§ 231a — Annuity Eligibility Requirements

(1) The following-described individuals, if they shall have completed ten years of service (or, for purposes of paragraphs (i), (iii), and (v), five years of service, all of which accrues after December 31, 1995) and shall have filed application for annuities, shall, subject to the conditions set forth in subsections (e), (f), and (h), be entitled to annuities in the amounts provided under section 231b of this title— (i) individuals who have attained retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(l)]); (ii) individuals who have attained the age of sixty and have completed thirty years of service; (iii) individuals who have attained the age of sixty-two and have completed less than thirty years of service, but the annuity of such individuals shall be reduced by 1⁄180 for each of the first 36 months that he or she is under retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(l)]) when the annuity begins to accrue and by 1⁄240 for each additional month that he or she is under retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act) when the annuity begins to accrue; (iv) individuals who have a current connection with the railroad industry, whose permanent physical or mental condition is such as to be disabling for work in their regular occupation, and who (A) have completed twenty years of service or (B) have attained the age of sixty; and (v) individuals whose permanent physical or mental condition is such that they are unable to engage in any regular employment. (2) For the purposes of paragraph (iv) of subdivision (1), the Board, with the cooperation of employers and employees, shall secure the establishment of standards determining the physical and mental conditions which permanently disqualify employees for work in the several occupations in the railroad industry, and the Board, employers, and employees shall cooperate in the promotion of the greatest practicable degree of uniformity in the standards applied by the several employers. An individual’s condition shall be deemed to be disabling for work in his regular occupation if he will have been disqualified by his employer for service in his regular occupation in accordance with the applicable standards so established; if the employee will not have been so disqualified by his employer, the Board shall determine whether his condition is disabling for work in his regular occupation in accordance with the standards generally established; and, if the employee’s regular occupation is not one with respect to which standards will have been established, the standards relating to a reasonably comparable occupation shall be used. If there is no such comparable occupation, the Board shall determine whether the employee’s condition is disabling for work in his regular occupation by determining whether under the practices generally prevailing in industries in which such occupation exists such condition is a permanent disqualification for work in such occupation. For purposes of this subdivision and paragraph (iv) of subdivision (1), an employee’s “regular occupation” shall be deemed to be the occupation in which he will have been engaged in more calendar months than the calendar months in which he will have been engaged in any other occupation during the last preceding five calendar years, whether or not consecutive, in each of which years he will have earned wages or salary, except that, if an employee establishes that during the last fifteen consecutive calendar years he will have been engaged in another occupation in one-half or more of all the months in which he will have earned wages or salary, he may claim such other occupation as his regular occupation. (3) Such satisfactory proof shall be made from time to time as prescribed by the Board, of the disability provided for in paragraph (iv) or (v) of subdivision (1) and of the continuance of such disability (according to the standards applied in the establishment of such disability) until the employee attains retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(l)]). If the individual fails to comply with the requirements prescribed by the Board as to proof of the continuance of the disability until he attains retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act), his right to an annuity by reason of such disability shall, except for good cause shown to the Board, cease, but without prejudice to his rights to any subsequent annuity to which he may be entitled. (4) An individual who is entitled to an annuity under paragraph (v) of subdivision (1), but who does not have at least ten years of service, shall, prior to the month in which the individual attains age 62, be entitled only to an annuity amount computed under section 231b(a) of this title (without regard to section 231b(a)(2) of this title) or section 231b(f)(3) of this title. Upon attainment of age 62, such an individual may also be entitled to an annuity amount computed under section 231b(b) of this title, but such annuity amount shall be reduced for early retirement in the same manner as if the individual were entitled to an annuity under subsection (a)(1)(iii). (b) An individual who— (i) has attained age 60 and completed thirty years of service or attained age 65; (ii) has completed twenty-five years of service; (iii) is entitled to the payment of an annuity under subsection (a)(1); (iv) had a current connection with the railroad industry at the time such annuity began to accrue; and (v) has performed compensated service in at least one month prior to October 1, 1981; (1) The spouse of an individual, if— (i) such individual (A) is entitled to an annuity under subsection (a)(1) and (B) has attained the age of 60 and has completed thirty years of service or has attained the age of 62, and (ii) such spouse (A) has attained retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(l)]), or (B) has attained the age of 60 and such individual has completed thirty years of service, or (C), in the case of a wife, has in her care (individually or jointly with her husband) a child who meets the qualifications prescribed in paragraph (iii) of subsection (d)(1) (without regard to the provisions of clause (B) of such paragraph), (2) A spouse who would be entitled to an annuity under subdivision (1) or a divorced wife who would be entitled to an annuity under subdivision (4) if he or she had attained retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(l)]) may elect upon or after attaining the age of 62 to receive such annuity, but the annuity in any such case shall be reduced by 1⁄144 for each of the first 36 months that the spouse or divorced wife is under retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act) when the annuity begins to accrue and by 1⁄240 for each additional month that the spouse or divorced wife is under retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act) when the annuity begins to accrue, except that the annuity of a divorced wife who was previously entitled to a spouse annuity which was reduced under this subdivision shall be reduced by the same percentage as was applicable to the spouse annuity. (3) For the purposes of this subchapter, the term “spouse” shall mean the wife or husband of an annuitant under subsection (a)(1) who (i) was married to such annuitant for a period of not less than one year immediately preceding the day on which the application for a spouse’s annuity is filed, or in the month prior to his or her marriage to such annuitant was eligible for an annuity under paragraph (i) or (iv) of subsection (d)(1) or, on the basis of disability, under paragraph (iii) thereof, or is the parent of such annuitant’s son or daughter; and (ii) in the case of a husband, was receiving at least one-half of his support from his wife at the time his wife’s annuity under subsection (a)(1) began. (4) The “divorced wife” (as defined in section 216(d) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(d)]) of an individual, if— (i) such individual has attained the age 62; (ii) and (B) is not married; and (iii) such divorced wife would have been entitled to a benefit under section 202(b) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 402(b)] as the divorced wife of such individual if all of such individual’s service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term “employment” as defined in that Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.]; (1) The following described survivors of a deceased employee who will have completed ten years of service (or five years of service, all of which accrues after December 31, 1995) and will have had a current connection with the railroad industry at the time of his death shall, subject to the conditions set forth in subsections (g) and (h), be entitled to annuities, if they have filed application therefor, in the amounts provided under section 231c of this title— (i) a widow (as defined in section 216(c) and (k) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(c), (k)]) or widower (as defined in section 216(g) and (k) of the Social Security Act) of such a deceased employee who has not remarried and who (A) will have attained the age of sixty or (B) will have attained the age of fifty but will not have attained age sixty and is under a disability which began before the end of the period prescribed in subdivision (2), and who, in the case of a widower, was receiving at least one-half of his support from the deceased employee at the time of her death or at the time her annuity under subsection (a)(1) began; (ii) a widow (as defined in section 216(c) and (k) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(c), (k)]) of such a deceased employee who has not remarried and who (A) is not entitled to an annuity under paragraph (i), and (B) at the time of filing an application for an annuity under this paragraph, will have in her care a child of such deceased employee, which child is entitled to an annuity under paragraph (iii) (other than an annuity payable to a child who has attained age 18 and is not under a disability); (iii) a child (as defined in section 216(e) and (k) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(e), (k)]) of such a deceased employee who (A) will be less than eighteen years of age, or (B) will be less than nineteen years of age and a full-time elementary or secondary school student, or (C) will, without regard to his age, be under a disability which began before he attained age twenty-two or before the close of the eighty-fourth month following the month in which his most recent entitlement to an annuity under this paragraph terminated because he ceased to be under a disability, and who is unmarried and was dependent upon the employee at the time of the employee’s death; (iv) death and (C) will not have remarried after the employee’s death: Provided, however, That no parent will be entitled to an annuity under this paragraph on the basis of the deceased employee’s compensation and years of service in any case where such employee died leaving a widow or widower or a child who is, or who might in the future become, entitled to an annuity under this subsection, but neither this proviso nor clause (B) or (C) of this paragraph shall operate to deny any parent an annuity to the extent and in the amount of the benefit that such parent would have received under the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] if the service as an employee of the individual, with respect to which such parent would be eligible to receive an annuity under this subchapter except for this proviso and those clauses, were included in “employment” as defined in the Social Security Act; and (v) and 202(g)(3) of the Social Security Act to an individual entitled under section 202(f) of that Act shall include an individual entitled to an annuity under paragraph (i) and an individual entitled to an annuity under paragraph (ii), and the reference in section 202(e)(3) 4 and section 202(g)(3) of the Social Security Act to an individual entitled under section 202(d) or section 202(h) of that Act shall include an individual entitled to an annuity under paragraph (iii) or paragraph (iv), and the references in section 202(g)(3) of the Social Security Act to an individual entitled under section 202(a) or section 223(a) of that Act [42 U.S.C. 402(a), 423(a)] shall include an individual entitled to an annuity under subsection (a)(1) of this section. (2) The period referred to in clause (B) of subdivision (1)(i) is the period (i) beginning with the latest of (A) the month of the employee’s death, (B) in the case of a widow, the last month for which she was entitled to an annuity under paragraph (ii) of subdivision (1) as the widow of the deceased employee, or (C) the month in which the widow’s or widower’s previous entitlement to an annuity as the widow or widower of the deceased employee terminated because her or his disability had ceased and (ii) ending with the month before the month in which she or he attains age sixty, or, if earlier, with the close of the eighty-fourth month following the month with which such period began. (3) For purposes of paragraph (i) or (iii) of subdivision (1), a widow, widower, or child shall be under a disability if her or his permanent physical or mental condition is such that she or he is unable to engage in any regular employment. The provisions of subsection (a)(3) of this section as to the proof of disability shall apply with regard to determinations with respect to disability under subdivision (1). (4) of the Social Security Act) shall be deemed (for purposes of determining his continuing or initial entitlement to an annuity under this subsection) not to have attained such age until the first day of the first month following the end of the quarter or semester in which he is enrolled at such time (or, if the elementary or secondary school in which he is enrolled is not operated on a quarter or semester system, until the first day of the first month following the completion of the course in which he is enrolled or until the first day of the third month beginning after such time, whichever first occurs). (1) No individual shall be entitled to an annuity under subsection (a)(1) until he shall have ceased to render compensated service to an employer as defined in section 231(a) of this title. (2) An annuity under subsection (a)(1) shall be paid only if the applicant shall have relinquished such rights as he may have to return to the service of an employer: Provided, however, That this requirement shall not apply to individuals mentioned in paragraphs (iv) and (v) of subsection (a)(1) prior to attaining retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(l)]): Provided further, That, notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding proviso and of clause (i) of subsection (c)(1) of this section, an annuity shall be paid to the spouse of an individual only if such individual shall have satisfied the requirements of this subdivision without regard to the preceding proviso: And provided further, That, notwithstanding the provisions of the first proviso of this subdivision and of clause (iii) of subsection (b)(1) of this section, a supplemental annuity shall be paid to an individual only if such individual shall have satisfied the requirements of this subdivision without regard to the first proviso thereof. (3) No annuity under subsection (a)(1) or supplemental annuity under subsection (b)(1) shall be paid with respect to any month in which an individual in receipt of an annuity or supplemental annuity thereunder shall render compensated service to an employer. Individuals receiving annuities under subsection (a)(1) shall report to the Board immediately all such compensated service. (4) year. If the amount of the individual’s annuity has changed during the calendar year, any payment of annuities which become payable solely by reason of the limitations in the preceding three sentences shall be made first with respect to the month or months for which the annuity is larger. For purposes of this subdivision, “the monthly allowable earnings” shall be $700, except that for each year after 2007, “the monthly allowable earnings” amount shall be the larger of the amount for the previous year or the amount calculated by multiplying $700 by the ratio of the national average wage index for the year 2 calender 6 years before the year for which the amount is being calculated to the national average wage index for the year 2005. The amount so computed will be rounded to the next higher multiple of $10 where such amount is a multiple of $5 but not of $10 and to the nearest multiple of $10 in any other case. (5) The annuity of a spouse or divorced wife under subsection (c) shall, with respect to any month, be subject to the same provisions of this subsection as the individual’s annuity. In addition, the annuity of a spouse under subsection (c) shall not be payable for any month if the individual’s annuity under subsection (a)(1) is not payable for such month by reason of the provisions of this subsection. (1) That portion of the individual’s annuity as is computed under section 231b(a) of this title on the basis of (A) his compensation and years of service subsequent to December 31, 1974, and (B) his wages and self-employment income derived from employment and self-employment under the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] and that portion of the individual’s annuity as is computed under section 231b(h) of this title shall be subject to deductions on account of work pursuant to the provisions of section 203 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 403] in the same manner as if such portion of such annuity were a monthly insurance benefit under that Act: Provided, however, That the provisions of this subdivision shall be applicable to the annuity of an individual only if such individual would be fully insured under the Social Security Act on the basis of wages and self-employment income derived from employment and self-employment under that Act and on the basis of compensation derived from service as an employee after December 31, 1974, if such service as an employee had been included in the term “employment” as defined in that Act. Any person in receipt of an annuity subject to deduction under this subsection shall report to the Board the receipt of excess earnings as defined in paragraph (3) of section 203(f) of the Social Security Act. (2) That portion of the spouse’s or divorced wife’s annuity under subsection (c) which is derived from the portion of the individual’s annuity subject to deductions under subdivision (1) and that portion of the spouse’s or divorced wife’s annuity as is computed under section 231c(e) of this title shall be subject to deductions on account of work pursuant to the provisions of section 203 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.S. 403] in the same manner as if such portion of such spouse’s or divorced wife’s annuity were a monthly insurance benefit under that Act. In addition, such portion of the spouse’s or divorced wife’s annuity shall be subject to deductions if the individual’s annuity is subject to deductions under subdivision (1) in the same manner as if such portion of such spouse’s or divorced wife’s annuity were a monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.]. (3) Deductions shall not be made pursuant to subdivision (1) from that portion of an individual’s annuity as is computed under section 231b(a) of this title for any month in which the annuity of such individual is reduced pursuant to section 231b(m) of this title. This subdivision shall be disregarded in determining the applicability and amount of deductions in a spouse’s annuity pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. (4) Deductions shall not be made pursuant to subdivision (2) from that portion of a spouse’s annuity as is computed under section 231c(a) of this title for any month in which the annuity of such spouse is reduced due to entitlement to a benefit under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.]. (5) If an annuity begins to accrue on other than the first day of a month, subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection shall not apply in the year the annuity begins to accrue if the annuitant has no earnings in excess of the monthly exempt amount in such year after the annuity beginning date. (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B)— (i) that portion of the annuity for any month of an individual as is computed under section 231b(b) of this title and as adjusted under section 231b(g) of this title, plus any supplemental amount for such month under section 231b(e) of this title, and that portion of the annuity for any month of a spouse as is computed under section 231c(b) of this title and as adjusted under section 231c(d) of this title, shall each be subject to a deduction of $1 for each $2 of compensation received by such individual from compensated service rendered in such month to the last person, or persons, by whom such individual was employed before the date on which the annuity of such individual under subsection (a)(1) began to accrue; and (ii) that portion of the annuity for any month of a spouse as is computed under section 231c(b) of this title and as adjusted under section 231c(d) of this title shall be subject to a deduction of $1 for each $2 of compensation received by such spouse from compensated service rendered in such month to the last person, or persons, by whom such spouse was employed before the date on which the annuity of such spouse under subsection (c)(1) began to accrue. (B) Any deductions imposed by this subdivision for any month shall not exceed 50 percent of the annuity amount for such month to which such deductions apply. (1) No annuity shall be paid to a survivor under subsection (d) with respect to any month in which such survivor renders service for compensation as an employee of an employer. Survivors receiving annuities under subsection (d) shall report to the Board immediately all such service for compensation. (2) Deductions, in amounts and at such time or times as the Board shall determine, shall be made from any payments to which a survivor is entitled under subsection (d) until the total of such deductions equals such survivor’s annuity under that subsection for any month, if for such month such survivor would be charged with excess earnings under section 203(f) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 403(f)] or, having engaged in any activity outside the United States, would be charged under such section 203(f) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 403(f)] with any excess earnings derived from such activity if it had been an activity within the United States. For purposes of this subdivision the Board shall have the authority to take such actions and to make such determinations and such suspensions of payment of benefits in the manner and to the extent that the Secretary of Health and Human Services would be authorized to take or to make under section 203(h)(3) of the Social Security Act if the survivors were receiving the annuities to which this subdivision applies under section 202 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 402]: Provided, however, That in determining a survivor’s excess earnings for a year for the purposes of this subdivision there shall not be included his income from employment or self-employment during months beginning with the month with respect to which he ceases to be qualified for an annuity. Survivors receiving annuities under subsection (d) shall report to the Board the receipt of excess earnings described in this subdivision. (1) Repealed. Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, § 414(a), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 436. (2) The supplemental annuity provided an individual by subsection (b) shall, with respect to any month, be reduced by the amount of the supplemental pension, attributable to the employer’s contribution, that such individual is entitled to receive for that month under any other supplemental pension plan: Provided, however, That the maximum of such reduction shall be equal to the amount of the supplemental annuity less any amount by which the supplemental pension is reduced by reason of the supplemental annuity. (3) If a spouse or divorced wife entitled to an annuity under subsection (c) or a survivor entitled to an annuity under subsection (d) for any month is also entitled to annuity under subsection (a)(1) for such month, the annuity under subsection (c) or (d) shall be reduced, but not below zero, by an amount equal to the annuity under subsection (a)(1): Provided, however, That the provisions of this subdivision shall not apply if either the spouse or survivor or the individual upon whose earnings record the spouse’s or survivor’s annuity under subsection (c) or (d) is based rendered service as an employee to an employer, or as an employee representative, prior to January 1, 1975. (4) If an annuitant is entitled to more than one annuity under subsections (c) and (d) for a month, such annuitant shall be entitled to only the larger of such annuities for such month, except that, if such annuitant so elects, he shall instead be entitled to only the smaller of such annuities for such month. (i) An individual entitled to an annuity under this section who has completed five years of service, all of which accrues after 1995, but who has not completed ten years of service, and the spouse, divorced spouse, and survivors of such individual, shall not be entitled to an annuity amount provided under section 231b(a), section 231c(a), or section 231c(f) of this title unless the individual, or the individual’s spouse, divorced spouse, or survivors, would be entitled to a benefit under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] on the basis of the individual’s employment record under both this subchapter and title II of the Social Security Act.