Employee Guide To Railroad ReƟrement Benefits 

If employee or spouse born in*

1957 

1958 

1959 

1960 or later 

Full Retirement Age is 

66 and 6 months 

66 and 8 months 

 66 and 10 months 

67 

(Over) 

U.S. Railroad ReƟrement Board Office of the Labor Member 

Retirement, disability, and survivor benefits paid by the

Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) are known as

annuities. Annuities are made up of one or more 

components called tiers. Tier I is based on a 

combination of your railroad retirement credits and any

social security credits you have acquired. It is computed 

using social security formulas, but with railroad 

retirement age and service requirements. Tier II is 

based on your railroad retirement credits only, and is

computed under a separate formula. (*IB-2 pages 42-46)

You must meet certain age and service requirements in 

order for the benefits outlined here to be payable. The 

RRB maintains a record of all your covered railroad 

service and creditable earnings and sends you a 

statement (Form BA-6) summarizing this information 

each year. Under certain conditions, military service

may be credited the same way as your railroad service 

in order to provide benefit eligibility. (IB-2 pages 1-4)

While a current connection with the rail industry

(generally meaning you worked for a railroad in at least 

12 of the 30 consecutive months before the month in 

which your annuity begins) is required for certain 

benefits to be payable by the RRB, it is not required in 

order to receive age and service or total disability

annuities. (IB-2 pages 7-8)

If you believe you are eligible for benefits, you must 

file an application with an RRB field office. Certain 

proofs are required, such as proof of your age and any 

military service, and proof of marriage and your 

spouse’s age if they are also filing for benefits.

(IB-2 pages 31-34)

When ReƟrement Benefits Are Payable 

 If you have at least 360 months of creditable

railroad service, you can retire the first full month you

are age 60. No age reduction will be applied to your

benefits.

 If you have 120-359 months of creditable railroad

service, or at least 60 months of creditable railroad

service after 1995, you can retire the first full month

you are age 62. However, if you retire before attaining

your Full Retirement Age, your tier I and tier II will

have an age reduction. Also, if you have less than 120 

months of service, tier I is only payable if you have a 

social security insured status (at least 40 quarters of 

coverage based on combined railroad and social 

security earnings). (IB-2 pages 1-2, 4-5, 43-44, 45)

*Additional information can be found on these pages of our 

Railroad Retirement and Survivor Benefits (Form IB-2)

publication. 

When Disability Benefits Are Payable 

If you are disabled for work in your regular railroad 

occupation, and you have a current connection with the 

railroad industry, you are eligible for an occupational 

disability annuity at: 

 Any age, if you have at least 240 months of

creditable railroad service; or,

 Age 60, if you have 120-239 months of creditable

railroad service. 

If you have a disability that prevents any type of work, 

you are eligible for a total disability annuity at: 

 Any age, if you have at least 120 months of

creditable railroad service; or,

 Any age, if you have 60-119 months of creditable

service after 1995. Tier I is payable on the beginning

date of your annuity. An age reduced tier II is payable

the first full month you are age 62.

A 5-month waiting period beginning with the month 

after the month of the onset of disability is required 

before any disability payments can begin.

(IB-2 pages 1-2, 5-6)

Determining Full ReƟrement Age 

Full Retirement Age is the age at which an employee with 

less than 30 years of railroad service, or their spouse, can 

receive a full annuity (not reduced for early retirement). 

*A person attains a given age the day before their birthday,

and those born on the first or second day of a month are

eligible for an annuity beginning date on the first of that

month.
Determining Full ReƟrement Age for 

Widow(er)s 

If widow(er) born in*

1957 

1958 

1959 

1960 

1961 

1962 or later 

Full Retirement Age is 

66 and 2 months 

66 and 4 months 

66 and 6 months 

66 and 8 months 

 66 and 10 months 

67 

When Spouse Benefits Are Payable 

Requirements for a spouse annuity based on age 

depend on your years of creditable railroad service, 

your age, and your spouse’s age. You and your spouse 

need to have been married for at least one year, you 

must be receiving an annuity, and your spouse must file 

an application for benefits. 

 If you retired at age 60 or later with at least 360

months of creditable railroad service, your spouse’s

annuity can begin the first full month they are age 60.

No age reduction will be applied to your spouse’s

benefit.

 If you retired on disability with at least 360 months

of creditable railroad service, and you have attained age

60, your spouse’s annuity can begin the first full month

they are age 60. No age reduction will be applied to

your spouse’s benefit.

 If you retired with 120-359 months of creditable

railroad service, and you are at least age 62, your

spouse’s annuity can begin the first full month they are

62. If your spouse retires before attaining Full

Retirement Age (see chart on other side), tier I and tier

II will have an age reduction.

 If you retired with 60-119 months of creditable

railroad service, and you are at least age 62, your

spouse’s annuity can begin the first full month they are

62. If your spouse retires before attaining Full

Retirement Age, tier I and tier II will have an age

reduction. Also, tier I is only payable to your spouse if

you had a social security insured status (at least 40

quarters of coverage based on combined railroad and

social security earnings).

Note that your spouse is eligible for an annuity at any 

age if they are caring for your unmarried child, and the 

child is under age 18, or is an unmarried disabled child 

of any age who became totally disabled before age 22. 

(IB-2 pages 9-10, 31-33, 47-50)

When Divorced Spouse Benefits Are Payable 

An annuity may also be payable to your divorced 

spouse if your marriage lasted for a period of at least 10 

years immediately before the date your divorce became 

final, you have both attained age 62 for a full month, 

and your former spouse is not currently married. 

Benefits are payable to your divorced spouse even if 

you are not receiving your own annuity, provided you 

have been divorced at least 2 years, you and your 

former spouse are at least age 62, and you have a social 

security insured status (at least 40 quarters of coverage 

based on combined railroad and social security 

earnings). (IB-2 pages 10-11, 49) 

When Survivor Benefits Are Payable 

You must have at least 120 months of creditable 

railroad service (or at least 60 months after 1995), and 

a current connection with the railroad industry as of the 

month your retirement annuity began or the month of 

your death, whichever occurs first, in order for benefits

to be payable by the RRB to your survivors. Otherwise, 

jurisdiction of any survivor benefits payable is 

transferred to the Social Security Administration. 

Annuities are payable to widow(er)s at age 60, and to

widow(er)s totally disabled and unable to work in 

any regular employment at ages 50-59. Age

reductions are applied to annuities awarded before Full 

Retirement Age. Benefits are awarded at any age if the 

widow(er) is caring for your unmarried child, and the 

child is under age 18, or is an unmarried disabled child 

of any age who became totally disabled before age 22. 

Survivor benefits may also be payable to a surviving 

divorced spouse or remarried widow(er), an unmarried 

child under age 18 (or age 18 and attending school 

full-time), or an unmarried disabled child.

(IB-2 pages 21-30, 34-35, 50-54)

For More InformaƟon 

The material presented here is issued for the purpose of 

general information. Certain limitations, exceptions, 

and special cases are not covered. Publications 

covering benefits and other related topics are available 

online at RRB.gov under the Benefits tab of the main 

menu. For additional information and assistance, 

please contact your local RRB field office by calling us 

toll-free at 1-877-772-5772. You can also find the 

address of the RRB office serving your area by calling 

this toll-free number, or by visiting RRB.gov and 

clicking on Field Office Locator. (IB-2 page 55)

*A person attains a given age the day before their

birthday, and a widow(er) born on the first day of a month

may be eligible for an annuity beginning date on the first

of the month before their birth month.

Form G-508, February 2024