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1220.5 Recovery Procedure - ASTRO

The majority of correspondence from annuitants concerning overpayments incurred 

under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) is received through the RRA lockbox. 

However, it is still possible for field offices to receive such correspondence.

The Automated System to Recover Overpayments (ASTRO) procedure contained 

herein is a means of protecting an annuitant from unnecessary annuity suspension 

when a refund of an overpayment or the selection of an alternate method of recovery is 

received in the field office.

1220.10 Full Withholding

When the annuitant selects full withholding as the overpayment recovery method field, 

he must complete the Form G-421 PC provided with the overpayment letter.

A. ASTRO Case - Enter the annuitant's selection in the space provided on the 

appropriate ASTRO screen as well as the date the annuitant's selection was 

made. Press ENTER. Forward the correspondence received to BFO-DRD.

B. Non-ASTRO Case - Call or release an email message to the OP unit the case is 

charged to and forward the correspondence to that unit.

1220.15 Cash Refund

Cash refunds are refunds made by currency, check or money order. When an annuitant 

wishes to make a cash refund encourage him to do so by check or money order 

payable to the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. If the check or money order is made 

out to the Treasurer of the U.S., it is acceptable. Currency may be accepted, but must 

be converted as quickly as possible to a postal money order, cashier's check or other 

order for money. Currency should NOT be sent to the RRA lockbox because the bank 

charges a special fee to process cash and because of problems inherent in sending 

cash through the mail. An RRB employee's personal check should not be submitted. Be 

sure the RRB claim number is on the check or money order.

All cash refunds are to be forwarded to the RRA lockbox. The lockbox address is 

Railroad Retirement Board, Retirement Survivor Debt Collections, P.O. Box 979018, St. 

Louis, MO 63197-9000. For pre-addressed envelopes, order stock number 040400.

For correct accounting, it is important that the remittance be identified by payor/claim 

number and billing document ID number. This should be done one of two ways. You 

may: 

1. Enclose a copy of the overpayment notice; or

2. Enclose Form G-23 Lockbox Identification Slip.
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It is important that the remittance be properly identified. See Appendix A for 

identifying, preparing and releasing cash refunds to the lockbox.

A. ASTRO Case - Enter the annuitant's selection in the space provided on 

the appropriate ASTRO screen as well as the date the annuitant's 

selection was made. Press ENTER. 

B. Non-ASTRO Case - Call or release an email message to the unit the case 

is charged to and forward the correspondence to that unit.

NOTE: Use Form G-27 to acknowledge receipt of a refund of an 

overpayment only when a receipt is requested by the remitter. In most 

cases, the remitter should accept your explanation that the cancelled 

check serves as receipt. 

1220.20 Partial Withholding

Effective with overpayment letters released on or after August 1, 1994, if partial 

withholding is an allowable recovery method, no response from the annuitant is 

necessary. ASTRO will automatically default to partial withholding to initiate 

overpayment recovery.

1220.25 Actuarial Adjustment

When an annuitant selects actuarial adjustment as the method of recovery, he must 

complete the Form G-421 PC provided with the overpayment letter. If an annuitant 

claims hardship and was not offered actuarial adjustment, a reconsideration can be 

made. In this case, call the unit the case is charged to.

A. ASTRO Case - Enter the annuitant's selection in the space provided on the 

appropriate ASTRO screen as well as the date the annuitant's selection was 

made. Press ENTER. Forward the correspondence received to BFO-DRD.

B. Non-ASTRO Case - Call or release an email to the unit the case is charged to 

and forward the correspondence to that unit.

1220.30 Credit Card

When an annuitant selects credit card as the recovery method, he must complete the 

Form G-421 PC provided with the overpayment letter. He also must provide credit card 

information on the Form G-421f PC that was enclosed in the overpayment letter.

Review the Form G-421f PC for completion. If any items were omitted, secure that 

information before sending to BFO-DRD. Forward the Form G-421 PC and the Form G421f in a plain white envelope addressed to "BFO-DRD-ATTN: Rita Porter-Woodson". 

The field office should NOT IMAGE FORM G-421f. 
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Upon receipt, BFO-DRD will secure authorization of the credit card charge. In the event 

that authorization is not secured, BFO-DRD will notify the annuitant that authorization 

was not secured and request repayment by cash refund or withholding from the annuity, 

if current entitlement exists. After DRD processes the credit card information, the form 

will be destroyed. No imaged copy will be retained.

A. ASTRO Case - Enter the annuitant's selection in the space provided on the 

appropriate ASTRO screen as well as the date the annuitant's selection was 

made. Press ENTER.

B. Non-ASTRO Case - Call or release an email to the unit the case is charged to.

1220.35 Pay On-line at WWW.RRB.GOV

An annuitant can now pay a debt on line with a major credit card or direct debit from 

their bank account by going to WWW.RRB.GOV and selecting Benefit Online Services.

Customers will be redirected to the RRA debt collection online form on the pay.gov

website. Customers having trouble using Pay.gov should call Pay.gov customer 

support at 800-624-1373 (toll free, Option #1)

Pay.Gov was launched by the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Management 

Service (FMS) in October, 2000, to process collections electronically using internet 

technologies. Pay.gov satisfies agencies and consumers demand for electronic 

alternatives by providing the ability to complete forms, make payments and submit 

queries 24 hours a day electronically. It is accessible from any computer with internet 

access.
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