Social Insurance and Public Assistance

SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS Series Bf746–761 817
Retirement and survivor
monthly benefits awarded Monthly benefits in current payment status Benefit payments
Lump-sum Retirement Total lump-
Railroad death benefits annuities and Spouse Total survivor sum survivor
employees Recipients Total Retirees Spouse Survivors Total Retirees Spouse Survivors awarded Total pensions annuities annuities payments
Bf746 Bf747 Bf748 Bf749 Bf750 Bf751 Bf752 Bf753 Bf754 Bf755 Bf756 Bf757 Bf758 Bf759 Bf760 Bf761
Fiscal year Thousand Thousand Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Million dollars Million dollars Million dollars Million dollars Million dollars
1980 532 — 83,476 40,511 22,268 20,697 1,203,006 639,314 233,916 329,776 — 4,730.6 2,754.9 634.9 1,327.2 15.6
1981 503 — 82,854 41,176 21,346 20,321 1,202,364 641,787 233,977 326,427 — 5,286.6 3,070.7 709.1 1,492.8 13.6
1982 440 — 84,395 39,985 21,613 22,787 1,200,427 642,640 234,009 323,621 — 5,725.6 3,342.1 755.9 1,617.0 13.8
1983 395 — 81,260 38,687 20,231 22,323 1,193,226 640,985 232,367 319,730 — 6,041.1 3,548.7 805.5 1,676.1 10.6
1984 395 — 72,237 33,176 18,587 20,461 1,182,606 635,821 230,433 316,218 — 6,099.9 3,602.6 815.2 1,670.8 10.8
1985 372 — 68,334 31,316 18,286 18,720 1,165,202 626,521 227,284 311,274 — 6,251.0 3,699.8 839.6 1,702.4 11.3
1986 342 — 69,330 31,875 17,850 19,590 1,151,861 619,548 224,642 307,551 — 6,329.5 3,760.6 847.4 1,711.9 9.3
1987 320 — 68,224 32,903 18,040 17,271 1,139,782 614,024 222,303 303,342 — 6,520.3 3,897.4 876.2 1,737.0 9.5
1988 312 — 67,057 32,297 17,776 16,973 1,124,645 607,088 220,093 297,264 — 6,675.9 4,017.6 897.4 1,752.9 9.7
1989 308 — 66,572 30,403 19,583 16,577 1,111,630 600,065 220,483 290,977 — 6,938.6 4,198.0 942.9 1,789.5 7.9
1990 296 — 60,743 27,689 17,036 16,006 1,094,112 590,660 218,475 284,878 — 7,194.6 4,376.5 980.4 1,829.6 8.1
1991 285 — 55,181 24,434 15,641 15,096 1,074,199 579,377 215,733 278,993 — 7,490.8 4,573.5 1,019.7 1,890.9 8.0
1992 276 — 52,298 23,277 14,442 14,566 1,050,546 566,804 212,036 271,619 — 7,693.9 4,705.1 1,048.8 1,933.1 6.7
1993 271 — 49,014 20,691 12,719 15,597 1,024,439 552,339 206,967 265,050 — 7,872.3 4,825.7 1,070.4 1,969.1 6.8
1994 266 — 44,378 19,205 11,847 13,315 998,280 536,856 201,327 258,014 — 7,978.9 4,890.7 1,088.3 1,993.6 7.2
1995 265 — 42,072 17,771 10,407 13,886 967,175 521,400 195,082 250,611 — 8,059.2 4,963.1 1,079.7 2,009.5 6.3
1996 257 — 38,635 16,707 9,576 12,343 936,428 505,483 188,281 242,581 — 8,113.6 5,013.3 1,075.9 2,018.5 6.8
1997 253 — 38,293 16,788 9,175 12,323 906,741 490,448 181,399 234,816 — 8,205.7 5,091.0 1,075.3 2,033.8 5.9
(Z) Series Bf751 and Bf755, fewer than 500 benefits. Series Bf760–761, less than $500,000.
Sources
The Railroad Retirement Board Statistical Supplement to 1980 Annual Report,Tables B-1, B-2, B-3; The Railroad
Retirement Board: Statistical Tables Through FY 1990,Tables B-1, B-2, B-3; The Railroad Retirement Board: Statistical
Tables Through FY 1998,Tables B-1, B-2, B-3, D-1 (available from the Internet site of the Railroad
Retirement Board).
Documentation
The Railroad Retirement and Carriers’ Taxing Act of 1937 established the railroad retirement system
forrailroad employees as a program separate from the Social Security system. The 1937 Act provided
annuities to retired employees based on their earnings and service. The system was to be administered
by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. Annuities were paid at age 65 or later regardless of length of
service, although persons between the ages of 60 and 64 could receive benefits (at reduced levels)
after thirty years of service. Disabled workers could receive a full annuity for disability only if they
were totally and permanently disabled and had thirty years of service. Persons between the ages of
60 and 64 could receive a reduced annuity after less than thirty years of service. Under the 1937 Act,
survivor benefits were limited to a lump sum of 4 percent of the employee’s creditable earnings, less any
previously made annuity payments. The system was financed by taxes on employers and employees.
Initially, employers and employees each contributed 2.75 percent of an employee’s earnings up to $300
monthly.
Amendments in 1946 lessened the restrictions on disability payments and divided jurisdiction for
survivor’s benefits between the Railroad Retirement Board and the Social Security Administration. In
1951, further amendments added annuities for the spouses of retired railroad employees and made
provisions for Social Security to assume the jurisdiction of benefits for employees with less than ten
years of railroad service. The intention of the latter amendments was to ensure that Railroad Retirement
benefits would be no less than the benefits that would be given under Social Security for similar
service. In 1965, the Railroad Retirement tax base was coordinated with that of Social Security, and
Medicare benefits were extended to railroad retirees and their families.
The Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 restructured the original act into a two-tier system of benefits
in order to eliminate duplications in Railroad Retirement and Social Security benefits. The first
tier takes into account both Railroad Retirement and nonrailroad Social Security credits and provides
benefits equal to Social Security benefits. The second tier focuses on railroad service exclusively and
provides benefits comparable to those in other industries with pension systems that provide benefits
over and above Social Security. Subsequent amendments in the 1980s and 1990s changed some eligibility
requirements as well as employer and employee tax contributions.
For a complete, detailed history of the Railroad Retirement System, see the U.S. Railroad Retirement
Board’s Railroad Retirement Handbook, available at its Internet site.
Series Bf746. Represents the mid-monthly calendar year average of the number of railroad employees.
Series Bf748. Includes annuities to parents from 1981 forward.
Series Bf757. Includes a small amount of payments for Hospital Insurance benefits for services in
Canada.
Series Bf755. Includes annuities temporarily being paid at spouse annuity rates, pending final adjudication
of survivor annuities.
Series Bf759. Beginning in 1982, includes divorced spouse annuities. Further disaggregated information
is available from the Railroad Retirement Board.
Series Bf760. Includes survivor (option) and parents’ annuities.