For Use With All Applications

Furnishing Evidence

to Support

Your Claim

United States of America

Railroad Retirement Board

Visit our Website at www.rrb.gov

Form RB-3 (03-19)
CONTENTS 

 

 Page

Part 1 - General Information 1

Part 2 - Proof of Age 1

Part 3 - Proof of Relationship 2

Part 4 - Proof of Marriage 3

Part 5 - Proof of Divorce 4

Part 6 - Proof of Military Service 4

Part 7 - Proof of Death 5

Part 8 - Proof of Payment of Burial Expenses 6

Part 9 - Proof of Appointment as Legal Representative 6

Part 10 - Proof of Citizenship and Residence 6
Every applicant for railroad retirement benefits or 

Medicare must submit some type of documentary 

evidence or proof to support a claim for benefits. 

The purpose of this booklet is to describe the 

types of acceptable evidence and to assist you in 

obtaining these records if they are not already in your 

possession. If, after following these guidelines, you 

are unable to obtain the necessary evidence, contact 

the nearest field office of the RRB for assistance. 

Evidence submitted in support of an applicant’s claim 

should be:

an original document, or

 a copy of a public record certified by the 

 custodian of the record.

Note that photocopied, faxed, or e-mailed documents 

are not acceptable; neither are documents that have 

been altered in any way.

Most documents brought into the field office will be 

copied for our records and returned to you right away. 

If an original document is received in the mail, it will 

be carefully preserved by the RRB and returned to you 

after we have made a copy.

Advance Filing of Proofs

Railroad employees are encouraged to file, in advance 

of retirement, proof of their age and military service, 

and if they are married, proof of their marriage 

and their spouse’s age. The information is then 

recorded and stored electronically until retirement. 

Advance filing speeds the application process and 

helps avoid any delay in processing that could occur 

due to inadequate proofs.

Proof of age is required of almost every applicant for 

railroad retirement monthly benefits or Medicare 

coverage. Various types of acceptable proofs of age 

and places to secure them are listed in this chapter. 

Always try to secure one of the documents listed in 

“Best Proofs of Age.” If none of these documents 

can be obtained, then you should submit a document 

listed under “Other Proofs of Age.”

Older records are generally considered the best 

records. Try to secure evidence made at or near the 

time of your birth. If you have problems securing 

proof of your age, contact the nearest field office of 

the RRB. The people there will be glad to assist you. 

If the document submitted is not sufficient, additional 

evidence may be required. If so, the field office will 

contact you.

Any document to be used for proof of age must 

show the person’s name, age or date of birth, 

and preferably, the date on which the record was 

established. Any document submitted as proof of 

age or date of birth must be based on a record that 

was established more than 5 years before the date 

on which you filed an application for an annuity or 

Medicare coverage with the Railroad Retirement 

Board. Proof of age for a child who is less than 5 

years old should be based on a record made shortly 

after birth.

Best Proofs of Age Where to Secure 

(Recorded before 5 years of age)

If you do not have one of these records in your 

possession, try to obtain one. Churches usually do 

not destroy their records, and if there was a record of 

your date of birth made when you were an infant or 

a child, it is probably still on file at the church. Even 

if the church building itself is no longer in existence, 

the records may be available at a diocesan, state, or 

regional office of the denomination.

Our field offices have a complete list of addresses and 

fees for public birth records in the United States and 

in many foreign countries. Call or write the field office 

to find out where to write and how much to send to 

obtain your birth record.

If you are unable to obtain a record listed under 

“Best Proofs of Age,” use the “Remarks” section 

on the application to explain what attempts were 

made to secure the record. If you do not have the 

application, use a plain sheet of paper.

Part I

General Information

Civil record of birth

Church record of birth or 

baptism

Notification of 

registration of birth

Hospital birth record or 

certificate 

Bureau of Vital 

Statistics in State 

capital of State of birth

Church where baptized 

or confirmed

County or City Health 

Department of county or 

city of birth

Hospital where born

Part 2

Proof of Age

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Try to obtain a record made early in life; old records are 

generally the best records. If you have more than one of 

the documents described on page 2, submit them all.

Other Proofs of Age Where to Secure

Other records may be submitted if age is shown. 

Examples of these records are marriage records and 

birth records of a child if the age of the parent is shown. 

Proof of relationship must be given by each person 

applying for benefits as the child, parent, brother, 

sister or grandchild of the former railroad employee. 

If the document used to prove the age of the person 

also shows his/her relationship to the employee, 

separate proof of relationship is not needed.

For example, if a child’s proof of age shows the 

employee as his/her parent, a separate proof of 

relationship is not necessary.

A wife or husband may qualify for benefits if he/she 

has the employee’s child in care. The term “child in 

care” means the railroad employee’s dependent and 

unmarried natural child, adopted child, or stepchild, 

or under certain conditions a grandchild whose 

parents are deceased or disabled.

If you are filing as the parent of a former railroad 

employee, you must submit evidence that you are 

the employee’s natural parent, adoptive parent or 

stepparent. This evidence would be a birth record for 

the employee from the list given below which shows 

that you are named as the employee’s parent. If the 

employee was legally adopted, refer to the section 

marked “Adoption” in this chapter.

Best Evidence of 

Relationship Where to Secure

Physician’s or midwife’s 

birth record

Bible or other family 

record

Naturalization record

Military record 

Immigration record

Census age record

Draft registration record

Indian tribal record

Passport

School record

Vaccination record

Insurance record

Labor union or fraternal 

record

Employer’s record

Doctor or midwife 

attending birth

Member of the family. Do 

not mail a Bible. If this 

record is being used, the 

entire bible must be 

brought into the field office.

Nearest district office of 

the U.S. Immigration and 

Naturalization Service

See Chapter 6 of this booklet.

Nearest district office of 

the U.S. Immigration and 

Naturalization Service

Field office of the RRB 

will assist you.

Field office of the RRB 

will assist you.

Tribal council 

headquarters or 

National Archives, 

Washington, D.C. 20203

If in your possession, 

bring to the district 

office of the RRB

School attended. 

Department of Public 

Instruction, 

Superintendent of Schools, 

or similar agency if the 

school has been closed

City or County Health 

Department

Insurance company 

issuing policy

Secretary of local labor, 

fraternal or auxiliary lodge

Railroad or express 

company where employed

Certified copy of the 

civil birth record of 

the person filing for 

benefits (showing the 

parents’ names)

Certified copy of the 

religious birth record 

of the person filing for 

benefits (showing the 

parents’ names)

Any evidence listed in 

Chapter 2 if it shows 

relationship

Bureau of Vital 

Statistics in State capital 

of State of birth

Church where baptized 

or confirmed

Part 3

Proof of Relationship

2
In the following cases, it may be necessary to submit 

more than one document to prove the relationship to 

the employee.

A grandchild must show who his/her parents 

are and prove that his/her parent is related to 

the employee.

A brother or sister of the employee must furnish 

his/her birth record and the employee’s, showing 

that they both have the same parents.

A stepchild must show he/she is the child of the 

person married to the employee. See Chapter 4 for 

establishing proof of marriage.

A stepparent must show that the person he/she is 

married to is the employee’s parent. See Chapter 4 for 

establishing proof of marriage.

Adoption

When the relationship involves a legally adopted 

child or the parent of a legally adopted child, submit a 

certified copy of the decree or order of adoption. If the 

record of adoption cannot be obtained, submit one of 

the following documents:

The official notice received by the adopting parents 

stating that the adoption has been completed; or

A birth certificate issued as a result of the adoption 

proceeding.

If you are unable to furnish any of the documents 

described above or if the adoption proceedings have 

been completed, contact the nearest field office of 

the RRB. The people there will be glad to assist 

you.

If you are filing for monthly railroad retirement 

benefits or Medicare as the wife, husband, divorced 

wife or husband, widow, widower, remarried widow 

or widower, or surviving divorced wife or husband of a 

former railroad employee, you must furnish evidence 

of your marriage to the employee. If you are claiming 

benefits as a remarried widow or widower, you may 

have to furnish proof of your remarriage. A person 

filing as a divorced spouse or surviving divorced 

spouse must submit proof that the marriage to the 

employee lasted at least ten consecutive years before 

the date of the final divorce decree.

Best Proofs of a 

Ceremonial Marriage Where to Secure

NOTE: A marriage license is not an acceptable 

proof of marriage. If none of the proofs listed above 

can be found or if no marriage ceremony took place, 

contact the nearest field office of the RRB. The 

people there will be glad to assist you.

Proof of Termination of a Remarriage

If you are claiming benefits as the divorced spouse 

and have remarried since your divorce from the 

employee, you must furnish proof that the later 

marriage or marriages have terminated.

If you are claiming benefits as the remarried widow/

widower, or surviving divorced spouse, you must 

furnish proof that the later marriage or marriages 

have terminated, unless you remarried after 

attainment of age 60 or after attainment of age 

50 if previously eligible for a disabled widow(er)’s 

or surviving divorced spouses annuity before the 

marriage occurred.

Refer to Chapter 5 for a discussion of acceptable 

proofs of divorce or annulment and Chapter 7 for a 

discussion of acceptable proofs of death.

Part 4

Proof of Marriage

The original certificate of 

marriage

A copy of a public record of 

the marriage certified by 

the custodian of the record

A copy of a religious record 

of the marriage certified by 

the custodian of the record

Personal records

Clerk of the Court in 

the city or county where 

marriage license was 

obtained

or

Bureau of Vital Statistics 

of the State in which you 

were married

Church were marriage 

took place

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Proof of divorce is required when benefits are claimed 

as the divorced wife or husband or the surviving 

divorced spouse of a former railroad employee. 

A person filing as a divorced spouse or surviving 

divorced spouse must prove that the divorce took place 

after at least ten consecutive years of marriage to the 

employee. A divorced spouse or surviving divorced 

spouse claiming exemption from the public service 

pension offset based on entitlement as a divorced wife 

under social security eligibility requirements in effect 

in January 1977 must prove that the divorce took 

place after at least 20 consecutive years of marriage to 

the employee. See Chapter 4 for circumstances when 

the later marriage does not have to be terminated.

Proof of Divorce Where to Secure 

If you are unable to obtain any of the documents 

listed above or if the decree is not for a final, absolute 

or divorce a vinculo matrimonii, contact the nearest 

field office of the RRB. The people there will be glad 

to assist you.

Annulment

Chapter 4 of this booklet describes when it 

is necessary to file proof of termination of a 

remarriage. When a marriage or remarriage ends 

with an annulment, submit a certified copy of the 

decree of annulment.

In some cases, credit may be given for the former 

railroad employee’s military service. If credit for 

military service is claimed, proof must be furnished. 

Both the beginning date and the ending date of the 

military service must be proven.

Best Proof of Military Where to Secure

Service 

Other Proofs of Military Service

Some military service records stored in the Personnel 

Records Center in St. Louis were damaged by a fire 

in 1973. The military service records were involved in 

the fire if the former railroad employee was either:

Discharged from the Army during the years from 

1912 to 1959, or

Discharged from the Air Force during the period 

from September 1947 through December 1963 and 

the last name comes after Hubbard in the alphabet.

4

Part 5

Proof of Divorce

Part 6

Proof of Military Service

The original decree of 

final or absolute divorce 

or divorce a vinculo 

matrimonii

A copy of the divorce 

certified by the custodian 

of the record

A certified photocopy of 

one of the documents 

shown above

Personal records

Clerk of the Court in city 

or county where divorce 

was obtained

or

Bureau of Vital 

Statistics of State in 

which you were divorced

Original certificate of 

discharge or release to 

inactive duty from a 

branch of the Armed 

Forces that shows the 

beginning and ending 

date of the active 

military service

Copy of a certificate 

made by the State, 

county or municipal 

agency or department in 

which the original record 

was recorded

Certification from a 

branch of the Armed 

Forces that shows the 

beginning and ending 

dates of employee’s 

military service

A certified photocopy of 

one of the documents 

shown above.

Personal records

County Recorder or 

County Clerk for county 

of residence when 

discharged

National Personnel 

Records Center (Military 

Personnel Records), 

9700 Page Boulevard, 

St. Louis, Missouri 

63132-5100. If the 

employee was discharged 

from the Army during 

1912–1959 or the Air 

Force during 1947–1963, 

see the “Other Proofs 

of Military Service” 

section.

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If your military service records were destroyed either 

in the fire in the National Records Center at St. 

Louis in 1973, or in some other way, you may request 

a new military service record with Form SF-180, 

Request Pertaining to Military Records. This form is 

available from the RRB or your branch of service. If 

no other record can be obtained, a written statement 

of military service from one of the agencies listed 

below can be used as proof of military service. Only 

request information from an agency if the condition in 

the “If ” column applies to the employee.

If you are unable to locate any of the documents listed 

above, contact the nearest field office of the RRB. The 

people there will be glad to assist you.

Proof of the death of a former railroad employee is 

required with all claims for survivor benefits.

Death occurred inside the United States

Death occurred outside the United States

5

Part 7

Proof of Death

If

The employee ever 

filed a claim for 

unemployment 

compensation based 

upon the military service

The employee was

paid a bonus

The employee 

retired from Federal 

employment

The employee ever 

furnished the military 

service record to an 

employer

The employee ever filed 

a claim for Veteran’s 

benefits of any kind

The employee ever 

performed any service in 

the National Guard

The employee ever 

filed a claim for Social 

Security Act benefits 

and the military service 

involved was after 

September 6, 1939.

Where to Secure Proof

State unemployment 

compensation office

State Bonus Office

Office of Personnel 

Management. Bureau 

of Retirement and 

Insurance Employee 

Service and Records 

Center, Boyers, PA 

16017

Federal, State, local 

or private employer 

to whom a record of 

military service was 

furnished

Nearest Veteran’s 

Affairs Regional Office

State Adjutant General

Social Security 

Administration

Types of Proof

Certified copy of the 

public record of death 

(Death Certificate)

Coroner’s report of death

Verdict of the coroner’s 

jury of the State or 

community where death 

occurred.

A signed statement of 

death by funeral director 

on an acceptable RRB 

or SSA form (RRB Form 

G-273a Statement of 

Burial Expenses or 

SSA’s Form SSA-721 

Statement of Death 

by Funeral Director or 

SSA-2872 Statement 

of Death by Funeral 

Director). 

NOTE: This is not 

an acceptable proof of 

death if the applicant 

is a funeral director or 

a representative of a 

funeral home

A certified photocopy of 

any of the documents 

described above

Where to Secure

Bureau of Vital 

Statistics or 

Department of Health 

for city, county or State

Coroner or medical 

examiner

Coroner or medical 

examiner

Funeral home

Types of Proof

A report of death by a 

United States consul, or 

other agent of the State 

Department, bearing the 

signature and official seal

A certified copy of the 

public record of death 

(Death Certificate)

A signed statement of 

death by a funeral director 

Where to Secure

United States consulate or 

embassy

Bureau of Vital Statistics 

or Department of Health

Funeral home
To prove the payment of all or any part of the 

burial expenses, you must either submit Railroad 

Retirement Board Form G-273a or an itemized, 

receipted statement or bill from the funeral director 

and other persons furnishing goods or services. The 

receipt must identify the deceased person, be signed 

by the funeral director or other person to whom 

payment was made and give all of the following 

information:

Total amount of all burial expenses

Name of each person who paid toward the burial 

expenses

Amount and date of each payment

Amount of unpaid burial expenses

If more than one funeral home is involved, proof of 

payment of burial expenses must be furnished by 

each one. If Form G-273a cannot be completed or an 

itemized bill cannot be given, contact the nearest field 

office of the RRB.

Evidence of appointment as legal representative is 

required of anyone filing an application for benefits 

in this official capacity. A legal representative can 

be the guardian, trustee, committee or conservator 

of an individual or the administrator or executor of 

an estate.

Proof of Court Appointment

Certified copy of letters of appointment

“Short” certificate

Certified copy of the order of appointment

Any official document issued by the clerk or other 

proper official of the appointing court

The document submitted must bear the court seal or 

the signature of the court clerk. If the court papers of 

appointment were made more than one year before 

the application is filed, the certification must show 

that they are still in full force and effect.

If you are unable to furnish any of the documents 

listed or if you have not been appointed by the court, 

contact the nearest field office of the RRB. The people 

there will be glad to assist you.

Citizenship is a material factor in applying tax 

provisions. Generally, RRB accepts a claim that an 

individual is a citizen of the country of birth unless 

there is information or evidence to the contrary.

Conclusive Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

Any of the following documents is generally 

conclusive evidence of U.S. citizenship for the person 

to whom the document is issued regardless of where 

the person was born.

 Birth certificate showing birth in the U.S.

 U.S. passport

 Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of 

Naturalization

Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United 

States (Form FS-240).

Certificate of Birth (Form FS-545)

United States Citizen Identification Card (INS 

Form I-197)

Evidence of Citizenship in other Countries

Documents similar to those listed above may be 

submitted as evidence to prove citizenship in another 

country, such as:

Birth certificate showing birth in that country

Passport issued by the country

Certificates of citizenship, naturalization, or citizen 

identification cards issued by the country.

U.S. citizens or residents should complete Form 

RRB-1001, “Non-resident Questionnaire,” on leaving 

the United States to take up permanent or temporary 

residence in a foreign country. The Internal Revenue 

Service requires that residents of tax-treaty countries 

claim their exemption every three years by completing 

an RRB-1001. The form may be secured from RRB 

field offices or requested by mail from the Bureau of 

Taxation, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North 

Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275, U.S.A.

6

Part 8

Proof of Payment

of Burial Expenses

Part 9

Proof of Appointment

as Legal Representative

Part 10

Proof of Citizenship

and Residence

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Proof of residence is required when an individual 

claims residence on the RRB-1001 in a country that 

is not the country in the mailing address. Acceptable 

proofs of residence must be valid for the period of 

time for which residence is to be verified; the date 

of issuance must be within one year of the period 

of residence to be established. Acceptable proofs of 

residence are:

In the United States

A Valid Alien Registration Receipt Card (“Green 

Card”), Form I-151 or I-551.

Reentry Permit (Form I-132). Whether first-issued 

or renewed, the permit is valid for one year.

U.S. Federal income tax return for the most recent 

tax year (this may be a photocopy and need not be 

certified by IRS).

Refugee travel document issued by the United 

States.

Application to Retain U.S. Residence (INS Form 

N-470). A photocopy is acceptable.

Notice of Approval of Application to Preserve 

Residence (INS Form N-472).

Proof of filing a declaration of intent to become a 

U.S. citizen under naturalization laws.

Other evidence showing the individual has a 

current attachment to the U.S., and intends to 

return to make the U.S. his/her home.

In other Countries

Acceptable Proofs of Residence are:

Identification or voter’s registration card issued by 

the government of the foreign country.

Record or current eligibility for government health 

or welfare programs.

Tax record for the prior year.

Current passport.

Recent bill for public utilities.

Library card with an address in the country.

7

Fraud and Abuse Hot Line

Call the toll-free Fraud and Abuse Hot Line if you have any reason to believe that someone is 

receiving railroad retirement or unemployment-sickness benefits to which he or she is not entitled; 

that persons responsible for the financial affairs of minors or incompetent beneficiaries are 

misappropriating benefits; or that a doctor, hospital, or other provider of health care services is 

performing unnecessary or inappropriate services or is billing Medicare for services not received. 

You may also use the Hot Line to report any suspected misconduct by a Railroad Retirement 

Board (RRB) employee. The Hot Line has been installed by the RRB’s Inspector General to receive 

any evidence of fraud or abuse of the RRB’s benefit programs.

Call (toll-free) 1-800-772-4258. Or you may send your complaints in writing to:

 Railroad Retirement Board 

 OIG, Hot Line Officer 

 844 North Rush Street 

 Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275

Please do not call the Hot Line with questions about eligibility requirements, delayed claims, or 

similar problems. Such matters should be directed to the nearest RRB field office.

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8

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability

Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) 

regulations, no qualified person may be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

RRB programs and activities must be accessible to all qualified applicants and beneficiaries, 

including those who are vision- or hearing-impaired. Disabled persons needing assistance 

(including auxiliary aids or program information in accessible formats) should contact the 

nearest RRB office. Complaints of alleged discrimination by the RRB on the basis of disability 

must be filed within 90 days in writing with the

 Director of Administration 

 Railroad Retirement Board

 844 North Rush Street

 Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275.

Questions about individual rights under this regulation may be directed to the RRB’s Director of 

Equal Opportunity at the same address shown above.

Field Office Assistance

If you need to personally visit one of our field offices, please call for an appointment. You will 

not be refused service if you do not have an appointment, but our staff can serve you better 

when an appointment is made. Railroad Retirement Board offices are open to the public from 

9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 

p.m. on Wednesday. To locate the nearest RRB office, visit our web site at www.rrb.gov or call 

877-772-5772.

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