Paper checks may be a thing of the past for U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) beneficiaries who still receive them, under a recent initiative announced by the Department of the Treasury, according to the Railroad Retirement Board. One part of the Treasury initiative would [...]
If you are planning to retire in the coming months, you are sure to have concerns and many more questions. Understanding retirement benefits, Medicare and Medigap – and, especially, assuring you obtain all you are entitled to – is no simple task. There is help, however, and S [...]
The maximum daily benefit rate payable for claims under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act increases to $66 from $64 in the new benefit year, which begins July 1, reports the Railroad Retirement Board. Benefits are normally paid for the number of days of unemployment or [...]
Railroad retirement benefits are subject to reduction if an employee with less than 30 years of service retires before attaining full retirement age. While employees with less than 30 years of service may still retire at age 62, the age at which full retirement benefits are p [...]
When Art Anderson started working for passenger railroads, the Beatles were still together, and everyone still dressed up for work, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “Things are a lot more casual these days,” said Anderson, 59, who retires next month after 42 ye [...]
UTU retiree John Hageman was recently re-elected to his fourth four-year term as city councilman in Fitzgerald, Ga. This is not surprising, since the 84-year-old Hageman’s forefathers helped found the town back in 1895. Fitzgerald is a town of about 9,500 residents in s [...]
Railroad workers should be aware that in addition to retirement annuities based on age and service, the Railroad Retirement Act also provides disability annuities for workers who become totally or occupationally disabled. Medicare coverage before age 65 is also available for [...]
By UTU GS&T Kim Thompson A recent article on the UTU Web site, headlined “Ponzi Scheme Targets Retired L.A. Bus Drivers,” reminded me of the pitfalls that our members can face in having a secure retirement. It seems you can’t watch the evening news, open a ne [...]
The 75th anniversary of the enactment of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 is being observed during 2010. Part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation, the Act was signed into law on August 29, 1935, the Railroad Retirement Board reports. It was in the [...]
Employers and employees covered by the Railroad Retirement Act pay higher retirement taxes than those covered by the Social Security Act, so that railroad retirement benefits remain higher than Social Security benefits, especially for career employees. The following questions [...]