Quarterly Benefit Statistics

U.S. Railroad Retirement Board

844 North Rush Street

Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275

www.rrb.gov

Railroad Retirement and 

Unemployment Insurance Programs

List of Tables: Table 1 - Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics

Table 2 - Retirement and Survivor Programs, Financial Statistics

Table 3 - Unemployment and Sickness Programs, Benefit Statistics

Table 4 - Benefits and Beneficiaries

Average annuity amounts being paid,

June 2015 and June 2020

 Published by Public Affairs

 and the Bureau of the Actuary and Research

February 2, 2021

Selected Current Statistics for April - June 2020

Employee

(age annuities

only)

Spouse (married) Aged widow(er)

$2,611

$983

$1,566

$2,974

$1,098

$1,826

2015

2020

Employee Spouse Aged widow(er)

(age annuities only)
Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics 

April - June 2020

 Employee annuities

 Total1 

 Period Monthly Monthly Supple- 

 benefits beneficiaries Disability mental3 

Number in current-payment status at end of periodJune 2020 624,852 500,437 186,479 49,120 20,605 115,116 May 2020 625,945 501,247 186,688 49,068 20,782 115,402 April 2020 626,944 501,888 186,978 48,950 20,943 115,748 Average amount in current-payment status at end of periodJune 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,973.75 $2,617.74 $2,868.71 $41.50 May 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,968.46 2,615.34 2,867.87 41.50 April 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,966.39 2,613.60 2,868.17 41.50 Number awarded during periodJune 2020 2,028 1,859 530 . . . . . . . . 164 169 May 2020 1,830 1,718 448 . . . . . . . . 155 112 April 2020 2,020 1,909 506 . . . . . . . . 158 111 10/19 - 6/20 19,119 17,509 5,020 . . . . . . . . 1,211 1,610 10/18 - 6/19 21,513 19,097 5,605 . . . . . . . . 1,277 2,416 Average amount awarded during period4

June 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,336.62 . . . . . . . . $2,923.34 $40.35 May 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,182.63 . . . . . . . . 2,836.06 41.21 April 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,010.68 . . . . . . . . 2,964.00 41.68 Benefit payments during period (thousands)5June 2020 $1,098,182 . . . . . . . . $557,961 $128,076 $67,271 $4,790 May 2020 1,094,831 . . . . . . . . 555,268 127,645 67,532 4,803 April 2020 1,096,165 . . . . . . . . 555,911 127,537 67,650 4,818 10/19 - 6/20 9,829,038 . . . . . . . . 4,986,594 1,137,177 610,972 43,609 10/18 - 6/19 9,712,675 . . . . . . . . 4,901,210 1,082,143 670,000 44,686 

Age

Awarded age 

annuity

Disability 

converted to 

age annuity2

1Includes dependent parents' annuities. Except for benefit payment data, excludes insurance lump-sum and residual payment figures. Total benefit payments also include hospital 

Canada. 2A disability annuity ends when the retiree attains full retirement age, at which time the annuity converts to an age and service annuity. Consequently, these annuitants a

Full retirement age gradually increases, from age 65 to 67, for those born between 1937 and 1960. It is age 67 for those born after 1959 and age 65 for those born before 1938. 3E

and divorced spouses where the employee is deceased. Averages are after court-ordered partitions. 4Regular employee and spouse annuity averages are preliminary estimates. 

the Monthly Treasury Statement. Prior to July 2019, data was provided by the Bureau of Fiscal Operations. NOTE.--MONTHLY BENEFITS in CURRENT-PAYMENT STATUS at the end of month include all benefits awarded to date and payable for the month. BENEFITS AWARDED cons

either a partial or final basis. BENEFIT PAYMENTS for a month, shown in both the benefit and financial statistics, consist of recurrent monthly checks dated the first of the month, p

payments made during the month, less returned checks (excluding those not yet distributed by Account), refunds of benefits paid previously, etc. 
Annuities

Period

Aged

widows and

widowers

Disabled

widows and

widowers6

Widowed

mothers and

fathers

Remarried

widows and

widowers

Divorced

widows and

widowers Children

Insurance

lump sums

Number in current-payment status at end of periodJune 2020 79,956 3,186 557 2,622 9,749 7,812 . . . . . . . . May 2020 80,218 3,205 546 2,642 9,744 7,884 . . . . . . . . April 2020 80,380 3,209 537 2,653 9,715 7,871 . . . . . . . . 

Average amount in current-payment status at end of periodJune 2020 $1,825.59 $1,431.90 $1,969.58 $1,186.29 $1,199.11 $1,190.94 . . . . . . . . May 2020 1,820.56 1,430.35 1,963.92 1,182.95 1,196.76 1,193.54 . . . . . . . . 

April 2020 1,815.82 1,429.49 1,953.68 1,180.95 1,196.01 1,191.76 . . . . . . . . 

Number awarded during periodJune 2020 429 6 10 3 46 39 133 May 2020 453 3 7 1 42 26 137 

April 2020 441 9 4 9 60 35 149 

10/19 - 6/20 3,886 59 66 58 490 272 1,414 10/18 - 6/19 3,843 71 70 81 556 296 1,642 Average amount awarded during period4

June 2020 $2,369.08 $1,641.28 $1,755.62 $1,678.70 $1,319.00 $1,571.32 $964 May 2020 2,339.09 1,667.13 2,216.54 2,425.00 1,289.79 1,638.64 935 April 2020 2,379.73 1,396.72 1,383.02 1,428.00 1,380.36 1,575.47 949 

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

June 2020 $146,861 $4,778 $1,138 $3,124 $11,791 $9,989 $133 May 2020 146,840 4,669 1,136 3,126 11,723 9,956 134 April 2020 146,699 4,813 1,054 3,158 11,771 10,024 149 

10/19 - 6/20 1,320,347 43,268 10,225 28,506 104,973 89,771 1,359 10/18 - 6/19 1,317,701 43,436 10,929 29,344 101,582 88,429 1,598 

Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics

April - June 2020 -- Continued

Survivor benefits

6Number and average in current-payment status, and benefit payments during period, includes annuities to disabled widow(er)s age 60 and over now payable as aged widow(er)s' annuities

spouses and divorced spouses where the employee is deceased or not otherwise entitled to an annuity. Partition payments from employees on the rolls are included with the employees' a

NOTE.--(Continued from previous page.)FOR WIDOWS and WIDOWERS aged 60 and over and WIDOWED MOTHERS and FATHERS, the number of benefits being paid and benefit payments include benefits temporarily being pending award of survivor annuities.INSURANCE LUMP SUMS and RESIDUAL PAYMENTS are each counted only once with respect to an employee's death even though divided among 2 or more persons. Award data for ibenefits, i.e., those payable a year after the employee's death.Data on benefit payments are for CALENDAR MONTHS; all other data are for ACCOUNTING MONTHS ending on approximately the 29th of each month.
Table 2: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Financial Statistics

April - June 2020 (In thousands)

Cash Basis

Item June

2020

May

2020

April

2020

October 2019 -

June 2020

October 2018 -

June 2019

SOCIAL SECURITY EQUIVALENT BENEFIT ACCOUNT

Income

 Payroll taxes1 $166,266 $151,819 $174,280 $1,829,551 $2,160,944 

 Income tax transfers2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72,000 211,000 194,000 

 Financial interchange advances3 489,002 395,587 389,480 3,428,176 3,172,743 

 RRB-SSA financial interchange transfer 4,987,747 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,987,747 4,946,429 

 Interest on investments4 1,536 1,707 1,757 -13,490 18,734 

Outgo

 Benefit payments $627,589 $627,338 $628,693 $5,629,780 $5,540,862 

 Repayment of financial interchange advances3 4,458,194 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,458,194 4,202,365 

 RRB-CMS financial interchange transfer 606,449 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 606,449 570,285 

 Transfer to Railroad Retirement Account5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Administrative expenses6 1,909 1,909 2,452 21,252 24,510 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 185 185 185 1,833 2,148 

RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

Income

 Payroll taxes1 $208,535 $196,571 $228,132 $2,113,738 $2,439,668 

 Income tax transfers2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101,000 302,000 370,000 

 Reimbursements for payment of SSA benefits 166,305 166,088 166,632 1,481,486 1,415,505 

 Transfers from National RR Investment Trust5 250,000 69,000 160,000 1,569,000 1,337,000 

 Transfer from SSEB Account5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Interest on investments4 907 1,386 1,292 -21,409 11,159 

Outgo

 Benefit payments $469,475 $466,352 $466,314 $4,188,535 $4,158,693 

 Payments of SSA benefits 166,152 166,109 166,348 1,480,560 1,413,858 

 Administrative expenses6 5,751 5,751 7,388 63,964 63,181 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 558 558 558 5,530 5,397 

Cash and investment balance at end of 

period7 $23,717,491 $23,427,797 $22,889,578 $23,717,491 $25,603,676 

DUAL BENEFITS PAYMENTS ACCOUNT 8

Vested dual benefit payments $1,118 $1,141 $1,158 $10,723 $13,119 

NATIONAL RAILROAD RETIREMENT INVESTMENT TRUST

1Net of U.S. Treasury adjustments for payroll tax refunds to certain carriers and their employees for prior periods. 2Amounts include U.S. Treasury adjustments for prior period 

income tax reconciliations. 3Includes interest. 4Net of adjustments for payroll tax refunds (see note 1). 5Under the Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2001, as 

amended, the portion of the RR Account not needed to pay current administrative expenses is to be transferred to the National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (Trust). The 

Trust may transfer funds back to the RR Account for payment of benefits. The balance of the SSEB Account not needed to pay current benefits and administrative expenses is to be 

transferred to the Trust or to the RR Account. 6Prior to fiscal year 2019, reflects adjustments for prior periods. 7Source: National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust. 8Total 

vested dual benefits paid during a fiscal year are limited to the amount appropriated to the Dual Benefits Payments Account for that year. Any amounts not spent are returned to the 

U.S. Treasury. The benefit appropriation, including income tax transfers, for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 was $19.0 and $16.0 million, respectively. 

NOTE.--This Table has been revised to only include information from the Monthly Treasury Statements and other resources within the Railroad Retirement Board's 

Bureau of the Actuary and Research.
Table 3: Unemployment and Sickness Programs, Benefit Statistics

April - June 2020

Normal benefit accounts Beneficiaries

Period

Applications

received Opened Exhausted Total

Normal

benefits

Unemployment1

June 2020 15,987 4,970 536 14,472 14,137 May 2020 7,200 4,628 478 12,082 11,660 April 2020 5,940 1,421 442 6,879 6,317 7/19 - 6/20 43,886 21,735 3,408 23,061 22,974 7/18 - 6/19 12,215 7,031 1,744 7,865 7,767 

Sickness

June 2020 1,453 890 297 4,550 3,974 May 2020 1,643 921 317 4,718 4,019 April 2020 2,019 855 337 4,817 3,830 7/19 - 6/20 19,798 14,118 3,334 15,375 15,242 7/18 - 6/19 17,927 13,765 2,994 14,351 14,201 

Number of payments Averages1

Period Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Benefit

days

Benefit

per week2

Unemployment

June 2020 31,227 30,183 1,044 9.1 $368.55 May 2020 22,444 21,495 949 8.5 371.45 April 2020 10,553 9,297 1,256 8.6 364.65 7/19 - 6/20 137,415 130,387 7,028 8.9 366.70 7/18 - 6/19 52,326 46,483 5,843 9.0 358.20 

Sickness

June 2020 8,537 7,031 1,506 8.6 $363.20 May 2020 8,509 6,815 1,694 8.5 363.95 April 2020 8,944 6,615 2,329 8.6 364.70 7/19 - 6/20 108,430 95,219 13,211 8.8 368.75 7/18 - 6/19 102,104 89,509 12,595 8.8 362.15 

NORMAL BENEFIT ACCOUNTS are opened when the first payment is made.PAYMENTS generally cover 14-day registration periods. Benefits are payable for days over 7 during an employee's first 14-day registration period. -- Sickness benefits are paid for days of sickness after the 4th consecutive day of sickness in the first claim in each period of continuing sickness; for subsequent registration  in the same period of continuing sickness, payments are made for all days of sickness over 4 whether or not consecutive. -- Unemployment benefits are paid for days of unemployment over 4. However, in the case of unemployment benefits due to a legal authorized strike, unemployment benefit until after a 14-day waiting period. Non-strikers unemployed due to an illegal strike must also serve a 14-day waiting period.

1 Benefit days--average benefit days per registration period. Benefit per week--equal to 5 times average daily benefit.2 In accordance with the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, amounts reflect a reduction of 6.8% under sequestration for days of unem

 and sickness after September 30, 2015, 6.9% for days after September 30, 2016, 6.6% for days after September 30, 2017, 6.2% for days after September 30, 2018, and 5.9

 after September 30, 2019. 3 Prior to July 2019, unemployment and sickness benefit payments were based on net amounts. Beginning in July 2019, that data is no longer available. Benefit payments for 

 have been adjusted to reflect gross amounts.

GENERAL NOTES .--An unemployment claimant files only one APPLICATION for a benefit year. A sickness claimant files an APPLICATION at the beginning of each period 

sickness.The number of BENEFICIARIES is the count of persons receiving unemployment or sickness benefits in the period. Those receiving both normal and extended benefits for unsickness are counted only once in the total for each type.

NOTE . --Beginning in May 2020, RUIA claimants have also been paid under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020. 

- In May 2020, $4,100,000 in Special Extended Unemployment Benefits were paid to 1,900 beneficiaries, in addition to $31,900,000 in Enhanced Benefits paid to 12,600 bene

- In June 2020, $3,600,000 in Special Extended Unemployment Benefits were paid to 1,900 beneficiaries, in addition to $45,500,000 in Enhanced Benefits paid to 16,100 bene
Table 4: Benefits and Beneficiaries -- June 2020 

RETIREMENT - SURVIVOR

Total benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1 $1,098,182,000

 Regular and Supplemental benefits 1,097,064,000

 Vested dual benefits 1,118,000

Number Average

Total benefits being paid at end of month 625,000 . . . . . . .

 Retired employees':

 Regular 256,000 $2,897

 Supplemental 115,000 42

 Spouses' and divorced spouses' 147,000 1,084

 Aged widows' and widowers' 80,000 1,826

 Other benefits 26,000 1,167

Total beneficiaries being paid at end of month 500,000 . . . . . . .

UNEMPLOYMENT - SICKNESS

Unemployment Sickness

Gross benefit payments1,2 $20,600,000 $6,200,000

Beneficiaries 14,500 4,600

Average payment per week2 $369 $363

1 Prior to July 2019, unemployment and sickness benefit payments were based on net amounts. Beginning in July 2019, that data is no 

longer available. Benefit payments now reflect gross amounts.

2 In accordance with the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, amounts reflect a reduction of 6.6% 

under sequestration for days of unemployment and sickness after September 30, 2017, 6.2% for days after September 30, 2018, and 

5.9% for days after September 30, 2019.

-- Note: Beginning in May 2020, RUIA claimants have also been paid under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 

2020. In June 2020, the gross amount paid is $49.1 million.