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 2012 and June 2017

 Published by Public Affairs

 and the Bureau of the Actuary and Research

October 27, 2017

Selected Current Statistics for April - June 2017

Employee

(age annuities

only)

Spouse (married) Aged widow(er)

$2,349

$887

$1,416

$2,717

$1,018

$1,654

2012

2017

Employee Spouse Aged widow(er)

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

April - June 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

June 2017 648,086 516,992 189,808 45,659 28,935 121,852 141,181 4,991

May 2017 648,858 517,627 189,990 45,545 29,204 121,997 141,282 4,990

April 2017 649,139 517,712 190,112 45,405 29,438 122,233 141,146 4,992

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

June 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,717.36 $2,391.96 $2,688.21 $41.54 $1,017.76 $632.91

May 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,711.35 2,388.94 2,688.06 41.54 1,016.17 630.82

April 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,708.40 2,385.37 2,688.09 41.54 1,015.33 631.25

Number awarded during period

June 2017 2,543 2,178 683 . . . . . . . . 117 365 733 58

May 2017 2,395 2,139 584 . . . . . . . . 160 256 755 55

April 2017 2,629 2,294 701 . . . . . . . . 113 335 822 58

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

10/15 - 6/16 25,494 21,246 6,934 . . . . . . . . 1,235 4,248 7,422 568

Average amount awarded during period4

June 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,149.12 . . . . . . . . $2,822.76 $40.77 $1,087.52 $673.37

May 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,064.10 . . . . . . . . 2,795.69 41.09 1,055.28 669.17

April 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,065.45 . . . . . . . . 2,714.53 40.10 1,069.69 614.00

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

June 2017 $1,037,218 . . . . . . . . $519,151 $108,661 $80,602 $5,073 $144,247 $3,169

May 2017 1,039,862 . . . . . . . . 516,336 108,058 85,126 5,085 144,797 3,264

April 2017 1,038,673 . . . . . . . . 517,004 107,710 83,921 5,097 144,601 3,233

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

10/15 - 6/16 9,246,929 . . . . . . . . 4,548,345 915,335 838,672 46,187 1,262,156 27,061

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 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

June 2017 88,451 3,551 633 3,054 9,691 8,605 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,654

May 2017 88,564 3,562 622 3,070 9,678 8,696 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,636

April 2017 88,666 3,554 618 3,079 9,592 8,663 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,620

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

June 2017 $1,653.63 $1,321.24 $1,868.34 $1,065.17 $1,071.68 $1,078.91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $312.00

May 2017 1,649.77 1,317.62 1,863.14 1,064.14 1,069.97 1,082.18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310.58

April 2017 1,646.09 1,317.95 1,872.07 1,062.37 1,068.53 1,080.42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309.33

Number awarded during period

June 2017 457 10 8 8 69 35 249 ---- . . . . . . . .

May 2017 452 8 7 9 73 36 252 ---- . . . . . . . .

April 2017 474 5 7 10 72 31 180 ---- . . . . . . . .

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

10/15 - 6/16 4,029 84 69 88 535 281 2,138 2 . . . . . . . .

Average amount awarded during period4

June 2017 $2,078.60 $1,825.32 $1,111.92 $950.74 $1,236.23 $1,202.47 $933 ---- . . . . . . . .

May 2017 2,086.01 1,745.81 1,243 824.89 1,201.89 1,410.78 931 ---- . . . . . . . .

April 2017 2,025.03 1,670.66 2,172.25 1,351.10 1,131.56 1,496.66 934 ---- . . . . . . . .

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

June 2017 $146,016 $4,794 $1,204 $3,260 $10,419 $9,834 $243 ---- $523

May 2017 146,597 4,866 1,211 3,277 10,454 10,015 214 ---- 542

April 2017 146,733 4,815 1,231 3,321 10,443 9,868 172 ---- 499

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

10/15 - 6/16 1,334,930 44,543 11,299 30,870 92,043 89,239 2,052 14 3,965

Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics

April - June 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

April - June 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item June

2017

May

2017

April

2017

October 2016 -

June 2017

October 2015 -

June 2016

RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period1 $621,631 $717,770 $796,951 $739,556 $877,301 

Income, total 833,315 490,509 508,199 5,398,749 4,794,139 

 Payroll taxes2 264,442 293,562 261,204 2,355,659 2,298,502 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106,000 316,000 360,000 

 Reimbursements for payment of SSA benefits 139,809 139,450 138,728 1,238,741 1,151,324 

 Transfers from National RR Investment Trust4 433,000 56,000 . . . . . . . . 1,478,000 971,000 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments5 -5,540 -13 659 -1,758 56 

 Uncashed check credits from U.S. Treasury6 28 25 17 231 247 

 Interest on investments7 1,575 1,485 1,590 11,876 13,010 

Outgo, total 676,074 586,648 587,380 5,359,433 5,112,805 

 Benefit payments 440,729 443,881 442,988 3,982,507 3,908,901 

 Payments of SSA benefits 140,255 139,789 138,826 1,236,908 1,150,508 

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

 Administrative expenses8 4,566 2,509 5,169 46,052 49,491 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 525 469 397 3,966 3,904 

Balance at end of period1 778,872 621,631 717,770 778,872 558,636 

Cash and investment balance at end of period9 $25,703,828 $26,018,303 $25,667,814 $25,703,828 $24,437,781 

DUAL BENEFITS PAYMENTS ACCOUNT10

Balance at beginning of period $1,261 -$14,001 -$12,132 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Congressional apportionments11 2,003 17,122 -1,000 $17,126 $21,172 

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

 Vested dual benefit payments 1,825 1,860 1,869 17,687 20,957 

Balance at end of period 1,439 1,261 -14,001 1,439 1,215 

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

April - June 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

 Item June

2017

May

2017

April

2017

October 2016 -

June 2017

October 2015 -

June 2016

SOCIAL SECURITY EQUIVALENT BENEFIT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $770,516 $812,661 $780,880 $721,860 $880,840 

Income, total 5,123,820 553,145 627,896 9,937,113 9,849,846 

 Payroll taxes2 221,001 246,123 218,174 2,140,522 2,083,562 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73,000 216,000 223,000 

 Financial interchange advances12 378,967 305,676 335,285 3,046,632 2,866,678 

 RRB-SSA financial interchange transfer 4,522,486 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,522,486 4,662,650 

 Interest on investments7 1,366 1,345 1,437 11,473 13,956 

Outgo, total 5,198,075 595,291 596,115 9,962,712 9,936,208 

 Benefit payments 594,664 594,121 593,816 5,340,802 5,317,071 

 Repayment of financial interchange advances12 4,054,505 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,054,505 3,940,091 

 RRB-CMS financial interchange transfer 637,383 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637,383 656,811 

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

 Administrative expenses8 1,312 982 2,134 18,383 20,582 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 210 188 166 1,639 1,653 

Balance at end of period 696,261 770,516 812,661 696,261 794,478 

1Balances include liabilities for uncashed checks. As of the end of June 2017, liabilities were $14,408,000. 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. In June 2017, the RR Account transferred $90.0 million to the SSEB Account to pay current benefits. 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. The appropriation for fiscal year 2016 was $29.0 million, including income tax transfers. Funds October 2016 through April 2017 were provided under a partial year continuing 

resolution. 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 2017

Normal benefit accounts Beneficiaries

Period

Applications

received Opened Exhausted Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Unemployment1

June 2017 2,627 526 230 2,456 2,195 347

May 2017 655 423 218 2,660 2,289 441

April 2017 530 389 235 3,115 2,564 629

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

7/15 - 6/16 24,082 15,365 3,259 16,420 16,345 997

Sickness

June 2017 1,543 956 284 4,348 3,791 731

May 2017 1,258 843 302 4,477 3,725 931

April 2017 1,021 788 312 4,638 3,634 1,187

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

7/15 - 6/16 19,791 15,282 3,147 15,963 15,853 2,117

Number of payments Averages2

Period Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Benefit

days

Benefit

per week3

Benefit

payments3, 4

(thousands)

Unemployment1

June 2017 4,548 3,880 668 8.7 $332.70 ($8,058)

May 2017 4,805 3,997 808 8.7 331.90 2,402

April 2017 5,398 4,288 1,110 8.8 333.55 3,934

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

7/15 - 6/16 112,312 106,448 5,864 8.8 334.40 71,655

Sickness

June 2017 8,786 7,202 1,584 8.8 $333.30 $4,196

May 2017 8,617 6,769 1,848 8.7 333.80 4,125

April 2017 8,264 6,013 2,251 8.7 333.55 3,860

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

7/15 - 6/16 109,739 98,132 11,607 8.8 337.45 54,511

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 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 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item June

2017

May

2017

April

2017

October 2016 -

June 2017

October 2015 -

June 2016

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $64,218 $66,038 $51,947 $69,019 $95,002 

Income, total 2,878 4,826 22,114 84,711 81,856 

 Contributions1 245 4,796 21,190 73,691 66,481 

 Interest on investments 559 37 30 1,466 2,093 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments2 -10,284 -7 894 -2,803 -93 

 Transfers from RUI Administration Fund3 12,357 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,357 13,375 

Outgo, total -3,755 6,645 8,023 82,878 102,515 

 Unemployment benefit payments4, 5 -8,056 2,426 4,079 36,957 60,681 

 Sickness benefit payments4 4,196 4,125 3,860 45,091 41,009 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 105 94 84 830 825 

Balance at end of period 70,851 64,218 66,038 70,851 74,343 

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION FUND

Balance at beginning of period $22,667 $21,928 $17,758 $12,132 $13,858 

Income, total 76 1,248 5,330 19,865 20,557 

 Contributions1 168 1,248 5,330 19,768 20,449 

 Interest on investments3 -91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 108 

Outgo, total 12,980 509 1,160 22,234 24,896 

 Administrative expenses 622 509 1,160 9,876 11,522 

 Transfers to RUI Account3 12,357 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,357 13,375 

Balance at end of period 9,763 22,667 21,928 9,763 9,518 

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, $12,357,000 was transferred from the RUI Administration Fund to the RUI Account in June 2017. 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 2016. The attributable interest of 

$191,000 was also transferred in June 2017.

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.

5 The negative amount for June is attributable to an accounting adjustment

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.
Table 4: Unemployment and Sickness Programs, Financial Statistics

April - June 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

Item June

2017

May

2017

April

2017

October 2016 -

June 2017

October 2015 -

June 2016

Balance at beginning of period $9,469 $9,463 $9,448 $9,448 $9,434 

 Interest and other income (7) 2 1 4 9 

 Benefits -1 -4 -13 -18 -5 

Balance at end of period 9,470 9,469 9,463 9,470 9,448 

Balance at beginning of period $133,105 $133,084 $132,929 $132,929 $132,725 

 Interest and other income 2 2 23 27 50 

 Benefits4, 9 -2 -20 -131 -153 -154 

Balance at end of period 133,109 133,105 133,084 133,109 132,929 

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT 6

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

6 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.

7 Less than $500. 

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.

9 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 -- June 2017 

RETIREMENT - SURVIVOR

Total benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1 $1,037,218,000

 Regular and Supplemental benefits 1,035,393,000

 Vested dual benefits 1,825,000

Number Average

Total benefits being paid at end of month 648,000 . . . . . . .

 Retired employees':

 Regular 264,000 $2,658

 Supplemental 122,000 42

 Spouses' and divorced spouses' 146,000 1,005

 Aged widows' and widowers' 88,000 1,654

 Other benefits 27,000 1,078

Total beneficiaries being paid at end of month 517,000 . . . . . . .

UNEMPLOYMENT-SICKNESS

Unemployment2 Sickness

Benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1,3 -$8,056,000 $4,196,000

Beneficiaries 2,500 4,300

Average payment per week3 $333 $333

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.