Policy and Systems

Records You Should Keep

We recommend that you keep this booklet, even after you file your annuity application. It contains important information concerning your entitlement to railroad retirement benefits. You should also keep your annuity award notice or denial notice.

Also keep:

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When Your Annuity Ends

Spouse Annuity

A spouse annuity ends the month before the month in which:

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When Your Annuity Is Not Payable

Spouse Annuity

A spouse annuity is not payable for any month in which:

the employee's annuity is not payable;
you work for a railroad employer;
neither you nor the employee began railroad service before 1975 and you become entitled to your own RRA employee annuity that exceeds the amount of the spouse annuity; or,
you become entitled to an RRA survivor annuity on a different RRB earnings record that exceeds the spouse annuity rate.

Divorced Spouse Annuity

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Change of Address

Notify the nearest RRB office immediately if you change your address, even when your monthly annuity payments are going directly to your savings or checking account. All correspondence from the RRB is sent to your home mailing address on record. This mailing address is used to send any material other than your payments to you (such as notices of cost-of-living increases, Medicare information, new Annual Earnings Exempt Amounts, and tax statements).

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Receiving Your Payment

All applicants filing for RRB benefits must choose to receive their annuity payments by Direct Deposit to their financial institution or by the Direct Express® Debit MasterCard®.

Even though your payments are paid electronically be sure to keep your home address on our records current. See Chapter 28 for additional information.

A. Direct Deposit

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How Payments are Made

The first payment you receive from the RRB will be separate from your annuity award letter. Annuities are payable at the beginning of the month following the month for which the annuity accrued. The payment that you receive at the beginning of the month actually represents the annuity that accrued for the previous month.

Advance Filing Cases

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Notice of Decision About Your Application

When you are ready to retire, contact your RRB field office to file your spouse annuity application. Our goal is to process your application as quickly as possible. Claims for some benefits may take longer to handle than others if they are more complex, or if we have to get information from other people or organizations. If this happens, we will give you an explanation and an estimate of the time required to make a decision.

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After You Apply for Your Annuity

The information in this section explains what the Railroad Retirement Board does after you file your annuity application. Included is important information about how soon you can expect a decision on your application.

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Federal Income Tax Withholding

Withholding for Federal Income Tax may occur, either based on your election filed on Form W-4P "Withholding Election Form", or, if you do not file a Form W-4P, based on a status of "Married with three dependents."

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Medicare Coverage

General Information About Medicare

Medicare is a two part Federal health insurance program, administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), for people who are age 65 or older; who are totally and permanently disabled, or who have permanent kidney failure. One part of Medicare is Hospital Insurance (also known as Part A). The other part is Medical Insurance (also known as Part B).

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