Working for the railroad, you’re in a special position. You won’t have to go through the typical Social Security program for your benefits. Instead, you’ll use the Railroad Retirement system.
The Railroad Retirement Plan is a national plan used to provide retirement benefits to people who have worked for the U.S. Railroad. Workers won’t participate in the Social Security program, so they don’t have to worry about paying double into these two retirement programs.
The Railroad Retirement Board is in charge of overseeing the program alongside the Social Security Administration (SSA), even though railroad employees usually do not qualify for Social Security retirement. The two organizations work together to make sure that individuals are granted the correct benefits. If someone has not worked long enough at the railroad to qualify for the Railroad Retirement Plan’s coverage, then it’s possible to receive Social Security instead.
Did you know that the average retirement benefit for railroad workers is higher than with Social Security?
The average payout for an employee with a spouse is $4,078, while individual retired railroad workers earn around $2,808 monthly.
Railroad employee retirement benefits are fairly simple to understand but since they’re so rarely discussed, you may have many questions about what you qualify for and how you can better plan for your retirement in the future. Our website has more information on the Railroad Employee Retirement Plan and what it entails so that you can begin planning for your future using these benefits. With the right planning ahead of time, you should have the information you need to complete long-term care planning, retirement planning and more.
