Benefit payments1 December 2018

Total

Retirement and Survivor Retired employees

Benefits, Including Spouses and divorced spouses

Supplemental Annuites Widow(er)s - aged and disabled

Other benefits

Number Average2 Number Average2

Total, regular annuities 520,700 ......... 1,800 ......... .........

Regular employee annuities, total 261,700 $2,816 700 $3,182 .........

 Awarded age annuity 189,600 2,886 3 400 3 3,966 4 $1,969

 Disability converted to age annuity5 47,700 2,539 ......... ......... .........

 Disability 24,400 2,810 100 2,453

Spouses and divorced spouses 148,100 1,058 600 1,149

Widow(er)s--aged and disabled 87,500 1,729 400 2,262

Widowed mothers and fathers 600 1,925 6/ 1,427

Widow(er)s--remarried and divorced 12,700 1,150 100 1,170

Children 8,200 1,147 6/ 1,270

Other benefits 1,900 321 ......... ......... .........

Employee supplemental annuities8 119,900 42 300 41 .........

1

Data provided by Bureau of Fiscal Operations.

2

Railroad retirement benefits shown are net of reduction for social security benefit entitlement.

3

For employees retiring directly from the railroad industry with full age annuity (their years of service averaged 35); some 200

 other age annuities were awarded in the month. 

4

For men full retirement age or over. 

5

A 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 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.

6

Fewer than 50.

7

Remarried and divorced widow(er)s included with aged and disabled widow(er)s and widowed mothers and fathers.

8

Excludes partition payments to spouses and divorced spouses where the employee is deceased. Number

 and averages are for employee annuitants only and reflect court-ordered partitions. 

Note. --Data are on a cash basis (unaudited) and are partly estimated. Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

Regular retirement and survivor benefit payments total includes hospital insurance benefits for services in Canada.

(Over)

.........

.........

Being Paid

744 763

1,346 1,310

1,234 1,384

 Awarded

.........

.........

$1,461

.........

1,007 1,001

7/ 7/

885 898

25,950,000 25,596,000

Average under

Being paid

end of month

Awarded in

month

Social Security

$1,063,971,000 $1,044,700,000

731,266,000 717,073,000

Benefits and Beneficiaries Under the Railroad Retirement

and Unemployment Insurance Systems - December 2018

December 2017

155,225,000 150,236,000

151,530,000 151,795,000

Monthly benefits December 2018
 Unemployment 2,400 $359 

 Sickness 4,500 358 

 Unemployment3

 Sickness

1

 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 6.8% under sequestration for days of unemployment and sickness after 

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

 days after September 30, 2018.

2

 Data provided by the Bureau of Fiscal Operations.

3

 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. Current activity reflects recoveries.

Note. --Data are on a cash basis (unaudited). Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

Average payment1

Benefits and Beneficiaries Under the Railroad Retirement 

and Unemployment Insurance Systems - (Continued)

December 2018

Unemployment and Sickness Benefits

December 2018 December 2017

Total $6,290,000 

 4,559,000

 $9,928,000

418,000 5,368,000

5,871,000 

 Per

 full week

$662 

Benefit payments1, 2

651

Number of beneficiaries

during month

Per 2-week

registration period

Published by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board

Bureau of the Actuary and Research