Each year, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) prepares a Certificate of Service Months and Compensation (Form BA-6) for every railroad employee who had creditable railroad compensation in the previous calendar year. The RRB will mail the forms to employees during the first half of June. While every effort has been made to maintain current addresses for all active railroad employees, anyone with compensation reported in 2017 who has not received Form BA-6 by July 1, or needs a replacement, should contact the nearest RRB field office by calling the agency’s toll-free number (1-877-772-5772).
Form BA-6 provides employees with a record of their railroad retirement service and compensation, and the information shown is used to determine whether an employee qualifies for benefits and the amount of those benefits. It is important that employees review their Form BA-6 to see whether their own records of service months and creditable compensation agree with the figures shown on the form.
In checking the 2017 compensation total, employees should be aware that only annual earnings up to $127,200 were creditable for railroad retirement purposes in that year, and that $127,200 is the maximum amount shown on the form. To assist employees in reviewing their service credits, the form also shows service credited on a month-by-month basis for 2016, 2015, and 2014, when the creditable compensation maximum was $118,500 for both 2016 and 2015, and $117,000 for 2014. The form also identifies the employer(s) reporting the employee’s 2017 service and compensation.
Click here to read the full release from the RRB.