Hi Larry,
I qualify for an ex-spousal reduced RRR Benefit (37% at 62) however, my own reduded Social Security benefits at 62 amount to a higher monthly benefit than the ex-spouse RRR benefit, am I still allowed to collect the reduced RRR benefit at 62 and wait until my full Retirement SS amount at 66.4 ?

Hi,

My mother is collecting railroad retirement benefits because of my father's employment. He is deceased since 1978. My mother worked many years and payed into social security. Isn't she entitled to collect social security benefits as well?

Hi,

My husband worked for the BNSF for 32 years and is currently on disability. He will be 65 in four years. I will be 65 in five years. My question is - I have been working and earning my own income off and on for about 20 years. When I turn 65 can I draw SS and Railroad Retirement?

Hi,

I am 60 and eligible for RR retirement at age 62. My wife is 2 years older than me. Can she draw SS from 62-64 and then switch to RR Retirement (spousal portion)?

Hi,

Yes, your wife could take reduced retirement benefits on her own record at 62, assuming that she qualifies, and then later get Railroad spousal benefits. I can't tell you whether or not that's her best strategy, though.

Hi Larry, thanks for your help,

Statement: I'm 58 and have worked a combined 2.5 years for three different rail roads in my life time, otherwise I have worked and paid into social security. I am thinking of taking a job with the UP for approximately 8 years to get a RR pension and retire at 66.

Question: Since I have so many years paying into regular SS for 38.5 years, will I be able to collect SS along with the RR pension which would be a total of 10.5 years...or, will all my SS benefits be transferred to the RR pension for a larger pension?

Hi, I spent most of my career contributing to Social Security but for the last 6 1/2 years I have been working for a labor organization that pays into the Railroad pension. I am going to retire this year at age 64. Can I take a reduced Social Security benefit until I turn 66 then apply to Railroad pension and get the unreduced Tier I and II benefits from the Railroad?

Hi,

I will be eligible for a divorced spouse annuity from the railroad retirement board at age 62 (I am currently 55). Can I collect my own social security at age 62 and wait until some later age (say, 70) to stop collecting my social security and start collecting the RRB annuity? (Is this what is meant by file and suspend?) Thank you for your help.

Hi,

Larry, I am asking for my mother, age 90, soon to be 91. She retired from a local school system with benefits from Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System. What bothers her most is all her years of paying into the Social Security and has be advised that she cannot receive that because see is under my deceased father's Railroad Retirement Benefits. Can you a clear up this matter for her and me, I suppose????

Thank you in advance;
Mary

Hi Mary,

Does Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 apply to me? I turned 62 in February 2016, retired in March of 2016. I collect divorced spousal benefits from RR Retirement Board since April 2016, and plan to collect my SS when I turn 66 and stop collecting the RR Retirement benefit. Can I continue?

Hi,

I retired at age 62 with RRB. I am now 67 soon to be 68. I worked for the RR for 13 years which ended in 2000. I worked strictly under SS after that until retirement. I have never applied for SSI. When I called today I asked what my monthly benefit would be. I was told by SSA that it would be about $300.00 more per month than what my tier 1 benefit is from RR. This almost sounds to good to be true! Would there be a possibility they would reduce my SSI because of taking early retirement benefit from RRB? Thanks for any help.