Quarterly Benefit Statistics

U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Published by Public Affairs

844 North Rush Street and the Bureau of the Actuary and Research

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

March 15, 2018 

Employees

Spouses 51.2%

27.3%

Survivors

21.5%

Selected Current Statistics for October - December 2017

NOTE.--Some 6,200 employees also received spouse annuities 

and approximately 2,200 employees also received survivor 

annuities.

Railroad Retirement and 

Survivor Beneficiaries 

on the Rolls, by Type,

December 2017

(517,000 beneficiaries)
Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics 

October - December 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

December 2017 648,014 516,764 190,450 46,592 27,268 121,902 142,337 5,100

November 2017 647,835 516,591 190,368 46,398 27,488 121,917 142,095 5,080

October 2017 648,119 516,809 190,416 46,286 27,732 122,003 141,925 5,069

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

December 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,783.22 $2,448.09 $2,739.04 $41.53 $1,039.75 $645.82

November 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,738.23 2,406.40 2,693.31 41.53 1,024.24 632.81

October 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,735.15 2,403.88 2,692.37 41.54 1,023.16 633.28

Number awarded during period

December 2017 1,987 1,739 434 . . . . . . . . 134 248 623 50

November 2017 2,671 2,281 689 . . . . . . . . 125 390 853 59

October 2017 2,976 2,529 881 . . . . . . . . 137 447 902 57

10/17 - 12/17 7,634 6,549 2,004 . . . . . . . . 396 1,085 2,378 166

10/16 - 12/16 7,412 6,254 1,902 . . . . . . . . 347 1,158 2,322 148

Average amount awarded during period4

December 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,192.07 . . . . . . . . $2,277.99 $40.64 $1,095.18 $753.23

November 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,273.84 . . . . . . . . 2,867.65 40.79 1,131.74 632.92

October 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,359.52 . . . . . . . . 2,653.71 41.22 1,105.34 745.47

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

December 2017 $1,044,700 . . . . . . . . $522,415 $111,492 $78,097 $5,069 $146,900 $3,336

November 2017 1,045,729 . . . . . . . . 522,757 111,055 79,102 5,080 147,109 3,330

October 2017 1,044,819 . . . . . . . . 522,518 110,691 79,901 5,087 146,407 3,305

10/17 - 12/17 3,135,248 . . . . . . . . 1,567,690 333,238 237,100 15,236 440,416 9,971

10/16 - 12/16 3,104,219 . . . . . . . . 1,535,265 317,234 262,355 15,337 430,785 9,587

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. 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.
Table 1: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Benefit Statistics

October - December 2017 -- Continued

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

December 2017 87,255 3,501 634 3,038 9,725 8,454 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,737

November 2017 87,402 3,503 637 3,029 9,696 8,468 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,733

October 2017 87,607 3,508 626 3,034 9,699 8,476 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,718

Average amount in current-payment status at end of period

December 2017 $1,683.46 $1,347.45 $1,882.93 $1,095.74 $1,102.84 $1,103.38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $316.33

November 2017 1,672.44 1,334.34 1,883.72 1,072.89 1,080.63 1,084.21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315.74

October 2017 1,668.13 1,330.94 1,875.88 1,071.66 1,079.25 1,080.48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315.17

Number awarded during period

December 2017 379 5 7 10 65 32 190 1 . . . . . . . .

November 2017 431 11 10 11 62 29 172 ---- . . . . . . . .

October 2017 438 6 8 13 52 35 175 ---- . . . . . . . .

10/17 - 12/17 1,248 22 25 34 179 96 537 1 . . . . . . . .

10/16 - 12/16 1,237 15 18 20 145 100 522 ---- . . . . . . . .

Average amount awarded during period4

December 2017 $2,103.37 $2,109.62 $1,095.38 $1,181.40 $1,212.60 $1,184.01 $924 $3,615 . . . . . . . .

November 2017 2,186.52 1,929.12 2,069.43 1,311.27 1,201.08 1,570.49 910 ---- . . . . . . . .

October 2017 2,118.59 2,560.40 1,990.74 1,408.00 1,141.92 1,356.36 910 ---- . . . . . . . .

Benefit payments during period (thousands)5

December 2017 $146,929 $4,866 $1,233 $3,293 $10,695 $9,617 $182 $4 $552

November 2017 146,653 5,001 1,278 3,290 10,619 9,716 162 ---- 546

October 2017 146,511 4,890 1,244 3,300 10,556 9,684 167 ---- 540

10/17 - 12/17 440,093 14,757 3,755 9,883 31,870 29,017 511 4 1,638

10/16 - 12/16 442,847 14,047 3,850 10,010 31,428 29,327 507 ---- 1,578

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

October - December 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item December

2017

November

2017

October

2017

October 2017 -

December 2017

October 2016 -

December 2016

RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period1 $489,454 $636,047 $446,656 $446,656 $739,556 

Income, total 556,779 447,312 788,585 1,792,676 1,442,946 

 Payroll taxes2 197,396 207,183 239,368 643,947 607,730 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105,000 105,000 104,000 

 Reimbursements for payment of SSA benefits 139,316 141,716 141,307 422,339 403,326 

 Transfers from National RR Investment Trust4 219,000 97,000 302,000 618,000 326,000 

 Transfer from SSEB Account4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments5 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 -1,764 

 Uncashed check credits from U.S. Treasury6 20 48 19 86 58 

 Interest on investments7 1,005 1,365 892 3,261 3,597 

Outgo, total 590,061 593,905 599,194 1,783,160 1,741,688 

 Benefit payments 448,155 448,528 447,653 1,344,336 1,321,894 

 Payments of SSA benefits 138,944 141,059 141,320 421,322 401,428 

 Transfer to SSEB Account4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Administrative expenses8 2,715 3,955 9,409 16,080 17,066 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 247 362 813 1,421 1,300 

Balance at end of period1 456,171 489,454 636,047 456,171 440,814 

Cash and investment balance at end of period9 $26,803,241 $26,695,593 $26,436,217 $26,803,241 $24,866,057 

Balance at beginning of period -$3,482 -$1,753 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Congressional apportionments11 . . . . . . . . (12) . . . . . . . . (12) (12) 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Vested dual benefit payments 1,707 1,729 $1,753 $5,190 $6,113 

Balance at end of period -5,190 -3,482 -1,753 -5,190 -6,113 

NATIONAL RAILROAD RETIREMENT INVESTMENT TRUST

DUAL BENEFITS PAYMENTS ACCOUNT10
Table 2: Retirement and Survivor Programs, Financial Statistics 

October - December 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

 Item December

2017

November

2017

October

2017

October 2017 -

December 2017

October 2016 -

December 2016

SOCIAL SECURITY EQUIVALENT BENEFIT ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $952,314 $1,018,720 $917,572 $917,572 $721,860 

Income, total 600,543 530,758 700,568 1,831,868 1,795,489 

 Payroll taxes2 212,346 215,722 246,704 674,771 670,037 

 Income tax transfers3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73,000 73,000 70,000 

 Financial interchange advances13 386,476 313,186 379,505 1,079,167 1,051,964 

 RRB-SSA financial interchange transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Interest on investments7 1,722 1,850 1,359 4,931 3,488 

Outgo, total 595,999 597,163 599,420 1,792,582 1,783,799 

 Benefit payments 594,837 595,471 595,413 1,785,721 1,776,211 

 Repayment of financial interchange advances13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 RRB-CMS financial interchange transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Transfer to Railroad Retirement Account4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Administrative expenses8 1,063 1,548 3,682 6,292 7,045 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 99 145 325 569 543 

Balance at end of period 956,858 952,314 1,018,720 956,858 733,550 

1Balances include liabilities for uncashed checks. As of the end of December 2017, liabilities were $14,567,000. 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 2017

was $25.0 million, including income tax transfers. Funds for October through December 2016 and October through December 2017 were provided under a partial year continuing resolution. 11Includes a small amount of interest on uncashed checks. 12Less than $500. 13Includes 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

October - December 2017

Normal benefit accounts Beneficiaries

Period

Applications

received Opened Exhausted Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Unemployment1

December 2017 1,013 688 40 3,288 3,267 40

November 2017 893 558 35 2,984 2,973 29

October 2017 777 560 12 2,898 2,855 83

7/17 - 12/17 7,191 5,258 203 5,958 5,866 350

7/16 - 12/16 10,175 7,873 422 8,972 8,896 302

Sickness

December 2017 1,069 862 59 5,310 5,282 46

November 2017 1,223 1,160 58 5,543 5,526 36

October 2017 1,348 1,198 23 5,485 5,420 125

7/17 - 12/17 12,779 9,813 380 10,412 10,242 698

7/16 - 12/16 12,652 9,871 331 10,449 10,310 623

Number of payments Averages2

Period Total

Normal

benefits

Extended

benefits

Benefit

days

Benefit

per week3

Benefit

payments3,4

(thousands)

Unemployment1

December 2017 5,689 5,620 69 9.2 $332.60 $5,368

November 2017 5,882 5,834 48 9.3 333.25 3,260

October 2017 5,776 5,644 132 9.2 332.65 3,730

7/17 - 12/17 31,592 30,184 1,408 9.1 333.10 22,148

7/16 - 12/16 48,118 46,943 1,175 9.0 334.25 35,942

Sickness

December 2017 9,813 9,709 104 9.2 $334.20 $4,559

November 2017 11,315 11,236 79 9.2 333.10 5,957

October 2017 10,751 10,513 238 9.2 334.10 4,962

7/17 - 12/17 58,624 55,725 2,899 9.0 336.15 29,198

7/16 - 12/16 58,373 55,820 2,553 9.0 335.70 31,768

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, a reduction of 7.3% for days after September 30, 2014, 6.8% for days after September 30, 2015, 6.9% for days payable after 

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

4 Data provided by the Bureau of Fiscal 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

October - December 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited)

Item December

2017

November

 2017

October

2017

October 2017 -

December 2017

October 2016 -

December 2016

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACCOUNT

Balance at beginning of period $81,482 $90,113 $73,610 $73,610 $69,019 

Income, total 481 661 25,363 26,505 27,305 

 Contributions1 -7 605 25,353 25,951 23,891 

 Interest on investments 563 56 18 637 398 

 Undistributed recoveries of benefit payments2 -75 (3) -8 -83 3,016 

 Transfers from RUI Administration Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Outgo, total 9,985 9,293 8,860 28,138 36,180 

 Unemployment benefit payments4 5,376 3,263 3,736 12,374 18,869 

 Sickness benefit payments4 4,559 5,957 4,962 15,479 17,035 

 Funding for Office of Inspector General 49 72 163 284 276 

Balance at end of period 71,978 81,482 90,113 71,978 60,144 

RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION FUND

Balance at beginning of period $15,369 $16,024 $11,483 $11,483 $12,132 

Income, total 152 148 6,450 6,750 6,655 

 Contributions1 43 148 6,450 6,641 6,568 

 Interest on investments 108 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 87 

Outgo, total 551 803 1,909 3,263 3,829 

 Administrative expenses 551 803 1,909 3,263 3,829 

 Transfers to RUI Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Balance at end of period 14,970 15,369 16,024 14,970 14,958 

1 Amounts reflect quarterly re-allocation of contributions between the RUI Account and the RUI Administration Fund. 2 Net of distributed amounts.

3 Less than zero but greater than -$500. 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 7.3% under 

sequestration for days of unemployment and sickness 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

October - December 2017 (In thousands)

Cash Basis (Unaudited) -- Continued

Item December

2017

November

 2017

October

2017

October 2017 -

December 2017

October 2016 -

December 2016

Balance at beginning of period $9,480 $9,479 $9,477 $9,477 $9,448 

 Interest and other income (6) (6) (6) (6) . . . . . . . . 

 Benefits7 -1 -1 -1 -3 . . . . . . . . 

Balance at end of period 9,481 9,480 9,479 9,481 9,448 

Balance at beginning of period $133,173 $133,171 $133,167 $133,167 $132,929 

 Interest and other income 2 (6) (6) 2 . . . . . . . . 

 Benefits7 -7 -2 -4 -12 . . . . . . . . 

Balance at end of period 133,181 133,173 133,171 133,181 132,929 

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT5

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WORKER, HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACT8

5 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 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 Negative amounts due to recoveries exceeding benefit payments. Positive disbursements for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act include the write-off of bad debt.

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 -- December 2017

RETIREMENT - SURVIVOR

Total benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1 $1,044,700,000

 Regular and Supplemental benefits 1,042,992,000

 Vested dual benefits 1,707,000

Number Average

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

 Retired employees':

 Regular 264,000 $2,720

 Supplemental 122,000 42

 Spouses' and divorced spouses' 147,000 1,026

 Aged widows' and widowers' 87,000 1,683

 Other benefits 27,000 1,102

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

UNEMPLOYMENT-SICKNESS

Unemployment2 Sickness

Benefit payments - cash basis (unaudited)1,3 $5,368,000 $4,559,000

Beneficiaries 3,300 5,300

Average payment per week3 $333 $334

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, a reduction 

of 6.9% for days after September 30, 2016, and 6.6% for days after September 30, 2017.