Final rule · 2026-10078

Annuity Beginning and Ending Dates

The Railroad Retirement Board amends its regulations to remove limitations on the beginning date of an employee annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act based on attaining age 60 with 30 years of railroad service. As currently written, the regulation requires a claimant to accept a reduced monthly benefit in order to begin the annuity on the first day of the first full month in which the claimant attains age 60. This requirement is no longer consistent with the statutory criteria in the Railroad Retirement Act for the earliest annuity beginning date permitted by law and is therefore facially unlawful.