Requirements
The Employee Must Have Met
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) can pay a survivor
annuity only if the employee:
- was employed in the railroad industry for at
least 120 months, or at least 60 months after 1995;
and
- had a current connection with the railroad industry;
that is, there was no regular employment outside
of the railroad industry between the time when the
employee left the railroad industry and the time
of retirement (or death if the employee never retired).
- If the employee was alive on October 1, 1981,
we will consider that there is a current connection
with the railroad industry, if the employee:
- stopped working in the railroad industry
involuntarily and without cause on or after
October 1, 1975; and
- had at least 25 years of service; and
- did not decline an offer to return to work
in the same class or craft as his or her last
railroad service.
What
Happens If The Employee Does Not Meet The Requirements
If the employee does not meet the requirements described
in the above section, "Requirements The Employee
Must Have Met," the RRB cannot pay a survivor
annuity. However, the Social Security Administration
(SSA) might be able to pay you and we will transfer
your application to that agency. Therefore, you should
still file an application.
Your annuity can be paid by either the RRB or SSA
but not by both, even though the employee may have
received payments from both agencies while he or she
was alive. No matter which agency pays your annuity,
all the employee's work, in the railroad industry
or under Social Security, will be used to calculate
the amount of your payments. |