retirement because they were under 60.

d

 Technically probabilities, because exposures were not adjusted for other separations.

e

 I and II denote expected according to rates used in the 26th and 27th valuations,

 respectively.

76
Table S-33. Ratesa

 of immediateb disability retirement

10-19 years of service 20-24 years of service 25-29 years of service 30 or more ye

Assumed Assumed 2013-2015 Assumed Assumed 2013-2015 Assumed Assumed 2013-2015 Assumed Assu

rates 26th rates 27th Crude rates 26th rates 27th Crude rates 26th rates 27th Crude rates 26th rates 

Agec valuation valuation rates valuation valuation rates valuation valuation rates valuation valu

Under 35 0.0014 0.0012 d 0.0041 0.0035 d 0.0035 0.0035 d 0.0035 0.0

35 0.0015 0.0013 d 0.0044 0.0037 d 0.0038 0.0037 d 0.0038 0.0

36 0.0015 0.0013 d 0.0047 0.0038 d 0.0041 0.0038 d 0.0041 0.0

37 0.0016 0.0013 d 0.0050 0.0040 d 0.0043 0.0040 d 0.0043 0.0

38 0.0016 0.0014 0.0013 0.0053 0.0042 d 0.0046 0.0042 d 0.0046 0.0

39 0.0017 0.0015 0.0013 0.0056 0.0045 d 0.0049 0.0045 d 0.0049 0.0

40 0.0018 0.0016 0.0017 0.0060 0.0048 d 0.0052 0.0048 d 0.0052 0.0

41 0.0020 0.0017 0.0017 0.0063 0.0052 d 0.0053 0.0052 d 0.0053 0.0

42 0.0021 0.0018 0.0013 0.0066 0.0056 0.0060 0.0056 0.0056 d 0.0056 0.0

43 0.0023 0.0020 0.0022 0.0070 0.0062 0.0103 0.0061 0.0062 d 0.0061 0.0

44 0.0025 0.0021 0.0020 0.0077 0.0068 0.0073 0.0069 0.0068 d 0.0069 0.0

45 0.0028 0.0024 0.0029 0.0088 0.0076 0.0079 0.0079 0.0076 d 0.0079 0.0

46 0.0031 0.0026 0.0019 0.0102 0.0085 0.0065 0.0091 0.0085 d 0.0091 0.0

47 0.0035 0.0029 0.0036 0.0120 0.0096 0.0071 0.0105 0.0096 d 0.0105 0.0

48 0.0039 0.0033 0.0023 0.0142 0.0108 0.0059 0.0120 0.0108 d 0.0120 0.0

49 0.0045 0.0038 0.0031 0.0164 0.0122 0.0111 0.0136 0.0121 0.0072 0.0136 0.0

50 0.0051 0.0043 0.0031 0.0187 0.0137 0.0067 0.0152 0.0135 0.0109 0.0152 0.0

51 0.0059 0.0049 0.0042 0.0211 0.0152 0.0112 0.0168 0.0148 0.0155 0.0168 0.0

52 0.0068 0.0057 0.0074 0.0235 0.0168 0.0146 0.0183 0.0162 0.0096 0.0183 0.0

53 0.0079 0.0066 0.0050 0.0259 0.0185 0.0207 0.0198 0.0175 0.0141 0.0198 0.0

54 0.0092 0.0077 0.0054 0.0285 0.0204 0.0160 0.0213 0.0188 0.0193 0.0213 0.0

55 0.0108 0.0090 0.0094 0.0311 0.0224 0.0170 0.0229 0.0202 0.0140 0.0229 0.0

56 0.0127 0.0106 0.0087 0.0337 0.0247 0.0237 0.0246 0.0217 0.0127 0.0246 0.0

57 0.0150 0.0125 0.0101 0.0365 0.0274 0.0218 0.0263 0.0234 0.0135 0.0263 0.0

58 0.0178 0.0148 0.0139 0.0393 0.0306 0.0324 0.0280 0.0254 0.0222 0.0280 0.0

59 0.0211 0.0175 0.0151 0.0422 0.0345 0.0314 0.0298 0.0279 0.0245 0.0298 0.0

60 0.0302 0.0239 0.0229 0.0451 0.0393 0.0391 0.0317 0.0311 0.0231 0.0163 0.0

61 0.0366 0.0291 0.0271 0.0481 0.0565 0.0541 0.0336 0.0354 0.0374 0.0121 0.0

62 0.0391 0.0322 0.0300 0.0561 0.0517 0.0455 0.0452 0.0444 0.0352 0.0086 0.0

63 0.0391 0.0338 0.0280 0.0556 0.0454 0.0587 0.0448 0.0380 0.0397 0.0060 0.0

64 0.0338 0.0257 0.0237 0.0530 0.0369 0.0216 0.0422 0.0296 0.0301 0.0042 0.00

65 0.0228 0.0207 0.0184 0.0396 0.0257 0.0181 0.0288 0.0183 d 0.0031 0.0

66 0.0044 0.0052 d 0.0029 0.0108 d 0.0029 0.0034 d 0.0029 0.0

a

 Technically probabilities, because exposures were not adjusted for other terminations.

b

 Immediate retirements are defined as those for which the calendar year of retirement is the same as, or the year following, the calendar year of last employment in t

c

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

d

 Insufficient data.
Table S-34. Immediate disability retirement experience of railroad employees during calendar years 2013-2015

Attained agea

All ages Under 40 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65 66b

1. 10-19 years of service

Exposed 202,880 51,222 47,260 39,250 30,888 21,228 11,082 1,139 811

Actual retirements 939 41 84 109 153 236 291 21 f 

Crude rate per 1,000c 4.6 0.8 1.8 2.8 5.0 11.1 26.3 18.4 f 

Ratio Act./Exp.d 73.9% 52.1% 82.8% 79.1% 72.3% 74.1% 74.1% 80.9% f 

Ratio Act./Exp.e 88.7% 60.5% 96.3% 93.9% 86.4% 89.0% 91.6% 89.1% f 

2. 20-24 years of service

Exposed 50,365 379 8,526 14,106 12,023 9,044 5,315 552 420

Actual retirements 807 f 61 108 162 224 239 10 f 

Crude rate per 1,000c 16.0 f 7.2 7.7 13.5 24.8 45.0 18.1 f 

Ratio Act./Exp.d 71.2% f 102.6% 62.6% 57.9% 68.5% 88.6% 45.7% f 

Ratio Act./Exp.e 89.0% f 118.6% 79.0% 80.5% 90.0% 96.3% 70.5% f 

3. 25-29 years of service

Exposed 32,496 0 334 5,353 10,302 9,796 5,848 506 357

Actual retirements 530 f f 21 143 166 191 f f 

Crude rate per 1,000c 16.3 f f 3.9 13.9 16.9 32.7 f f 

Ratio Act./Exp.d 70.8% f f 34.4% 75.8% 64.8% 85.0% f f 

Ratio Act./Exp.e 78.5% f f 38.0% 85.8% 72.1% 91.0% f f 

4. 30 or more years of service

Exposed 102,070 0 0 137 9,496 55,580 34,031 1,658 1,168

Actual retirements 1,663 f f f 149 1,205 308 f f 

Crude rate per 1,000c 16.3 f f f 15.7 21.7 9.1 f f 

Ratio Act./Exp.d 78.1% f f f 78.7% 80.3% 71.8% f f 

Ratio Act./Exp.e 87.3% f f f 89.1% 88.5% 83.4% f f 

a

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

b

 Refers to employees retiring before normal retirement age. Exposure includes part of the year in which employees were

 not eligible for disability retirement because they passed normal retirement age.

c

 Technically probabilities of retirement, because exposures were not adjusted for other terminations.

d

 Expected based on 26th valuation disability rates.

e

 Expected based on 27th valuation disability rates.

f

 Insufficient data.

78
Table S-35. Percentages of immediatea

 disability retirements meeting the disability freeze standards of the Social Security Act

10-19 years of service 20-24 years of service 25-29 years of service 30 or more 

Assumed Assumed 2013-2015 Assumed Assumed 2013-2015 Assumed Assumed 2013-2015 Assumed As

rates 26th rates 27th Crude rates 26th rates 27th Crude rates 26th rates 27th Crude rates 26th rat

Ageb valuation valuation rates valuation valuation rates valuation valuation rates valuation va

Under 35 97.8% 97.8% c 44.8% 44.8% c 44.8% 44.8% c 44.8% 4

35 97.8 97.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

36 97.8 97.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

37 97.8 97.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

38 97.8 97.8 100.0% 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

39 97.8 97.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

40 97.8 97.8 100.0 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

41 97.8 97.8 92.9 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

42 97.8 97.8 100.0 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

43 97.8 97.8 100.0 44.8 44.8 56.5% 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

44 97.8 97.8 100.0 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 44.8 c 44.8 4

45 97.8 97.8 100.0 44.8 44.9 52.2 44.8 44.9 c 44.8 4

46 97.8 97.8 100.0 44.9 44.9 58.8 44.9 44.9 c 44.9 4

47 97.8 97.8 100.0 45.0 45.1 c 45.0 45.1 c 45.0 4

48 97.8 97.8 100.0 45.3 45.3 c 45.3 45.3 c 45.3 4

49 97.8 97.8 90.9 45.8 45.8 60.0 45.8 45.8 c 45.8 4

50 97.8 97.8 100.0 46.8 46.8 c 46.8 46.8 c 46.8 4

51 97.8 97.8 100.0 49.0 48.9 48.1 49.0 48.9 46.9% 49.0 4

52 97.8 97.8 100.0 53.6 53.3 59.4 53.6 53.3 57.1 53.6 5

53 97.8 97.8 96.4 62.9 62.1 64.4 62.9 62.1 64.3 62.9 6

54 97.8 97.8 96.4 81.9 80.0 80.0 81.9 80.0 76.9 81.9 8

55 97.8 97.8 97.9 93.9 94.6 85.3 93.9 94.6 93.1 93.9 9

56 97.8 97.8 100.0 93.9 94.6 93.5 93.9 94.6 96.2 93.9 9

57 97.8 97.8 97.5 93.9 94.6 91.9 93.9 94.6 92.9 93.9 9

58 97.8 97.8 98.1 93.9 94.6 90.7 93.9 94.6 97.5 93.9 9

59 97.8 97.8 98.0 93.9 94.6 91.7 93.9 94.6 97.6 93.9 9

60 93.6 94.3 100.0 93.9 94.6 94.6 93.9 94.6 94.3 93.9 9

61 93.6 94.3 91.2 93.9 94.6 97.1 93.9 94.6 96.2 93.9 9

62 93.6 94.3 92.5 93.9 94.6 96.0 93.9 94.6 97.7 93.9 9

63 93.6 94.3 96.1 93.9 94.6 93.8 93.9 94.6 91.7 93.9 9

64 93.6 94.3 91.2 93.9 94.6 100.0 93.9 94.6 90.5 93.9 9

65 93.6 94.3 95.2 93.9 94.6 100.0 93.9 94.6 c 93.9 9

66 93.6 94.3 c 93.9 94.6 c 93.9 94.6 c 93.9 9

a

 Immediate retirements are defined as those for which the calendar year of retirement is the same as, or the year following, the calendar year of last employment in 

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

c

 Insufficient data.
WITHDRAWAL STUDIES

Table S-36 shows the select withdrawal experience for the years 2011-2014. The actual 

withdrawals are shown net of re-entrants into the industry for each attained age and service 

group. Since a re-entrant maintains his prior earnings and service credit, he cannot be 

considered a final withdrawal. The table presents crude net withdrawal rates by attained age 

and years of service along with ratios of actual net withdrawals to those expected on the basis of 

the 26th and the 27th valuation standards.

80
Table S-36. Withdrawal experience of railroad employees during calendar years 2011-2014, by attained age and years of service

Years Attained ageb

 under 25 Attained ageb 25-34 Attained ageb

of Actual netc Crude rate Ratio Act./Exp. Actual netc Crude rate Ratio Act./Exp. Actual netc Crud

servicea Exposed withdrawals per 100 I

d IId Exposed withdrawals per 100 Id IId Exposed withdrawals per 

0 19,879 3,132 15.8 84.7% 99.7% 38,429 4,238 11.0 76.6% 100.3% 20,231 2,950 1 

1 11,225 1,338 11.9 83.4 100.2 30,185 2,477 8.2 78.2 100.1 16,538 1,395  

2 5,672 392 6.9 78.5 100.2 24,104 1,281 5.3 77.0 100.3 14,337 657  

3 3,146 155 4.9 78.2 100.5 20,948 777 3.7 71.3 100.2 14,119 404  

4 1,475 60 4.1 81.4 99.2 16,737 498 3.0 66.1 96.0 12,508 306  

5 631 24 3.8 88.5 102.8 17,047 497 2.9 72.9 104.1 13,820 319 

 

6 151 e e e e 18,306 521 2.8 79.1 109.5 16,407 365 

 

7 7 e e e e 16,502 359 2.2 68.0 90.6 17,698 321 

 

8 1 e e e e 12,953 254 2.0 70.0 89.1 17,001 319 

 

9 - e e e e 9,268 198 2.1 85.5 106.8 15,147 239 

 

10 - e e e e 5,841 111 1.9 86.4 105.6 12,699 205 

 

11 - e e e e 3,769 54 1.4 71.6 89.5 10,668 160 

 

12 - e e e e 2,677 39 1.5 76.7 104.1 11,025 131 

 

13 - e e e e 2,085 24 1.2 67.7 95.9 13,125 137 

 

14 - e e e e 1,238 15 1.2 75.7 110.1 13,641 165 

 

15 - e e e e 467 e e e e 12,688 130 

 

16 - e e e e 88 e e e e 11,134 136 

 

17 - e e e e 10 e e e e 8,574 71 

 

18 - e e e e 3 e e e e 6,748 53 

 

19 - e e e e - e e e e 5,273 32 

 

20 - e e e e - e e e e 3,920 21 

 

21 - e e e e - e e e e 2,726 18 

 

22 - e e e e - e e e e 1,892 e 

23 - e e e e - e e e e 1,224 e 

24 - e e e e - e e e e 672 e 

25 - e e e e - e e e e 253 e 

26 - e e e e - e e e e 39 e 

27 - e e e e - e e e e 1 e 

28 - e e e e - e e e e - e 

29 - e e e e - e e e e - e 

30 & over - e e e e - e e e e - e 

All years 42,187 5,106 12.1 83.6% 99.9% 220,657 11,347 5.1 75.7% 100.1% 274,108 8,550  

a

Service as of beginning of calendar year of exposure rounded up to next highest whole year.

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

c

 Withdrawals less re-entrants.

d

 I and II denote expected according to rates used in the 26th and 27th valuations, respectively.

e

Fewer than 10 actual net withdrawals.
Table S-36. Withdrawal experience of railroad employees during calendar years 2011-2014, by attained age and years of service (continued)

Years Attained ageb

 45-54 Attained ageb 55 and over All age

of Actual netc Crude rate Ratio Act./Exp. Actual netc Crude rate Ratio Act./Exp. Actual netc Crud

servicea Exposed withdrawals per 100 I

d IId Exposed withdrawals per 100 Id IId Exposed withdrawals per 

0 8,944 1,685 18.8 89.7% 100.2% 1,918 380 19.8 80.9% 100.1% 89,401 12,385 1 

1 7,802 741 9.5 81.9 100.0 1,905 196 10.3 76.2 99.9 67,655 6,147  

2 7,134 348 4.9 71.7 97.6 1,923 129 6.7 87.1 101.6 53,170 2,807  

3 7,501 261 3.5 77.3 108.7 2,183 106 4.9 85.2 97.1 47,897 1,703  

4 7,130 183 2.6 69.4 91.7 2,264 86 3.8 76.0 90.4 40,114 1,133  

5 7,964 219 2.7 80.9 110.0 2,116 80 3.8 84.0 102.2 41,578 1,139 

 

6 9,657 205 2.1 68.5 92.3 2,527 97 3.8 96.0 116.3 47,048 1,193  

7 10,644 225 2.1 75.5 100.7 2,839 79 2.8 77.3 99.4 47,690 984  

8 10,412 173 1.7 66.5 87.4 2,962 70 2.4 73.9 94.5 43,329 816  

9 9,598 204 2.1 92.4 125.0 3,024 80 2.6 91.2 120.3 37,037 721  

10 8,210 109 1.3 63.2 83.0 2,828 64 2.3 90.5 119.1 29,578 489 

 

11 7,209 88 1.2 64.2 87.2 2,631 35 1.3 57.8 78.3 24,277 337  

12 7,649 107 1.4 82.3 107.6 2,865 36 1.3 62.8 78.5 24,217 313  

13 8,992 104 1.2 77.1 96.4 3,329 40 1.2 66.8 85.8 27,532 305  

14 9,902 113 1.1 81.5 103.7 3,726 47 1.3 78.8 97.0 28,508 340  

15 9,800 93 0.9 73.0 94.9 3,667 27 0.7 52.6 61.4 26,623 254 

 

16 9,532 99 1.0 94.4 103.9 3,578 53 1.5 123.4 123.4 24,332 288 

 

17 8,349 61 0.7 73.1 81.2 3,216 46 1.4 130.0 130.0 20,149 178  

18 7,682 93 1.2 134.5 151.3 3,021 31 1.0 114.0 93.3 17,454 177  

19 7,399 54 0.7 91.2 91.2 3,051 32 1.0 131.1 104.9 15,723 118  

20 6,836 57 0.8 119.1 119.1 2,961 37 1.2 178.5 125.0 13,717 115  

21 6,375 34 0.5 76.2 76.2 2,811 25 0.9 148.2 88.9 11,912 77 

 

22 6,521 45 0.7 115.0 115.0 2,897 33 1.1 227.8 113.9 11,310 86  

23 6,473 43 0.7 132.9 110.7 3,028 21 0.7 173.4 77.1 10,725 67  

24 6,044 28 0.5 92.7 92.7 3,124 21 0.7 168.1 74.7 9,840 54  

25 5,226 27 0.5 129.2 103.3 3,129 24 0.8 255.7 95.9 8,608 51  

26 4,508 20 0.4 110.9 88.7 3,080 31 1.0 335.5 143.8 7,627 51 

 

27 4,003 33 0.8 274.8 164.9 3,386 22 0.6 324.9 108.3 7,390 55  

28 3,745 e e e e 3,982 12 0.3 150.7 75.3 7,727 16 

 

29 3,743 e e e e 4,706 13 0.3 276.2 92.1 8,449 22 

 

30 & over 23,109 120 0.5 103.9 103.9 92,780 925 1.0 110.8 99.7 115,889 1,045  

All years 248,093 5,585 2.3 82.7% 100.1% 181,457 2,878 1.6 94.9% 99.9% 1,004,951 40,307  

a

 Service as of beginning of calendar year of exposure rounded up to next highest whole year.

b

 Age attained in calendar year of exposure.

c

 Withdrawals less re-entrants.

d

 I and II denote expected according to rates used in the 26th and 27th valuations, respectively.

e

Fewer than 10 actual net withdrawals.
EMPLOYEE AND BENEFICIARY CENSUSES, FAMILY COMPOSITION, AND

MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS

Age and service distributions of active and inactive employees are shown in Tables S-37 and S-38. 

A comparison between 2013 and 2016 active censuses is shown in Table S-39. 

Tables S-40 and S-41 provide a census of beneficiaries on December 31, 2016. Also included are 

their tier 1, tier 2 and vested dual benefit amounts. 

Table S-42 shows the average number of service months in a year for calendar years 2012-2014 by 

attained age group and years of service. The number of service months credited to an employee for 

a given year is equal to the employee's total creditable tier 2 earnings in the year, divided by onetwelfth of the tier 2 earnings base for the year, with a maximum of 12 and a minimum of the 

number of months in which the individual had service. 

The average creditable earnings per service month during 2016 are shown in Table S-43. Because 

of the difference in the maximum creditable earnings for tier 1 and tier 2 benefits, separate salary 

scales were constructed.

The age distribution of new entrants during calendar years 2012-2015 is shown in Table S-44, as is 

the distribution for 2009-2012. 

Table S-45 presents family characteristics of railroad employees who died in the period 2012-2015 

with a current connection. 

Table S-46 provides selected employment and benefit statistics for 2013 and 2016. 

83
Table S-37. Distribution of 2016 active employeesa

 by age and completed years of service

Age in Completed years of service

2016 Total 0 1 2-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 

Total 247,882 9,524 16,794 43,432 52,204 46,035 31,318 18,699 11,283 6,272 

Under 20 301 239 52 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 

20-24 8,190 2,220 2,625 3,066 279 0 0 0 0 0 

25-29 23,611 2,191 4,386 10,816 5,989 229 0 0 0 0 

30-34 32,704 1,618 3,329 10,189 11,802 5,682 84 0 0 0 

35-39 35,807 1,104 2,501 7,156 10,603 10,691 3,624 128 0 0 

40-44 34,768 797 1,556 4,690 8,102 9,184 7,394 2,965 80 0 

45-49 35,123 570 1,157 3,584 6,588 7,817 7,618 5,598 2,157 34 

50-54 29,055 409 657 2,145 4,570 6,041 5,650 4,444 3,672 1,347 

55-59 30,480 253 363 1,218 2,836 4,035 4,132 3,286 3,093 3,760 

60-64 14,169 93 138 434 1,134 1,894 2,245 1,817 1,866 924 

65-69 3,143 22 23 94 256 409 495 409 367 174 

70 & over 531 8 7 30 45 53 76 52 48 33 

a

 Employees alive and not retired at the end of 2016 with some railroad service in 2016.
Table S-38. Census of vesteda

 inactive employeesb in 2016 by age and

completed years of service

Age in Completed years of service

2016 Total 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30 & over

Total 40,128 14,252 15,909 5,885 2,423 838 821

Under 35 1,558 1,467 90 0 0 0 1

35-39 2,788 2,270 469 49 0 0 0

40-44 4,220 2,910 1,012 274 24 0 0

45-49 5,267 2,926 1,651 543 140 7 0

50-54 5,138 2,161 1,991 670 217 66 33

55-59 8,596 1,629 3,755 1,586 681 270 675

60-64 10,190 745 5,616 2,241 1,089 407 92

65 & over 2,371 144 1,325 522 272 88 20

a

 Employees with at least 10 years of total service, or 5 years of service after 1995.

b

 Employees alive and not retired at the end of 2016 with no railroad work in 2016.

85
Table S-39. Comparison between 2016 and 2013 of selected characteristics of activea

railroad employees

Change from 2013 to 2016

2016 2013 Number Percent

Number alive and not retired 247,882 252,234 -4,352 -1.7%

Percent with 5 or more years

 of service 71.9% 71.3% b b 

Number age 60 or over 17,843 17,257 586 3.4%

Number age 65 or over 3,674 3,096 578 18.7%

Number age 60-64 with 30 or

 more years of service 4,548 5,956 -1,408 -23.6%

Average age on December 31 43.6 43.9 -0.3 b 

Median age on December 31 43.4 43.7 -0.3 b 

Average years of service

 All employees 12.4 13.2 -0.8 b 

 Employees under age 45 7.2 6.8 0.4 b 

 Employees age 45-49 13.6 12.7 0.9 b 

 Employees age 60 or over 24.2 25.8 -1.6 b 

 Employees age 65 or over 25.3 25.6 -0.3 b 

a

 Active employees were those with some railroad service during the year.

b

 Not applicable.

86
Table S-40. Census of employee and spouse annuitants on December 31, 2016a

Monthly benefitsb

Agec Number Tier 1 Tier 2 Vested dual Supplemental

1. Employee age annuitants

60-64 28,844 $ 62,407,937 $ 39,792,976 $ - $ 777,360

65-69 49,948 99,039,097 52,117,216 - 1,055,334

70-74 37,688 71,068,167 34,227,634 16,036 801,366

75-79 24,686 41,909,923 19,680,271 147,690 515,416

80-84 19,861 27,855,934 13,263,929 382,799 379,539

85-89 17,396 22,787,241 10,012,206 567,296 340,398

90-94 9,626 11,703,012 4,503,166 449,100 189,433

95 & over 2,495 2,943,505 807,283 149,102 52,759

Total 190,544 $ 339,714,816 $ 174,404,681 $ 1,712,023 $ 4,111,605

2. Employee disability annuitants

Under 40 173 $ 317,677 $ 20,378 $ - $ -

40-44 421 782,268 129,470 - - 

45-49 937 1,749,996 381,756 - - 

50-54 1,770 3,368,000 956,382 - - 

55-59 6,593 13,162,868 4,913,579 - - 

60-64 17,678 34,739,627 13,555,872 - 182,247

65-69 20,606 39,021,368 14,566,154 - 308,978

70-74 13,553 24,315,308 8,758,101 8,349 214,339

75-79 7,413 12,327,735 4,463,846 57,876 130,143

80-84 4,256 6,531,313 2,258,496 92,211 85,658

85-89 2,559 3,626,829 1,130,551 89,861 56,492

90-94 859 1,073,122 249,520 44,536 17,528

95 & over 172 184,570 27,306 9,963 2,550

Total 76,990 $ 141,200,681 $ 51,411,411 $ 302,796 $ 997,935

3. Spouse annuitants

Under 60 1,274 $ 1,321,668 $ 696,271 $ -

60-64 29,996 26,142,420 17,784,145 - 

65-69 44,974 26,913,697 20,729,786 - 

70-74 31,242 15,300,438 12,810,397 - 

75-79 19,315 7,937,307 6,763,964 - 

80-84 11,853 4,691,753 3,633,370 - 

85-89 6,327 2,543,871 1,710,367 - 

90-94 1,751 654,684 423,981 - 

95 & over 238 85,636 49,779 1,161

Total 146,970 $ 85,591,474 $ 64,602,060 $ 1,161

a

 Includes annuities which were in withheld status as of December 31, 2016. Therefore, these figures

 may disagree with other published data.

b

 Amounts shown reflect benefits paid in January 2017.

c

 Age attained in 2016.

87
Table S-41. Census of survivor annuitants on December 31, 2016a

Monthly benefitsb

Agec Number Tier 1 Tier 2 Vested dual

1. Aged widows and widowersd

60-64 4,537 $ 6,931,200 $ 2,635,106 $ -

65-69 9,625 13,764,857 4,879,739 - 

70-74 11,970 15,735,529 5,521,210 - 

75-79 14,758 17,084,762 6,229,018 - 

80-84 18,481 20,585,270 7,115,191 - 

85-89 21,760 24,421,644 6,958,434 - 

90-94 14,961 16,463,979 3,720,717 - 

95 & over 6,588 6,855,549 1,122,476 10,900

Total 102,680 $ 121,842,790 $ 38,181,891 $ 10,900

2. Other survivorse

0-4 67 $ 83,875 $ 6,086 $ -

5-9 242 287,828 19,310 - 

10-14 674 849,333 66,719 - 

15-19 916 1,233,217 120,677 - 

20-24 86 123,017 13,508 - 

25-29 155 200,919 24,080 - 

30-34 222 283,150 36,288 - 

35-39 326 383,827 57,040 - 

40-44 483 547,223 88,538 - 

45-49 663 721,226 134,262 - 

50-54 1,164 1,198,465 273,211 - 

55-59 1,723 1,695,772 432,528 - 

60-64 2,107 2,020,020 468,418 - 

65-69 1,806 1,747,964 288,932 - 

70-74 1,419 1,255,905 185,990 - 

75-79 894 737,723 105,624 - 

80-84 582 456,021 62,582 - 

85-89 360 263,128 36,792 1,036

90-94 145 95,437 16,460 1,497

95 & over 41 26,544 4,498 583 

Total 14,075 $ 14,210,594 $ 2,441,543 $ 3,116

a

 Includes annuities which were in withheld status as of December 31, 2016.

 Therefore, these figures may disagree with other published data.

b

 Amounts shown reflect benefits paid in January 2017.

c

 Age attained in 2016.

d

 Includes divorced and remarried aged widows and widowers, and parents.

e

 Includes disabled widows and widowers, remarried and divorced disabled widows

 and widowers, widowed mothers and fathers, remarried and divorced widowed

 mothers and fathers, minor children, student children and disabled children.

88
Table S-42. Comparison of service months of railroad employees during calendar years 2012-2014 with assumptions used in the 27th valuation

(For employees not separated in the year)

Years 

of Service months by attained age Service months by calendar year va

servicea Under 25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55 & over Total 2012 2013 2014 Total ass

0 6.2 6.5 6.5 6.6 6.8 6.4 7.0 6.3 6.1 6.4 

1 11.3 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.6 11.7 11.5 11.7 11.6 

2 11.6 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.8 11.6 11.7 11.7 

3 11.6 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.8 11.7 

4 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 

5 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.6 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 

6 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

10 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

11 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 

12 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

13 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

14 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

15 11.8 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

16 12.0 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

17 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.9 11.8 

18 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 

19 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

20 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.9 11.9 11.8 

21 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.9 11.8 

22 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.9 11.8 

23 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 

24 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 

25 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 

26 12.0 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 

27 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.8 11.9 

28 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 

29 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 

30 & over 11.9 11.8 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9 

a

 Rounded up to nearest whole year.
Table S-43. Average creditablea

 compensation per service month during 2016

Years

of

serviceb Tier 1 Tier 2

0 $4,081 $4,020 

1 4,841 4,716 

2 5,242 5,090 

3 5,777 5,547 

4 5,967 5,717 

5 6,233 5,955 

6 6,252 5,926 

7 6,481 6,070 

8 6,517 6,100 

9 6,562 6,142 

10 6,694 6,242 

11 6,664 6,241 

12 6,888 6,395 

13 7,004 6,435 

14 7,106 6,449 

15 7,092 6,408 

16 7,032 6,394 

17 7,107 6,448 

18 7,232 6,541 

19 7,333 6,553 

20 7,312 6,534 

21 7,430 6,608 

22 7,447 6,594 

23 7,214 6,431 

24 7,010 6,333 

25 7,229 6,421 

26 7,241 6,451 

27 7,404 6,486 

28 7,345 6,482 

29 7,227 6,367 

30 7,395 6,496 

a

 Maximum creditable annual compensation during 2016 was $118,500 and $88,200

 for tier 1 and tier 2, respectively.

b

 Completed service at beginning of year rounded up to nearest whole year.

90
Table S-44. Age distribution of new entrants during calendar years 2012-2015

and comparison with assumptions of the 26th valuation

Age at Year of entry 26th Val.

entrya 2012 2013 2014 2015 2012-15b 2009-12

All ages

 Number 18,767 18,536 27,112 19,914 84,329 62,908 

 Percent 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Under 20 2.1% 1.9% 1.9% 2.0% 2.0% 2.2%

20-24 20.7 20.8 20.5 21.6 20.8 19.7 

25-29 23.8 24.9 25.3 24.5 24.6 22.6 

30-34 19.1 17.8 19.0 17.8 18.5 17.9 

35-39 12.1 12.5 12.8 13.2 12.7 13.1 

40-44 9.6 9.8 9.1 8.7 9.3 10.3 

45-49 6.4 6.1 5.9 6.2 6.2 7.3 

50-54 3.8 3.8 3.4 3.7 3.6 4.3 

55 & over 2.4 2.4 2.0 2.4 2.3 2.6 

Average age

 at entry 32.3 32.3 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.9 

Median age

 at entry 30.3 30.1 30.0 30.0 30.1 30.9 

a

 Age attained in the year of entry (year of entry minus year of birth).

b

 Used in 27th valuation.

91
Table S-45. Family characteristics of railroad employees who died in 2012-2015 with a current connection

Widow Widow Widow Youngest Youngest Youngest

Age of Number age age under child child child Minor Disabled

employeea of deathsb Total 62 & over 60-61 age 60 under 16 age 16-17 disabled child child

Under 35 48 72.9 - - 72.9 62.5 - - 89.6 -

35 - 39 69 69.6 - - 69.6 58.0 2.9 - 88.4 -

40 - 44 128 73.4 0.9 - 72.5 59.2 3.9 - 85.9 0.8

45 - 49 172 75.0 - 0.9 74.1 38.7 8.7 0.6 64.5 2.3

50 - 54 302 71.2 3.3 1.5 66.4 17.4 9.7 0.7 36.8 2.0

55 - 59 1,064 65.8 4.7 4.3 56.8 5.4 2.2 1.4 11.3 2.5

60 - 64 2,425 63.8 20.0 14.0 29.8 2.0 0.4 0.4 3.8 1.6

65 - 69 3,391 69.3 51.4 6.7 11.2 0.7 0.5 0.1 2.1 1.0

70 - 74 3,902 68.2 61.7 2.7 3.8 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.8 1.1

75 - 79 4,518 68.1 65.4 0.9 1.8 0.1 - - 0.3 1.0

80 - 84 6,648 60.7 59.5 0.5 0.7 - - - 0.3 0.8

85 - 89 9,589 51.7 51.2 0.1 0.4 - - - 0.1 0.9

90 & over 10,264 35.1 34.8 0.1 0.2 - - - - 0.4

Average

Widow Widow Widow Youngest Youngest Youngest Youngest All All number

Age of age age under child child child child minor disabled of minor

employeea 62 & over 60-61 age 60 under 16 age 16-17 disabled under 16c children children childrend

Under 35 e e 32.8 33.0 e e 5.0 6.6 e 2.2

35 - 39 e e 37.5 37.0 e e 6.9 8.2 e 2.4

40 - 44 e e 41.8 41.2 e e 9.4 10.2 e 1.9

45 - 49 e e 46.2 43.9 45.4 e 10.9 11.5 e 1.7

50 - 54 64.2 e 50.6 46.8 50.8 e 11.2 11.9 e 1.4

55 - 59 65.2 60.9 54.5 50.3 53.2 55.4 12.5 13.2 25.7 1.4

60 - 64 64.8 60.9 56.2 50.9 50.3 56.3 12.6 12.9 30.7 1.3

65 - 69 66.4 61.0 55.7 49.2 52.1 e 12.0 11.9 35.2 1.4

70 - 74 69.8 61.0 55.0 51.6 e e 12.3 13.3 38.9 1.2

75 - 79 74.0 61.0 55.5 e e e e 13.1 43.7 1.0

80 - 84 78.5 61.1 56.2 e e e e 14.2 49.7 1.2

85 - 89 82.9 60.9 55.5 e e e e e 52.1 e

90 & over 87.2 e 53.9 e e e e e 57.0 e

a

 Age nearest birthday at time of death.

b

 Includes employees with 120 or more service months and employees with 60 or more service months after 1995.

c

 Includes families with widows under 60 and children under 16 only.

d

 Includes families with minor children only.

e

 Insufficient data.

Average ages of widows

Widow under 60 with

eligible child Average ages of children

Percent married

Widow under 60 with

eligible child Percent with

eligible child

92
Table S-46. Selected employment and benefita

 statistics for 2013 and 2016

Percentage

2013 2016 change

1. Membership (thousands of employees)

Average employment for the year 237 231 -2.5% 

Active census, Dec. 31 252 248 -1.6 

Retired, Dec. 31 272 268 -1.5 

 Nonretired employees with vested rightsb, total 223 218 -2.2 

Active census, Dec. 31 180 178 -1.1 

Inactive census, Dec. 31 43 40 -7.0 

 Employees in active census with

30 or more years of service 33 19 -42.4 

2. Number of beneficiaries (thousands), Dec. 31, totalc 536 524 -2.2 

Retired employees 272 268 -1.5 

Spouses 142 147 +3.5 

Survivors 130 117 -10.0 

3. Average monthly benefits paid, December

Retired employees $2,480.50 $2,649.18 +6.8 

Spouses 954.36 1,021.94 +7.1 

Survivors 1,398.52 1,513.35 +8.2 

4. Miscellaneous information

Tier 1 taxable payroll as a percentage of total payroll 95.2% 93.9%

Benefit payments in year as a percentage of tier 1 taxable payroll 65.3% 67.3%

Number of beneficiaries per 100 full-time employees 226 227

Percentage distribution of amount of monthly benefit payments in year

 Retired employees 68.0 68.5

 Spouses 13.3 14.1

 Survivors 18.7 17.4

a

 Includes tier 1, tier 2 and vested dual benefit payments. Excludes supplemental annuities.

b

 Employees with at least 10 years of total service, or 5 years of service after 1995.

c

 Individuals receiving more than one type of benefit (for example, an employee and a spouse benefit) are

 counted separately in each category but only once in total.

93