Tag: railroad retirement board

Biden administration's plan and Congress.

Biden Administration Plans to Develop a Way for Credit Scores Not to be Affected by Medical Bills

Written by NARVRE. Posted in Alerts and News.

The last few months have been tumultuous in the White House, causing widespread speculation about a potential government shutdown. As an organization, we strongly encourage all our members to reach out to their Congress members. Urge them to prioritize funding for both Amtrak and the Railroad Retirement Board. Our mission has always been to assist elected representatives to help them understand the complexities of the railroad retirement system. It is important to note that even today, many members of Congress need to be made aware of our situation under the Railroad Retirement Act, which underscores the critical nature of our advocacy efforts.

Railroad Retirement Benefits vs. Social Security Benefits

Written by NARVRE. Posted in Alerts and News.

Back in the 1930s, there was a growing worry that the current pension programs were insufficient to provide retired railroad workers with the necessary support. Especially when they became older and unable to work. To address this concern, Congress set up a national railroad retirement system. If you are a retired railroad worker, you know your benefits differ from Social Security’s. Although both programs share some similarities, there are some notable differences in funding and benefit structure. Keep reading as we highlight some critical areas where these two retirement programs differ.

Funding for the Railroad Retirement Board

Written by NARVRE. Posted in Alerts and News.

Since the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is a federal agency, it is required to submit a fiscal year budget in preparation for the President’s yearly budget review. Present day, the Railroad Retirement Board funding is $128M. The President’s FY24 budget for the Railroad Retirement Board is $138.575M. While this is an increase, it only supports around 729 full-time employees.

New Legislation Stops Strike, Yet Leaves Railway Workers With Unfair Policies

Written by NARVRE. Posted in Alerts and News.

The possibility of a nationwide rail strike was averted, effective December 2, 2022. Realizing that a strike on our nation and overall economy could be detrimental, President Biden called for Congressional intervention. This is in accordance with the Railway Labor Act (RLA).

Why Didn’t I Receive a Cost-of-Living Adjustment?

Written by NARVRE. Posted in Alerts and News.

Annually in October, the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) announce the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the upcoming year. Every year there are questions from a new widow(er) pertaining to why they did not receive a COLA. They are worried they are not receiving their benefits properly and do not understand why others received them but did not. In some cases, due to a rise in Medicare premiums, they actually see their take-home amount lowered as well.

Looking to Work for the Railroad?

Written by NARVRE. Posted in Alerts and News.

Railroad Employment

Have you been offered a job with the railroad? Did a friend help you get the job? If so, you owe that friend a big steak dinner. Welcome to the club! The railroad is one of the best places to work in the United States, especially concerning your retirement. The railroad has one of the best retirements plans available for retiree’s and NARVRE or the National Association of Retired and Veteran Railroad Employees see to it that the railroad retirement benefits never change. NARVRE was established over 80 years ago, and its bylaws are still preserved to this day. According to RRB or Railroad Retirement Board, here are just a few benefits associated with their railroad employment and retirement benefits:

RRB Annuity and Medicare Part B 2022 Increases

Written by NARVRE. Posted in Alerts and News.

If you have been following the Railroad Retirement Board website (rrb.gov) or even the news, then you are aware of the upcoming increase in your retirement wage. Your Cost-of-Living part of your annuities will see a rise in January 2022.

Garey Faley sent a message recently explaining the facts behind the increase he says, “The Cost-of-Living increases are calculated in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 benefits included in your railroad retirement annuity. The Tier 1 benefits such as Social Security benefits, will increase by 5.9 % which equals the percentage of the CPI rise.