Will I Lose My Railroad Retirement Survivor Annuity If I Start My Social Security?

Railroad Retirement Mailbag: Will Claiming Social Security at 70 Affect a Railroad Retirement Widow’s Annuity?

Welcome back to the Highball Advisors Railroad Retirement Mailbag! Today’s question comes from Nina R., who asks:

“I am now 70. Should I start drawing my Social Security? Will that reduce my Railroad Retirement widow’s pension? According to my Social Security statement, I would receive more from Social Security than from my current Tier I benefit. I just don’t want to jeopardize my only income.”

This is an excellent and very important question for railroad widows evaluating their options at age 70.

1. Your Railroad Retirement ‘widow pension’ is a survivor annuity

When you refer to a widow pension, the Railroad Retirement Board calls this a survivor annuity. It includes two parts:

• Tier I, which is coordinated with Social Security
• Tier II, which is unique to the Railroad Retirement system

2. At age 70, your Social Security benefit is fully maximized

If you haven’t claimed Social Security yet, your benefit has been increasing by 8% per year past your Full Retirement Age. By 70, you've reached your maximum benefit — and in many cases, that number can be significantly higher than a widow’s Tier I survivor amount.

3. If your own Social Security benefit is higher than your Tier I survivor benefit, you can switch

This is an important strategy:

• If your own Social Security benefit is greater than the Tier I portion of your survivor annuity,
• You can switch to your own Social Security benefit.

And you will still continue to receive the Tier II portion of your survivor annuity.

This means you do not lose everything—you simply replace the Tier I survivor benefit with your higher Social Security benefit while keeping Tier II intact.

For many widows, this results in significantly higher total monthly income.

4. Contact the Railroad Retirement Board for guidance

The RRB can walk you through the process and confirm which option gives you the highest benefit. It’s absolutely worth the call to ensure you transition smoothly and don’t miss out on income you're entitled to.

Want to understand how survivor benefits are calculated?

Check out the video “How Your Monthly Railroad Retirement Survivor Annuity Is Computed.” It explains the Tier I and Tier II components and helps you understand the math behind your benefits.

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s Mailbag! If you have a question you'd like answered, feel free to send it in.

Until next time—stay safe, stay on track, and take care!

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Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information and illustration purposes only. Nothing contained in the material constitutes tax advice, a recommendation for purchase or sale of any security, or investment advisory services. Highball Advisors encourages you to consult a financial planner, accountant, and/or legal counsel for advice specific to your situation. Reproduction of this material is prohibited without written permission from Highball Advisors, and all rights are reserved from Highball Advisors, and all rights are reserved.