(More)

For Publication

 July 2023

Applying for a Railroad Retirement Annuity

Railroad employees considering retirement should familiarize themselves with the Railroad 

Retirement Board’s (RRB) annuity application process. Being prepared can prevent needless delays and 

ensure that railroad retirement annuity payments begin as soon as possible after retirement.

The following questions and answers describe the annuity application process for railroad employees

and their spouses or survivors and provide information related to that process, including the documents

applicants need when filing for an annuity.

1. How are railroad retirement annuity applications filed?

Applicants may file in person at any RRB field office or with a traveling RRB representative at a

customer outreach program service location. They can also file by telephone and mail. Applicants filing 

by telephone receive the same information and instructions provided to those filing in person; forms 

requiring signatures and other documents are then handled by mail.

Persons can find the address of the RRB office serving their area by clicking on the Field Office 

Locator tab at RRB.gov or by calling the agency’s toll-free number, 1-877-772-5772. RRB field offices 

currently offer in-person service by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 1-877-772-5772.

2. Can an application be filed prior to a person’s actual retirement date?

Yes. The RRB accepts annuity applications up to 3 months in advance of an annuity beginning date, 

which allows the agency to complete the processing of most new claims by a person’s retirement date. 

If an employee files a disability application, he or she can be in compensated service provided that 

the compensated service is not active service and terminates within 90 days from the filing date. In 

addition to active railroad service performed by an employee for an employer, compensated service may

include pay for time lost, wage continuation payments, certain employee protection payments and any 

other payment for which the employee will receive additional creditable service. When an employee 

does file a disability application while in compensated service, it will be necessary to provide a specific 

ending date of the compensation. 

To expedite the filing process, applicants should schedule a pre-retirement consultation with an RRB

claims representative. During a consultation, which can be conducted in person or by telephone, claims 

representatives provide a variety of services. They confirm an applicant’s eligibility, detail the 

documents required when filing for an annuity, explain annuitant rights and responsibilities, answer 

Railroad Retirement Information

844 North Rush Street Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275

U.S. Railroad Retireme nt Board 

RRB.gov

877-772-5772 general 

information

Public Affairs

312-751-4777 

 
- 2 -

(More)

retirement-related questions, and compute annuity estimates. Online annuity estimates (employee and 

spouse only) are available for individuals who have a myRRB account at RRB.gov. Employees can

create a myRRB account by visiting RRB.gov/myRRB and clicking on the button labeled Sign in with

login.gov. 

3. What documents are required to file an application?

• All applicants must furnish proof of their age.

• All applicants should be prepared to furnish the notice of any social security benefit award or 

other social security claim determination.

• All applicants must provide the banking information needed for enrollment in direct deposit.

• An employee may be required to submit information regarding any other Federal, State or local 

government pension for which he or she also qualifies, as well as certain other payments not 

covered by railroad retirement or social security, such as from a non-profit organization or from 

a foreign government or a foreign employer.

• An employee or survivor filing for a disability annuity is required to submit supporting medical 

information from his or her treating physician, as well as any reports or records from recent 

hospitalizations. He or she may also be asked to go for one or more specialized medical 

examinations given by a doctor named by the RRB. If an employee disability applicant is 

receiving workers’ compensation or public disability benefits, notice of the amount and 

beginning date of such payments must be submitted.

• An employee will have to furnish proof of any military service claimed.

• A spouse, divorced spouse or widow(er) applying for a railroad retirement annuity must furnish 

proof of marriage to the employee. A divorced spouse must furnish proof of a final divorce from 

the employee, as well as proof that any subsequent marriages have terminated.

• A spouse, divorced spouse or survivor also qualified to receive a pension from a Federal, State or 

local government must submit information regarding that pension.

A booklet, “Furnishing Evidence to Support Your Claim” (Form RB-3), giving detailed information 

as to the types of proofs that are required when filing for an annuity, as well as sources from which these 

documents can be obtained, is available at RRB.gov at www.rrb.gov/Benefits/RB-3.

4. Can proofs be filed in advance of retirement?

Yes. Railroad employees are encouraged to file proofs of their correct birthdate and military service 

well in advance of retirement to expedite the annuity application process and avoid delays resulting from 

inadequate proofs. If employees do not have an official record of their birth or military service, RRB 

field office staff can explain how to get acceptable evidence. 

All evidence brought or mailed to an RRB office will be handled carefully to protect applicant 

privacy and returned promptly after being recorded and stored electronically for future use.
- 3 -

(More)

5. What is the retroactivity of a railroad retirement annuity application?

The retroactivity of a railroad retirement annuity application is limited to 1 year for disability 

annuities and 6 months for full retirement age annuities. There is generally no retroactivity for reduced 

age annuities.

Retroactivity of a survivor annuity application is 1 year for disabled widow(er)s and 6 months for 

full retirement age widow(er)s, mothers (fathers), children and parents. Retroactivity for widow(er)s 

ages 60-61 is 6 months if it does not increase the age reduction (this does not apply to surviving 

divorced spouses or remarried widow(er)s). Otherwise, there is generally no retroactivity for reduced 

age widow(er)s’ annuities.

6. Are railroad employees who are retiring required to relinquish their rights to their 

railroad jobs?

It is important to remember that no railroad retirement annuity is payable for any month in which a 

retired or disabled employee annuitant, a spouse annuitant or a survivor annuitant works for an employer 

covered under the Railroad Retirement Act, including labor organizations. Such work includes service 

for more than $24.99 in a calendar month to a local lodge or division of a railway labor organization. 

Also, work by a local lodge or division secretary collecting insurance premiums, regardless of the 

amount of salary, is railroad work which must be stopped. 

An employee annuity based on age cannot be paid until the employee stops railroad employment 

and gives up any rights to return to work for a railroad employer. 

While an employee annuity based on disability also cannot be paid until an employee has stopped 

working for a railroad, employment rights do not have to be relinquished until the employee attains full 

retirement age. However, for an RRB supplemental annuity to be paid, or for an eligible spouse to begin 

receiving annuity payments, a disabled annuitant under full retirement age must relinquish employment 

rights. 

While railroad retirement annuitants may work in nonrailroad employment, their annuities may be 

reduced if they are under full retirement age and their post-retirement earnings exceed annual exempt

amounts. In addition, if an employee or spouse annuitant works for his or her last pre-retirement 

nonrailroad employer, annuity reductions are also applied - regardless of the annuitant’s age or the level 

of earnings. They apply even if earnings do not exceed the annual exempt amounts.

Special restrictions also apply to any earnings by disabled employees.

7. How soon after filing can an applicant expect payment?

Under the RRB’s Customer Service Plan, if an applicant filed for a railroad retirement employee or 

spouse annuity in advance of the beginning date of the annuity, the RRB is expected to make a decision 

within 35 days of the beginning date of the annuity. If an applicant did not file in advance, the RRB is 

expected to make a decision within 60 days of the date the application was filed. 
- 4 -

(More)

If an applicant filed for a railroad retirement survivor annuity and was not already receiving benefits 

as a spouse, the RRB will make a decision to pay, deny, or transfer the application to the Social Security 

Administration (SSA) within 60 days of the beginning date of the annuity or the date the application was 

filed (whichever is later). If an applicant is already receiving a spouse annuity, the RRB will make a 

decision to pay, deny, or transfer the application for a survivor annuity to SSA within 30 days of the first 

notice of the employee’s death. If an applicant filed for a lump-sum death benefit, the RRB will make a 

decision to pay or deny the application within 60 days of the date the application was filed.

After the RRB has made its decision, applicants should receive a notice of award or denial within 2 

weeks. If entitled to benefits, it is generally expected that the payment will be deposited in an 

individual’s bank account within 1 week of the RRB’s decision.

Processing disability applications is more complex than for other benefits because of the need to 

develop medical evidence. Under the Customer Service Plan, if an applicant filed for a railroad 

retirement disability annuity, the RRB is expected to make a decision within 100 days of the date the

application was filed. 

If an applicant is entitled to disability benefits, the individual’s first payment will be received within 

25 days of the date of the RRB’s decision, or the earliest payment date, whichever is later.

Of course, claims for some benefits may take longer to handle than others if they are more complex, 

or if information from other people or organizations is needed. In these cases, the RRB will provide an 

explanation and an estimate of the additional time required to make a decision.

8. How are railroad retirement payments made?

The most common form of electronic payment for railroad retirement, social security and veterans 

benefits is through direct deposit, in which the amount is automatically transferred to an individual’s 

checking or savings account. Persons without bank accounts can enroll in the Department of the 

Treasury’s Direct Express® program, which electronically transfers Federal payments to an individual’s 

Direct Express®-issued Debit MasterCard®. While Federal agencies can still grant waivers from 

electronic payment, they can do so only in very limited cases.

9. What happens if a railroad employee does not have the minimum railroad service needed

to meet the eligibility requirements for a railroad retirement annuity?

If a railroad employee does not have the minimum railroad service needed to meet the eligibility 

requirements for a railroad retirement annuity, his or her railroad retirement credits are treated as social 

security credits by SSA. Benefits paid by that agency would accordingly consider both railroad and 

social security covered earnings.

It is important to note that the Railroad Retirement Act does not allow a former railroad employee to 

withdraw his or her retirement taxes. Like social security taxes, railroad retirement taxes are not 

refundable unless retirement tax withholding has exceeded annual maximums.
- 5 -

(More)

10. How can individuals find more information about filing for railroad retirement 

annuities?

More information is available by visiting RRB.gov, clicking on FAQ, and then selecting

Retirement, or by calling an RRB office toll-free at 1-877-772-5772. Persons can find the address of the 

RRB office serving their area by clicking the Field Office Locator tab at RRB.gov or by calling the 

agency’s toll-free number. As stated earlier, RRB field offices currently offer in-person service by 

appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 1-877-772-5772. Individuals should bring a photo ID 

when visiting a field office.

# # #