Hi Larry. I stared working for Amtrak in 2015. I was 48 years old at tgat time. When I turn 60 I'll have 11 years on the railroad. Will I get my railroad retirement along with my social security or will it be one or the other. I have gotten so many different answers and I just want to know my options. Thank yiu!

Hi,

i have received social security disability for many many years, my husband retired from the rail road, just about 3 years ago, All of a sudden the rail road had taken over paying my medicare part B deductible at a much higher amount!! IF however, they tell me, i let them ( the rail road retirement board ) take over paying my SSI to me, they will lower the deductible again. is this bribe? am being punished for not letting them pay my SSI? what gives?

Hi,

Hi Larry,

Hi, I am a wife of a RR worker and 2 years older. My question is that I would like to retire at 55 (I do have roth ira and s@p 500 plus my own 401k) could I collect my own SS starting at 55 then when i am 64 start to collect on my husbands pension and stop receiving SS? I know you cannot do both at the same time and technically I wouldn't be. But at least I could get some of what I have worked for and not just throw it away.

Hi,

Hello Larry, my apologies but I forgot to include some information in a previous question (pasted below). I am actually elidgible for both SS and RR having worked 26 years under SS and the last 10 years under RR. I am 59. At 62 can I file for early payment under SS but then at full retirement age 66.5 switch to a payment under RR in order to receive an unreduced payout?.
My previous question was related, but focused on me claiming a spousal SS payout at 66. See below. Thanks much!
Hello Sir,

Larry:

My husband worked for the railroad for 30 years and now gets railroad retirement. As a result, I also get railroad retirement. Can I also get social security?

Hi,

I retired from home depot in august 2013. IN 2015 I needed to go back to work I went back to home depot. I was only gettin tier 2 railroad which was 488.13 a month. When i went back to work for home depot railroad said they had to cut the 488.13 in half . My husband retired from the railroad after 36 years. I do not think thats right to do that.

Hi,

I am 61 1/2 and had my first job 45 years ago. 10 1/2 years of that was for a railroad. So, I am entitled to both Social Security benefits and RRB benefits once I reach age 62. I was told I could start taking Social Security benefits at age 62, continue to work, and wait until my full retirement age (66 years, 4 months) and then retire from Railroad Retirement to get the larger retirement benefit. Can you confirm this for me please? Does taking Social Security at 62 in any way affect the RRB tier I benefit I would be entitled to receive at full retirement age? Thank you.

At age 62 will I be able to receive divorced spousal benefits from the railroad and at retirement age draw my social security benefits?

Hi,

Potentially, yes. However, you can only receive the higher of your Social Security benefit rate or your Tier 1 Railroad rate, not both simultaneously. In addition to the higher of those 2 rates, you could be paid any Tier 2 Railroad benefits to which you are entitled.

I have a unique situation. I retired at the age of 60 from 25 years of teaching in Michigan. I am married to a retired railroad man who worked for 42 years. When I retired I began collecting approximately 1/2 the amount my husband received from Railroad Retretirement. I will be 70 in August. I just received my SS Benefit schedule that says that at 70 I would receive $2,190 in SS. I currently receive $1418 in RR retirement, a $772 difference. Can I now apply for SS at 70 or does my starting RR retirement at 60 end that possibility?