Railroad Retirement Spouse and Widow/Widower Annuities and Public Service Pensions

Railroad Retirement Act spouse and widow(er)s’ annuities (including divorced spouse, surviving divorced spouse and remarried widow(er)s’ annuities) are subject to reduction when social security benefits or dual railroad retirement annuities are also payable. Such railroad retirement benefits may also be reduced when a spouse or widow(er) is entitled to a public service pension unless certain exemption requirements are met.

Since the payment of railroad retirement spouse or widow(er)s’ annuities can be affected by entitlement to certain other government benefits, such dual entitlement, if not reported to the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), can result in benefit overpayments which have to be repaid, sometimes with interest and penalties. The railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has released a questions and answers describing how payments are adjusted by the RRB for spouse and widow(er) annuitants entitled to public service pensions.

Click here to read the Q&A released from the RRB.