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,

June 2013 and June 2018

 Published by Public Affairs

 and the Bureau of the Actuary and Research

September 17, 2018

Selected Current Statistics for April - June 2018

Employee

(age annuities

only)

Spouse (married) Aged widow(er)

$2,436

$920

$1,467

$2,806

$1,047

$1,709

2013

2018

Employee Spouse Aged widow(er)

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

April - June 2018

 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

June 2018 641,753 512,045 189,262 47,012 25,795 120,409 141,993 5,126

May 2018 642,360 512,529 189,425 46,903 26,045 120,522 141,981 5,100

April 2018 643,372 513,244 189,660 46,823 26,285 120,802 142,024 5,095

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

June 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,806.40 $2,466.63 $2,744.27 $41.53 $1,047.03 $652.77

May 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,800.87 2,463.93 2,743.02 41.53 1,045.51 651.62

April 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,798.46 2,460.53 2,744.95 41.53 1,044.35 651.34

Number awarded during period

June 2018 2,542 2,196 644 . . . . . . . . 134 346 740 77

May 2018 2,189 1,953 515 . . . . . . . . 130 236 717 45

April 2018 2,346 2,107 591 . . . . . . . . 129 239 736 51

10/17 - 6/18 23,297 20,325 6,238 . . . . . . . . 1,180 2,972 7,100 567

10/16 - 6/17 24,301 20,707 6,477 . . . . . . . . 1,123 3,594 7,308 511

Average amount awarded during period4

June 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,108.72 . . . . . . . . $3,018.79 $39.73 $1,069.35 $660.88

May 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,968.30 . . . . . . . . 2,665.53 39.94 1,134.76 760.39

April 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,057.09 . . . . . . . . 2,753.30 40.72 1,069.98 771.03

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

June 2018 $1,065,155 . . . . . . . . $535,376 $115,332 $76,764 $5,017 $151,441 $3,577

May 2018 1,058,777 . . . . . . . . 531,846 114,961 76,872 5,020 149,755 3,418

April 2018 1,061,086 . . . . . . . . 532,503 114,686 78,536 5,034 149,463 3,454

10/17 - 6/18 9,503,674 . . . . . . . . 4,764,767 1,020,032 707,252 45,473 1,339,623 30,868

10/16 - 6/17 9,340,995 . . . . . . . . 4,637,707 962,838 770,266 45,943 1,298,460 29,049

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 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 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. 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

June 2018 85,297 3,440 592 2,936 9,690 8,339 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,841

May 2018 85,452 3,454 600 2,952 9,672 8,414 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,819

April 2018 85,748 3,460 599 2,966 9,678 8,403 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,808

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

June 2018 $1,709.10 $1,360.11 $1,875.72 $1,108.52 $1,113.31 $1,109.22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $316.90

May 2018 1,704.64 1,358.49 1,876.02 1,105.39 1,111.33 1,110.83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316.76

April 2018 1,700.55 1,358.20 1,874.07 1,104.98 1,109.47 1,109.91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316.95

Number awarded during period

June 2018 465 12 8 9 70 37 193 ---- . . . . . . . .

May 2018 429 5 7 7 60 38 248 ---- . . . . . . . .

April 2018 489 6 5 7 63 30 234 ---- . . . . . . . .

10/17 - 6/18 4,144 71 68 90 577 288 1,884 1 . . . . . . . .

10/16 - 6/17 4,213 60 66 83 567 297 1,920 1 . . . . . . . .

Average amount awarded during period4

June 2018 $2,184.17 $1,351.44 $1,576.95 $922.33 $1,308.78 $1,436.19 $925 ---- . . . . . . . .

May 2018 2,213.13 1,730.14 1,419 1,030.86 1,211.49 1,333.35 925 ---- . . . . . . . .

April 2018 2,171.57 1,385.87 1,136.19 1,543.71 1,287.85 1,060.72 934 ---- . . . . . . . .

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

June 2018 $146,497 $4,992 $1,180 $3,286 $10,982 $9,915 $185 ---- $590

May 2018 146,043 4,801 1,167 3,282 10,840 9,906 240 ---- 607

April 2018 146,376 4,823 1,168 3,308 10,901 9,998 225 ---- 590

10/17 - 6/18 1,318,451 44,295 10,815 29,758 96,973 88,164 1,803 $4 5,206

10/16 - 6/17 1,323,395 43,225 11,164 29,850 94,020 88,452 1,808 1 4,620

Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics

April - June 2018 -- 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

April - June 2018 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item June

2018

May

2018

April

2018

October 2017 -

June 2018

October 2016 -

June 2017

RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period1 $615,985 $723,011 $729,446 $446,656 $739,556 

Income, total 610,954 509,485 607,499 5,621,243 5,398,749 

 Payroll taxes2 275,276 291,990 283,106 2,514,438 2,355,659 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92,000 311,000 316,000 

 Reimbursements for payment of SSA benefits 152,374 151,984 151,199 1,320,182 1,238,741 

 Transfers from National RR Investment Trust4 182,000 64,000 80,000 1,464,000 1,478,000 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments5 14 7 -431 -47 -1,758 

 Uncashed check credits from U.S. Treasury6 17 20 15 231 231 

 Interest on investments7 1,274 1,484 1,610 11,439 11,876 

Outgo, total 614,344 616,511 613,934 5,455,303 5,359,433 

 Benefit payments 455,906 454,598 455,303 4,075,068 3,982,507 

 Payments of SSA benefits 150,074 152,401 151,860 1,317,582 1,236,908 

 Transfer to SSEB Account4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,000 

 Administrative expenses8 7,779 8,927 6,171 57,462 46,052 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 585 585 600 5,191 3,966 

Balance at end of period1 612,595 615,985 723,011 612,595 778,872 

Cash and investment balance at end of period9 $26,208,881 $26,536,333 $26,438,146 $26,208,881 $25,703,828 

DUAL BENEFITS PAYMENTS ACCOUNT10

Balance at beginning of period $1,230 $1,188 -$10,446 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Congressional apportionments11 1,765 1,785 13,270 $15,820 $17,126 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 2,000 

 Vested dual benefit payments 1,581 1,743 1,636 15,407 17,687 

Balance at end of period 1,414 1,230 1,188 1,414 1,439 

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

April - June 2018 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

 Item June

2018

May

2018

April

2018

October 2017 -

June 2018

October 2016 -

June 2017

SOCIAL SECURITY EQUIVALENT BENEFIT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $1,052,027 $1,100,800 $1,069,838 $917,572 $721,860 

Income, total 5,547,435 556,992 636,616 10,507,161 9,937,113 

 Payroll taxes2 229,866 244,070 234,271 2,240,238 2,140,522 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62,000 210,000 216,000 

 Financial interchange advances12 373,159 310,880 338,264 3,097,802 3,046,632 

 RRB-SSA financial interchange transfer 4,942,425 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,942,425 4,522,486 

 Interest on investments7 1,985 2,043 2,081 16,696 11,473 

Outgo, total 5,401,455 605,765 605,654 10,226,725 9,962,712 

 Benefit payments 607,668 602,436 604,147 5,413,200 5,340,802 

 Repayment of financial interchange advances12 4,194,311 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,194,311 4,054,505 

 RRB-CMS financial interchange transfer 596,547 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596,547 637,383 

 Transfer to Railroad Retirement Account4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -90,000 

 Administrative expenses8 2,717 3,118 1,307 20,676 18,383 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 211 211 200 1,991 1,639 

Balance at end of period 1,198,008 1,052,027 1,100,800 1,198,008 696,261 

1Balances include liabilities for uncashed checks. As of the end of June 2018, liabilities were $14,712,000. 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 2018 was $22.0 million, including income tax transfers. The appropriation for fiscal year 2017 was $25.0 million, including income tax transfers. Funds 

October 2017 through April 2018 were provided under a partial year continuing resolution. Final appropriation for fiscal year 2018 was signed into law on March 23, 2018. 11Includes a small 

amount of interest on uncashed checks. 12Includes 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

April - June 2018

Normal benefit accounts Beneficiaries

Period

Applications

received Opened Exhausted Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Unemployment1

June 2018 1,885 385 164 1,834 1,588 308

May 2018 566 345 177 2,015 1,699 385

April 2018 458 367 204 2,563 2,060 579

7/17 - 6/18 12,517 8,509 2,081 9,317 9,227 1,094

7/16 - 6/17 16,816 11,926 3,111 13,194 13,118 1,124

Sickness

June 2018 1,271 6,388 273 4,002 3,427 729

May 2018 1,155 847 303 4,350 3,559 949

April 2018 1,031 817 378 4,758 3,652 1,325

7/17 - 6/18 19,628 20,640 3,507 15,689 15,529 2,533

7/16 - 6/17 20,053 15,400 3,353 16,052 15,919 2,356

Number of payments Averages2

Period Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Benefit

days

Benefit

per week3

Benefit

payments3, 4

(thousands)

Unemployment1

June 2018 3,436 2,863 573 8.8 $334.25 $2,174

May 2018 3,833 3,106 727 8.8 335.30 1,988

April 2018 4,655 3,583 1,072 8.7 334.65 3,088

7/17 - 6/18 62,989 56,631 6,358 9.0 334.40 40,880

7/16 - 6/17 89,970 83,490 6,480 8.9 334.70 53,859

Sickness

June 2018 7,903 6,388 1,515 8.8 $335.50 $3,951

May 2018 8,262 6,426 1,836 8.7 334.35 2,670

April 2018 9,208 6,506 2,702 8.7 333.85 4,286

7/17 - 6/18 114,956 100,475 14,481 8.8 338.25 56,174

7/16 - 6/17 114,423 101,126 13,297 8.8 338.15 59,824

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 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, and 6.6% for days payable after September 30, 2017.

4 Data provided by the Bureau of Fiscal of 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

April - June 2018 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item June

2018

May

2018

April

2018

October 2017 -

June 2018

October 2016 -

June 2017

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $98,970 $91,924 $73,194 $73,610 $69,019 

Income, total 638 11,844 26,221 94,428 84,711 

 Contributions1 22 686 26,346 81,920 73,691 

 Interest on investments 526 196 32 1,930 1,466 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments2 91 -246 -157 -630 -2,803 

 Transfers from RUI Administration Fund3 . . . . . . . . 11,208 . . . . . . . . 11,208 12,357 

Outgo, total 6,268 4,798 7,491 74,699 82,878 

 Unemployment benefit payments4 2,188 1,998 3,105 31,202 36,957 

 Sickness benefit payments4 3,951 2,670 4,286 42,455 45,091 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 129 129 100 1,043 830 

Balance at end of period 93,340 98,970 91,924 93,340 70,851 

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION FUND

Balance at beginning of period $6,976 $20,100 $15,944 $11,483 $12,132 

Income, total 62 38 6,377 17,955 19,865 

 Contributions1 10 185 6,377 17,844 19,768 

 Interest on investments3 51 -147 . . . . . . . . 112 97 

Outgo, total 1,703 13,162 2,222 24,104 22,234 

 Administrative expenses 1,703 1,954 2,222 12,896 9,876 

 Transfers to RUI Account3 . . . . . . . . 11,208 . . . . . . . . 11,208 12,357 

Balance at end of period 5,334 6,976 20,100 5,334 9,763 

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, $11,208,000 was transferred from the RUI Administration Fund to the RUI Account in May 2018. The 

transfer represents the amount in the RUI Administration Fund in excess of $6 million (on an accrual basis of accounting) at the end of fiscal year 2017. The attributable interest of 

$147,000 was also transferred in May 2018.

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, 6.9% for days after 

September 30, 2016, and 6.6% for days after September 30, 2017.

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

April - June 2018 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

Item June

2018

May

2018

April

2018

October 2017 -

June 2018

October 2016 -

June 2017

Balance at beginning of period $9,491 $9,488 $9,487 $9,477 $9,448 

 Interest and other income 2 1 (6) 5 4 

 Benefits7 -4 -2 -1 -15 -18 

Balance at end of period 9,497 9,491 9,488 9,497 9,470 

Balance at beginning of period $133,275 $133,264 $133,243 $133,167 $132,929 

 Interest and other income 3 2 5 25 27 

 Benefits4, 7 -10 -8 -16 -96 -153 

Balance at end of period 133,287 133,275 133,264 133,287 133,109 

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT 5

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WORKER, HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACT 8

5 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), 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 Less than $500.

7 Current activity reflects recoveries. 

8 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.

Source: Bureau of Fiscal Operations

Detail may not add to totals shown because of rounding.
Table 5: Benefits and Beneficiaries -- June 2018 

RETIREMENT - SURVIVOR

Total benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1 $1,065,155,000

 Regular and Supplemental benefits 1,063,574,000

 Vested dual benefits 1,581,000

Number Average

Total benefits being paid at end of month 642,000 . . . . . . .

 Retired employees':

 Regular 262,000 $2,739

 Supplemental 120,000 42

 Spouses' and divorced spouses' 147,000 1,033

 Aged widows' and widowers' 85,000 1,709

 Other benefits 27,000 1,105

Total beneficiaries being paid at end of month 512,000 . . . . . . .

UNEMPLOYMENT-SICKNESS

Unemployment2 Sickness

Benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1,3 $3,938,000 $3,951,000

Beneficiaries 2,000 4,000

Average payment per week3 $334 $336

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 6.8% under sequestration for days of unemployment and sickness after September 30, 2015, 6.9% for 

days after September 30, 2016, and 6.6% for days after September 30, 2017.