Policy and Systems

Marital Status Change

If your marriage ends by divorce or annulment, notify the RRB to have our records corrected (including any name change) and to assure that any spouse annuity is adjusted or terminated timely. Also report if a child included in the Special Guaranty computation marries.

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Workers Compensation or Other Disability-Based Public Benefits

Your disability annuity Tier I component is subject to a reduction if you also receive worker's compensation or another public, disability-based, benefit before you reach Full Retirement Age. This reduction requirement may apply even if you received a lump-sum or an amount divided and paid in several payments. If you receive a public disability or worker's compensation award, or if the amount you receive changes, notify the RRB as soon as possible. Delay may cause a large annuity overpayment of your annuity.

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Disability Work Deductions

If you are less than Full Retirement Age and you receive a disability-based annuity, the Annual Earnings Exempt Amount does not apply to your disability Tier I component.

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Disability and Medical Recovery

You must report ANY new employment or medical improvement. It is important that your report includes:

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Total Disability after Retirement

Contact the RRB if you are receiving an age and service annuity or occupational disability annuity and you become totally disabled before you reach Full Retirement Age. You may be eligible for early Medicare coverage and other benefits if you meet the requirements for total disability.

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Pension from a Railroad Employer

The supplemental annuity is reduced by the amount of a pension from a railroad employer that is based on the employer's contributions. Notify the RRB promptly if you begin receiving a railroad pension or receive a lump-sum distribution from a railroad pension. Not doing so will cause your supplemental annuity to be overpaid.

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Annuity Deductions for LPE

Earnings reductions for LPE occur at any age, even after attaining Full Retirement Age. There is no Annual Earnings Exempt Amount for LPE. Even work for minimum pay may be LPE.

Any LPE earnings received by an employee annuitant for service in or after the month the annuity begins, will reduce the amount of the employee's Tier II component, the employee's supplemental annuity, if any, and the spouse's Tier II component. The LPE work deduction is $1.00 for every $2.00 earned, but not more than 50% of the Tier II components and supplemental annuity.

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LPE Exceptions

Some types of nonrailroad employment are not counted as LPE. These types of work do not affect payment of your Tier 2 component or supplemental annuity. These exceptions are:

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Spouse/Divorced Spouse Annuities

Overview

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Last Pre-Retirement Nonrailroad Employment

Your Last Pre-Retirement Nonrailroad Employer (LPE) is defined as any non-railroad individual, company or institution for whom you are working on your annuity beginning date (ABD) or for whom you stopped working in order to receive an annuity. This includes work for a Canadian railroad that is not covered under the Railroad Retirement Act and work as an elected or appointed public official.

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