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 - Unemployment and Sickness Programs, Financial Statistics

Table 5 - Benefits and Beneficiaries

Average annuity amounts being paid,

March 2016 and March 2017

 Published by Public Affairs

 and the Bureau of the Actuary

June 28, 2017

Selected Current Statistics for January - March 2017

Employee

(age annuities

only)

Spouse Aged widow(er)

$2,649

$995

$1,597

$2,705

$1,014

$1,642

2016

2017

Employee Spouse Aged widow(er)

(awarded age annuity)
Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics 

January - March 2017

 Employee annuities

 Total1 Divorced

 Period Monthly Monthly Supple- Spouse spouse

 benefits beneficiaries Disability mental3 annuities annuities

Number in current-payment status at end of period

March 2017 650,008 518,416 190,234 45,316 29,677 122,386 141,187 4,982

February 2017 651,146 519,333 190,496 45,246 29,935 122,610 141,283 4,969

January 2017 651,013 519,207 190,312 45,149 30,155 122,626 141,110 4,975

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

March 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,705.19 $2,382.09 $2,688.28 $41.55 $1,013.95 $630.29

February 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,700.64 2,378.27 2,687.71 41.55 1,012.49 630.32

January 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,696.81 2,376.09 2,686.35 41.55 1,011.27 627.59

Number awarded during period

March 2017 2,806 2,423 733 . . . . . . . . 149 383 823 72

February 2017 3,198 2,742 910 . . . . . . . . 118 456 961 34

January 2017 3,318 2,677 964 . . . . . . . . 119 641 892 86

10/16 - 3/17 16,734 14,096 4,509 . . . . . . . . 733 2,638 4,998 340

10/15 - 3/16 17,364 14,296 4,792 . . . . . . . . 787 3,068 4,995 370

Average amount awarded during period4

March 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,031.00 . . . . . . . . $2,823.44 $41.00 $1,029.53 $642.97

February 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,035.02 . . . . . . . . 2,809.88 40.91 1,022.68 803.62

January 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,150.44 . . . . . . . . 2,907.71 39.98 1,074.00 756.67

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

March 2017 $1,040,538 . . . . . . . . $516,491 $107,315 $85,760 $5,106 $145,017 $3,306

February 2017 1,039,856 . . . . . . . . 516,671 107,020 85,941 5,116 144,618 3,205

January 2017 1,040,629 . . . . . . . . 516,789 106,840 86,561 5,129 144,395 3,285

10/16 - 3/17 6,225,242 . . . . . . . . 3,085,216 638,409 520,617 30,688 864,815 19,383

10/15 - 3/16 6,148,495 . . . . . . . . 3,020,441 606,905 560,609 30,801 839,200 17,973

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. Benefit payments also include hospital insurance benefits for services in 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 are receiving age and service annuities. Full 

retirement age is age 65 for those born before 1938 and gradually increases to age 67 for those born 1960 and later. 3Excludes partition payments to spouses and divorced spouses where the employee is deceased. 

Averages are after court-ordered partitions. 4Regular employee and spouse annuity averages are preliminary estimates. 5Data 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 consist of those certified for the first time 

on 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, plus retroactive and lump-sum 

payments made during the month, less returned checks (excluding those not yet distributed by Account), refunds of benefits paid previously, etc. Data are on a cash basis (unaudited) and are partly estimated.
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

Residual

payments

Partition

payments7

Number in current-payment status at end of period

March 2017 88,998 3,583 614 3,107 9,627 8,666 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,610

February 2017 89,355 3,603 603 3,127 9,650 8,656 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,592

January 2017 89,439 3,618 588 3,123 9,638 8,671 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,588

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

March 2017 $1,641.67 $1,316.15 $1,865.62 $1,061.70 $1,065.25 $1,078.23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $309.17

February 2017 1,637.34 1,312.91 1,872.37 1,057.73 1,062.00 1,075.03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308.01

January 2017 1,632.67 1,311.82 1,865.46 1,055.45 1,057.08 1,074.30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307.69

Number awarded during period

March 2017 507 11 10 8 68 41 277 ---- . . . . . . . .

February 2017 575 5 10 17 87 25 246 ---- . . . . . . . .

January 2017 511 6 6 11 53 29 194 1 . . . . . . . .

10/16 - 3/17 2,830 37 44 56 353 195 1,239 1 . . . . . . . .

10/15 - 3/16 2,628 51 48 65 357 202 1,405 2 . . . . . . . .

Average amount awarded during period4

March 2017 $2,054.22 $1,920.97 $1,829.65 $1,143.50 $1,079.15 $1,438.69 $929 ---- . . . . . . . .

February 2017 2,049.87 1,692.00 1,245.88 1,295.12 1,310.53 1,386.47 886 ---- . . . . . . . .

January 2017 2,094.05 1,825.60 1,459.45 1,174.00 1,067.64 1,444.98 905 $1,031 . . . . . . . .

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

March 2017 $146,843 $5,004 $1,233 $3,313 $10,397 $9,955 $265 ---- $505

February 2017 147,043 4,857 1,157 3,348 10,510 9,635 223 ---- 492

January 2017 147,316 4,842 1,278 3,321 10,370 9,817 184 $1 481

10/16 - 3/17 884,049 28,750 7,518 19,992 62,704 58,735 1,179 1 3,056

10/15 - 3/16 890,114 29,471 7,615 20,698 61,133 59,393 1,353 14 2,623

Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics

January - March 2017 -- 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. 7Limited to partition payments to 

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' annuities.

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 continued at spouse annuity rates, 

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 insurance lump sums exclude deferred 

benefits, 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

January - March 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item March

2017

February

2017

January

2017

October 2016 -

March 2017

October 2015 -

March 2016

RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period1 $689,979 $636,390 $440,814 $739,556 $877,301 

Income, total 696,252 642,062 785,465 3,566,726 3,206,907 

 Payroll taxes2 292,773 346,909 289,039 1,536,451 1,531,851 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106,000 210,000 258,000 

 Reimbursements for payment of SSA benefits 139,168 138,243 140,017 820,753 763,416 

 Transfers from National RR Investment Trust4 262,000 153,000 248,000 989,000 645,000 

 Transfer from SSEB Account4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments5 932 2,623 1,344 3,136 31 

 Uncashed check credits from U.S. Treasury6 35 47 20 160 144 

 Interest on investments7 1,344 1,240 1,046 7,226 8,466 

Outgo, total 589,281 588,473 589,889 3,509,331 3,390,896 

 Benefit payments 444,531 444,356 444,129 2,654,909 2,596,289 

 Payments of SSA benefits 138,544 138,512 139,554 818,038 760,640 

 Administrative expenses8 5,767 5,209 5,767 33,808 31,167 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 439 397 439 2,575 2,800 

Balance at end of period1 796,951 689,979 636,390 796,951 693,313 

Cash and investment balance at end of period9 $25,374,748 $25,399,276 $25,086,995 $25,374,748 $24,434,151 

DUAL BENEFITS PAYMENTS ACCOUNT10

Balance at beginning of period -$10,026 -$8,085 -$6,113 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Congressional apportionments11 -1,000 (12) . . . . . . . . -$1,000 $15,118 

 Income tax transfers3 1,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 . . . . . . . . 

 Vested dual benefit payments 2,107 1,940 1,972 12,133 14,270 

Balance at end of period -12,132 -10,026 -8,085 -12,132 848 

NATIONAL RAILROAD RETIREMENT INVESTMENT TRUST
Table 2: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Financial Statistics 

January - March 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

 Item March

2017

February

2017

January

2017

October 2016 -

March 2017

October 2015 -

March 2016

SOCIAL SECURITY EQUIVALENT BENEFIT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $801,155 $833,457 $733,550 $721,860 $880,840 

Income, total 576,189 563,575 696,998 3,632,252 3,492,771 

 Payroll taxes2 237,280 297,777 250,130 1,455,224 1,446,494 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73,000 143,000 152,000 

 Financial interchange advances13 337,716 264,426 372,598 2,026,703 1,884,717 

 RRB-SSA financial interchange transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Interest on investments7 1,194 1,373 1,270 7,324 9,560 

Outgo, total 596,465 595,876 597,092 3,573,232 3,552,146 

 Benefit payments 593,901 593,560 594,528 3,558,200 3,537,936 

 Repayment of financial interchange advances13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 RRB-CMS financial interchange transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Transfer to Railroad Retirement Account4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Administrative expenses8 2,381 2,150 2,381 13,956 13,018 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 183 166 183 1,076 1,192 

Balance at end of period 780,880 801,155 833,457 780,880 821,465 

1Balances include liabilities for uncashed checks. As of the end of March 2017 liabilities were $14,338,000. 2Net of U.S. Treasury adjustments for payroll tax refunds to certain carriers and 

their employees for prior periods. 3Amounts include U.S. Treasury adjustments for prior period income tax reconciliations. 4Under 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. 5Net of amounts distributed by account. 6Net of returns of uncashed check credits. Includes undistributed canceled checks under 1-year limited 

payability. 7Net of adjustments for payroll tax refunds (see note 2). 8Reflects adjustments for prior periods. 9Source: National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust. 10Total 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 

appropriation for fiscal year 2017 was $25.0 million, including income tax transfers. Funds for October through December 2015 and October 2016 through March 2017 were provided under a 

partial year continuing resolution. 11Includes a small amount of interest on uncashed checks. 12Less than $500. 13Includes interest.

NOTE.--Data relate to CALENDAR month.

SOURCE: Bureau of Fiscal Operations

Detail may not add to totals shown because of rounding.
Table 3: Unemployment and Sickness Programs, Benefit Statistics

January - March 2017

Normal benefit accounts Beneficiaries

Period

Applications

received Opened Exhausted Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Unemployment1

March 2017 635 631 332 4,205 3,702 605

February 2017 753 1,056 436 4,857 4,461 521

January 2017 1,441 1,028 1,238 5,637 5,606 343

7/16 - 3/17 13,004 10,588 2,428 11,713 11,636 876

7/15 - 3/16 18,106 13,340 2,014 14,383 14,305 781

Sickness

March 2017 1,257 1,120 460 5,088 4,208 1,152

February 2017 1,148 862 541 4,871 4,240 921

January 2017 1,174 960 1,123 5,381 5,336 486

7/16 - 3/17 16,231 12,813 2,455 13,432 13,295 1,793

7/15 - 3/16 16,002 12,518 2,210 13,182 13,067 1,584

Number of payments Averages2

Period Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Benefit

days

Benefit

per week3

Benefit

payments3,4

(thousands)

Unemployment1

March 2017 8,431 7,071 1,360 9.0 $332.30 $6,462

February 2017 8,451 7,496 955 8.8 331.75 5,492

January 2017 10,219 9,815 404 8.7 332.50 7,684

7/16 - 3/17 75,219 71,325 3,894 8.9 334.15 55,582

7/15 - 3/16 82,353 78,857 3,496 8.9 333.80 54,034

Sickness

March 2017 10,957 8,250 2,707 8.8 $333.80 $5,263

February 2017 8,957 7,203 1,754 8.7 334.00 4,901

January 2017 10,469 9,869 600 8.9 333.80 5,710

7/16 - 3/17 88,756 81,142 7,614 8.9 337.15 47,642

7/15 - 3/16 83,896 77,190 6,706 8.8 336.20 42,904

1 Temporary extended benefits under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 had to begin by December 31, 2009. Temporary extended benefits under the Worker, 

Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009, as amended, had to begin by December 31, 2013. Current activity primarily reflects recoveries. 2 Benefit days--average benefit days per registration period. Benefit per week--equal to 5 times average daily benefit. 3 In accordance with the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011, amounts reflect a reduction of 7.2% under sequestration 

for days of unemployment and sickness after September 30, 2013, 7.3% for days after September 30, 2014, 6.8% for days after September 30, 2015, and 6.9% for days after September 30, 

2016.

4 Data provided by the Bureau of Fiscal Operations.

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

NORMAL BENEFIT ACCOUNTS are opened when the first payment is made.

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 unemployment or 

sickness are counted only once in the total for each type.

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 periods 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 benefits are not paid until after a 14-day waiting period. Non-strikers unemployed due to an illegal strike must also serve a 14-day 

waiting period.

(Continued on next page.)
Table 4: Unemployment and Sickness Programs, Financial Statistics

January - March 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item March

2017

February

2017

January

2017

October 2016 -

March 2017

October 2015 -

March 2016

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $61,029 $69,124 $60,144 $69,019 $95,002 

Income, total 2,736 2,383 22,468 54,892 57,718 

 Contributions1 1,167 1,208 21,193 47,459 42,595 

 Interest on investments 359 64 19 840 1,489 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments2 1,210 1,111 1,256 6,593 259 

 Transfers from RUI Administration Fund3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,375 

Outgo, total 11,819 10,477 13,488 71,964 72,999 

 Unemployment benefit payments4 6,462 5,492 7,684 38,509 43,006 

 Sickness benefit payments4 5,263 4,901 5,710 32,909 29,402 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 93 84 93 547 590 

Balance at end of period 51,947 61,029 69,124 51,947 79,722 

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION FUND

Balance at beginning of period $20,042 $20,830 $14,958 $12,132 $13,858 

Income, total -991 381 7,166 13,211 13,948 

 Contributions1 -1,093 381 7,166 13,023 13,893 

 Interest on investments 102 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 54 

Outgo, total 1,294 1,169 1,294 7,585 20,785 

 Administrative expenses 1,294 1,169 1,294 7,585 7,410 

 Transfers to RUI Account3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,375 

Balance at end of period 17,758 20,042 20,830 17,758 7,020 

1 Amounts reflect quarterly re-allocation of contributions between the RUI Account and the RUI Administration Fund. 2 Net of distributed amounts. 

3 In accordance with Section 11(d) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, the RUI Administration Fund transfers the balance in excess of $6 million (on an accrual basis of 

accounting) at the end of the prior fiscal year to the RUI Account. The attributable interest is also transferred.

4 In accordance with the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011, amounts reflect a reduction of 7.2% under 

sequestration for days of unemployment and sickness after September 30, 2013, 7.3% for days after September 30, 2014, 6.8% for days after September 30, 2015, and 6.9% for days 

after September 30, 2016. 

NOTE.--(Continued from previous page.)

BENEFIT PAYMENTS are on a cash basis (unaudited) and represent amounts paid during the period including retroactive payments, less recoveries distributed to beneficiary

accounts, refunds, and cancellations of previous payments.

ADMINISTRATION FUND balances reflect current adjustments to income and disbursements for previous years.

All unemployment and sickness data relate to CALENDAR MONTHS.

Detail may not add to totals shown because of rounding.
Table 4: Unemployment and Sickness Programs, Financial Statistics

January - March 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

Item March

2017

February

2017

January

2017

October 2016 -

March 2017

October 2015 -

March 2016

Balance at beginning of period $9,448 $9,448 $9,448 $9,448 $9,434 

 Interest and other income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

 Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Balance at end of period 9,448 9,448 9,448 9,448 9,438 

Balance at beginning of period $132,929 $132,929 $132,929 $132,929 $132,725 

 Interest and other income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 

 Benefits4,7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -108 

Balance at end of period 132,929 132,929 132,929 132,929 132,869 

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT5

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WORKER, HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACT6

5 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed into law on February 17, 2009, contained an appropriation of $20,000,000 to provide up to 13 additional weeks of 

unemployment benefits for certain railroad workers who exhaust their rights to the benefits normally provided under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. Benefits had to begin 

by December 31, 2009.

6 Enacted on November 6, 2009, the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 contained an appropriation of $175,000,000 to extend the provisions of the 

Recovery Act by one year. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (enacted December 17, 2010), the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut 

Continuation Act of 2011 (enacted December 23, 2011), the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (enacted February 22, 2012), and the American Taxpayer Relief Act 

of 2012 (enacted January 2, 2013) each continued the special unemployment benefit provision for periods ranging from two months to one year, for a total extension of three years. 

Benefits had to begin by December 31, 2013.

7 Negative amounts due to recoveries exceeding benefit payments. Positive disbursements for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act include the write-off of bad debt.

Source: Bureau of Fiscal Operations

Detail may not add to totals shown because of rounding.
Table 5: Benefits and Beneficiaries -- March 2017 

RETIREMENT - SURVIVOR

Total benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1 $1,040,538,000

 Regular and Supplemental benefits 1,038,431,000

 Vested dual benefits 2,107,000

Number Average

Total benefits being paid at end of month 650,000 . . . . . . .

 Retired employees':

 Regular 265,000 $2,648

 Supplemental 122,000 42

 Spouses' and divorced spouses' 146,000 1,001

 Aged widows' and widowers' 89,000 1,642

 Other benefits 27,000 1,075

Total beneficiaries being paid at end of month 518,000 . . . . . . .

UNEMPLOYMENT-SICKNESS

Unemployment2 Sickness

Benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1,3 $6,462,000 $5,263,000

Beneficiaries 4,200 5,100

Average payment per week3 $332 $334

1 Data provided by the Bureau of Fiscal Operations. 2 Starting in June 2009, includes temporary extended unemployment benefits authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment

Act of 2009. Benefits had to begin by December 31, 2009. Beginning in November 2009, temporary extended unemployment benefits 

are also being paid under the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, as amended. Benefits had to begin by 

December 31, 2013.

3 In accordance with the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011,

amounts reflect a reduction of 7.2% under sequestration for days of unemployment and sickness after September 30, 2013, 7.3% for 

days after September 30, 2014, 6.8% for days after September 30, 2015, and 6.9% for days after September 30, 2016.