Railroad Retirement Board News

No Railroad Retirement benefit increase in 2010; Most retiree earnings limits remain at 2009 levels

Written by The Railroad Retirement Board Wednesday, 21 October 2025 00:00

CHICAGO — Railroad retirement annuities, like social security benefits, will not increase in January 2010 as there was no increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the third quarter of last year to the corresponding period of the current year.

Also, because there is no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), social security law prohibits an increase in the amounts social security and railroad retirement beneficiaries subject to earnings restrictions can earn in 2010 without having their benefits reduced.

For those under full retirement age throughout 2010, the exempt earnings amount remains at $14,160. For beneficiaries attaining full retirement age in 2010, the exempt earnings amount, for the months before the month full retirement age is attained, remains at $37,680 in 2010.

Add comment (0)

Buy-outs and Railroad Retirement benefits

Written by U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Thursday, 30 July 2025 09:34

CHICAGO — Railroad employees frequently ask the Railroad Retirement Board how the acceptance of a buy-out from a railroad employer affects their future eligibility for benefits under the Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Acts. The following questions and answers provide information on this subject.

1. Would leaving railroad work and accepting a buy-out mean that an employee forfeits any future entitlement to an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act?

As long as an employee has acquired at least 120 months (10 years) of creditable rail service or 60 months (5 years) of creditable service if such service was performed after 1995, he or she would still be eligible for a regular railroad retirement annuity upon reaching retirement age, or, if totally and permanently disabled, for an annuity before retirement age, regardless of whether or not a buy-out was ever accepted.

However, if a person permanently leaves railroad employment before attaining retirement age, the employee may not be able to meet the requirements for certain other benefits, particularly the current connection requirement for annuities based on occupational, rather than total, disability and for supplemental annuities paid by the Board to career employees.

Add comment (0)

More Articles...

«
Start
Prev
1
2
Next
End
»

Page 1 of 2

National Labor College Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training

General Industry News

U.S. Class I workforce slips below 150,000 in Sept

The U.S. Class I workforce not only shrank for the second-straight month in...

One year later: is Metrolink safer now?

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — On Sept. 12, 2008, at precisely 16:22:23 (4:22 p.m.), ...

AAR News

A healthy rail network critical to the nation's re

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Association of American Railroads President and CEO...

U.S. railroads continue to post weak carload, inte

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads today reporte...

No Railroad Retirement benefit increase in 2010; M

CHICAGO — Railroad retirement annuities, like social security benefits...

Buy-outs and Railroad Retirement benefits

CHICAGO — Railroad employees frequently ask the Railroad Retirement Bo...

Federal Regulatory News

FRA to grant $115 million for rail construction

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Funds Complement President Obama’s $8 Billion Dow...

NTSB announces 2010 Most Wanted List of Safety I

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board today issu...

More in: Federal Legislation and Regulation News

Blue Dirty Yellow

Your are currently browsing this site with Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

Your current web browser must be updated to version 7 of Internet Explorer (IE7) to take advantage of all of template's capabilities.

Why should I upgrade to Internet Explorer 7? Microsoft has redesigned Internet Explorer from the ground up, with better security, new capabilities, and a whole new interface. Many changes resulted from the feedback of millions of users who tested prerelease versions of the new browser. The most compelling reason to upgrade is the improved security. The Internet of today is not the Internet of five years ago. There are dangers that simply didn't exist back in 2001, when Internet Explorer 6 was released to the world. Internet Explorer 7 makes surfing the web fundamentally safer by offering greater protection against viruses, spyware, and other online risks.

Get free downloads for Internet Explorer 7, including recommended updates as they become available. To download Internet Explorer 7 in the language of your choice, please visit the Internet Explorer 7 worldwide page.