45 U.S.C. § 231e — Lump sum payments

submitted 91 years ago by Pub. L. 93-445 to r/title-45-RAILROADS · 3,746 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

This law decides who receives a railroad worker's retirement money that was still owed when the worker died. It sets an order — usually spouse, then children, grandchildren, parents, or siblings — for paying unpaid benefits. It also creates several special lump-sum payments for workers who die without full retirement benefits.

(a) Who gets money the person didn't receive before they died (1) If a retiree's regular annuity or extra "supplemental" annuity came due but wasn't paid before the retiree died, the money goes to the retiree's widow or widower — but only if that widow or widower was living with the retiree when the retiree died, and only if the widow or widower doesn't die before getting paid. If there's no such widow or widower, the money goes instead to whoever paid the retiree's burial costs, split in proportion to what each person paid, as long as they haven't already been paid back for those costs some other way. If no one qualifies that way, or if the payment is bigger than the burial costs, the rest goes to the retiree's children, grandchildren, parents, or siblings — split the same way as the lump-sum payment described in subsection (c)(1). (2) The same rules apply to a survivor's annuity that came due but wasn't paid before the survivor died: pay the employee's widow or widower first (if living with the employee at death), then the employee's children, grandchildren, parents, or siblings. (3) If a spouse's or divorced wife's annuity came due but wasn't paid before she died, the money goes to the employee whose work created the annuity — as long as the employee is still alive to receive it. If the employee has also died, the money is paid the same way as in (1). (4) Anyone applying for these unpaid annuities must file within two years after the person who was owed the money died. (5) If nobody qualifies to receive any part of the payment, that part goes to the Railroad Retirement Account instead — it "escheats," meaning it becomes the Account's money. (6) For deciding who counts as a "widow" or "widower" who was living with the employee, the Board uses the same rules the Social Security Act used before 1957. (7) To decide if someone really is a widow, widower, child, or parent, the Board follows Social Security Act rules. To decide if someone is a grandchild, brother, or sister, the Board uses the inheritance law of the state where the employee lived when they died (or Washington, D.C., if the employee didn't live in any state). Anyone who would inherit personal property under that law the way a grandchild, brother, or sister would counts as one. (b) Lump sums based on the old 1937 law and Social Security rules (1) If a worker had 10 or more years of railroad service before January 1, 1975, and still had a "current connection" to the railroad industry when they died, their survivors get a lump sum calculated under the old Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 rules (as they stood on December 31, 1974), based on the worker's compensation and Social Security wages before 1975. This payment is calculated as if the worker died on January 1, 1975. No lump sum is paid if the worker left a surviving divorced wife who could instead get a monthly annuity under section 231a(d). (2) If a worker didn't reach 10 years of service before 1975, but had reached 10 years (or 5 or more years all earned after 1995) by the time they died, still had a current railroad connection, and left no widow, divorced wife, widower, child, or parent eligible for a monthly annuity, a lump-sum death payment is made using the Social Security Act's own lump-sum death benefit formula, as if the worker's railroad service had counted as regular Social Security "employment." There's also a make-up payment: if a widow or widower would have gotten this lump sum except that a survivor got a monthly annuity instead, and the annuities paid within the first year (after required deductions) add up to less than the lump sum would have been, the Board pays the widow or widower the difference. (c) Lump sum when no other benefits will ever be paid (1) If it turns out no benefits — or no more benefits, other than benefits a widow, widower, or parent might become eligible for later — will ever be paid for a deceased employee under this law or Social Security, a lump sum (figured under paragraph (2)) is paid. It goes to whoever the employee named in a writing filed with the Board before death. If no one was named, it goes, in this order, to: (i) the widow or widower who was living with the employee at death; (ii) if none, to the employee's children; (iii) if none, to grandchildren; (iv) if none, to parents; (v) if none, to brothers and sisters; (vi) if none of the above, to the employee's estate. Exception: if a widow, widower, or parent survives who might later qualify for benefits, the lump sum isn't paid to them unless they sign an irrevocable election giving up all future benefits in exchange for the lump sum. Once that election is made and the lump sum paid, no further benefits are paid based on that employee's work — except the electing person keeps any Social Security insurance benefit they would have earned on their own, apart from the railroad job. (2) The lump sum amount is worked out by adding a percentage of the employee's compensation and taxes across several time periods — 4% before 1947, 7% from 1947 through 1958, 7.5% from 1959 through 1961, 8% from 1962 through 1965, plus all the specific railroad retirement taxes the employee paid from 1966 through 1974, plus a small extra percentage, treating military service pay as taxable compensation — and then subtracting all benefits already paid to the employee or their survivors under this law, the 1937 Act, or Social Security. Several kinds of payments are left out of that subtraction, such as payments to healthcare providers, supplemental annuities, and certain wage-based increases. Only compensation up to a monthly cap counts in this math, and the cap rises over the years, from $300 a month up to a formula tied to the current Social Security tax cap after September 1965. (3) If administrative error caused a divorced wife to receive benefits that should have been blocked by a lump-sum payment made to a widow, the divorced wife can keep the benefits going forward if she agrees to repay the lump sum. The Board can withhold up to 10% of each of her payments made after October 21, 1998, to collect the repayment, and can waive repayment if collecting it would cause unfair financial hardship. (d) Lump sum for workers who don't qualify for certain other annuity amounts (1) A worker with 10 or more years of service who doesn't meet the special requirements in section 231b(h)(1) or (2) gets a lump sum (figured under paragraph (2)) when their regular annuity starts. If the worker dies before that happens, or before receiving the payment, it goes to their widow or widower (if living with them at death and not also deceased before payment), or otherwise to children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, or the estate, in the same order as subsection (c)(1). (2) This lump sum adds up small percentages — from 1.5% up to 4.95% — of the worker's earnings above a yearly dollar threshold, calculated separately for each year from 1951 through 1974, with both the percentage and the threshold changing almost every year. "Combined earnings" means railroad compensation plus Social Security wages and self-employment income. (e) Extra lump sum for workers whose severance pay affected their service credit (1) A worker with 10 or more years of service (or 5 or more years all after 1995) who received severance or separation pay on or after January 1, 1985, and who would have gotten extra months of service credit for that pay except that they weren't actively working for a railroad employer during those months, gets an extra lump sum (figured under paragraph (2)) when their annuity starts, or later, once the amount can be worked out. If the worker dies first, the payment goes to the widow or widower, or otherwise to children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, or the estate, in the same order as subsection (c)(1). (2) This lump sum equals the compensation attributable to those extra service months, multiplied by the tax rate that would have applied to that compensation under the Railroad Retirement Tax Act.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

(a) Eligible annuities; applications; reversion; determination of status of recipient

(1)

Annuities under section 231a(a)(1) of this title and supplemental annuities under section 231a(b) of this title which will have become due an individual but will not have been paid at the time of such individual’s death shall be payable to the person, if any, who is determined by the Board to be such individual’s widow or widower and to have been living with such individual at the time of such individual’s death and who will not have died before receiving payment of such annuities. If there be no such widow or widower, such annuities shall be payable to any person or persons, equitably entitled thereto, to the extent and in the proportions that he or they shall have paid the expenses of burial of such individual, and to the extent that he or they will not have been reimbursed under subsection (b) of this section for having paid such expenses. If there be no person or persons so entitled, or if the total of such annuities exceeds the amount payable under this subdivision to such person or persons, such total, or the remainder thereof, as the case may be, shall be paid to the children, grandchildren, parents, or brothers and sisters of the deceased individual in the same manner as if such annuities were a lump sum payable under subsection (c)(1) of this section.

(2)

Annuities under section 231a(d) of this title which will have become due a survivor of an employee but will not have been paid at the time of such survivor’s death shall be payable to the person, if any, who is determined by the Board to be such employee’s widow or widower and to have been living with such employee at the time of the employee’s death and who will not have died before receiving payment of such annuities. If there be no such widow or widower, such annuities shall be payable to the children, grandchildren, parents, or brothers and sisters of the deceased employee in the same manner as if such unpaid annuities were a lump sum payable under subsection (c)(1) of this section.

(3)

Annuities under section 231a(c) of this title which will have become due a spouse or divorced wife of an individual but which will not have been paid at the time of such spouse’s or divorced wife’s death shall be payable to the individual from whose employment such annuities derived and who will not have died before receiving payment of such annuities. If there be no such individual, such annuities shall be paid as provided in the last two sentences of subdivision (1) of this subsection as if such annuities were annuities due to an individual but unpaid at the time of such individual’s death.

(4)

Applications for accrued and unpaid annuities provided for in the preceding subdivisions of this subsection shall be filed prior to the expiration of two years after the death of the person to whom such annuities were originally due.

(5)

If there is no person to whom all or any part of the payments described in subdivision (1), (2), or (3) can be made, such payment or part thereof shall escheat to the credit of the Railroad Retirement Account.

(6)

For the purposes of this subsection and subsection (c) of this section, a widow or widower of an individual shall be deemed to have been living with the individual at the time of the individual’s death if the applicable conditions set forth in section 216(h)(2) or (3) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(h)(2) or (3)], as in effect before 1957, are fulfilled.

(7)

In determining for purposes of this subsection and subsections (c) and (d) of this section whether an applicant is the widow, widower, child, or parent of an employee as claimed, the rules set forth in section 216(h) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(h)] shall be applied. In determining for purposes of this subsection and subsections (c) and (d) of this section whether an applicant is the grandchild, brother, or sister of an employee as claimed, the Board shall apply such law as would be applied in determining the devolution of intestate personal property by the courts of the State in which such employee was domiciled at the time of his death, or if such employee was not so domiciled in any State by the courts of the District of Columbia. Applicants who according to such law would have the same status relative to taking personal property as a grandchild, brother, or sister shall be deemed such.

(b) Payments in accordance with Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 and Social Security Act

(1)

Upon the death of an individual who will have completed ten years of service prior to January 1, 1975, and will have had a current connection with the railroad industry at the time of his death, a lump-sum payment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 5(f)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 228e(f)(1)] as in effect on December 31, 1974, in an amount, if any, which would have been payable under such section on the basis of (A) the individual’s compensation after December 31, 1936, and prior to January 1, 1975, and (B) the individual’s wages (as defined in section 209 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 409]) prior to January 1, 1975. Any lump sum payable under this subdivision shall be in an amount computed as if the individual had died on January 1, 1975. No lump sum shall be payable under this subdivision if the employee died leaving a surviving divorced wife who would on proper application therefore be entitled to receive an annuity under section 231a(d) of this title for the month in which the employee’s death occurred.

(2)

Upon the death of an individual who will not have completed ten years of service prior to January 1, 1975, but who (i) will have completed ten years of service (or five or more years of service, all of which accrues after December 31, 1995) at the time of his death, (ii) will have had a current connection with the railroad industry at the time of his death, and (iii) will have died leaving no widow, surviving divorced wife, widower, child, or parent who would on proper application therefor be entitled to receive an annuity under section 231a(d) of this title for the month in which such death occurred, a lump-sum death payment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 202(i) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 402(i)] in an amount equal to the amount which would have been payable under such section 202(i) if such individual’s service as an employee after December 31, 1936, were included in the term “employment” as defined in that Act. If a lump sum would be payable to a widow or widower under this subdivision except for the fact that a survivor will have been entitled to receive an annuity for the month in which the individual will have died, but within one year after the individual’s death there will not have accrued to survivors of the individual, by reason of his death, annuities which, after all deductions pursuant to section 231a(g) and 231a(h) of this title, are equal to such lump sum, a payment equal to the amount by which such lump sum exceeds such annuities so accrued after such deductions shall then nevertheless be made under this subdivision to the widow or widower to whom a lump sum would have been payable under this subdivision except for the fact that a monthly benefit under section 231a(d) of this title was payable for the month in which the individual died, if such widow or widower will not have died before receiving payment of such lump sum.

(1)

Whenever it shall appear, with respect to the death of an employee, that no benefits, or no further benefits (other than benefits payable to a widow, widower, or parent under either this subchapter or the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] upon attaining the age of eligibility therefor at a future date) will be payable under this subchapter or under the Social Security Act, a lump sum in an amount computed under subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be paid to such person or persons as the deceased employee may have designated by a writing filed with the Board prior to his or her death, or if there be no designation, to the following person (or, if more than one, in equal shares to the persons) whose relationship to the deceased employee will have been determined by the Board and who will not have died before receiving payment of the lump sum provided for in this subdivision—

(i)

the widow or widower of the deceased employee who was living with such employee at the time of such employee’s death; or

(ii)

if there be no such widow or widower, to any child or children of such employee; or

(iii)

if there be no such widow, widower, or child, to any grandchild or grandchildren of such employee; or

(iv)

if there be no such widow, widower, child, or grandchild, to any parent or parents of such employee; or

(v)

if there be no such widow, widower, child, grandchild, or parent, to any brother or sister of such employee; or

(vi)

if there be no such widow, widower, child, grandchild, parent, brother, or sister, to the estate of such employee:

Provided, however, That if the employee is survived by a widow, widower, or parent who may upon attaining the age of eligibility be entitled to benefits under this subchapter or under the Social Security Act, such lump sum shall not be paid unless such widow, widower, or parent makes and files with the Board an irrevocable election, in such form as the Board may prescribe, to have such lump sum be paid in lieu of all benefits to which such widow, widower, or parent might otherwise become entitled under this subchapter on the basis of the deceased employee’s compensation and years of service or under the Social Security Act on the basis of the deceased employee’s wages from (A) employment with an employer as defined in section 231(a) of this title or (B) service as an employee representative as defined in section 231(c) of this title. Any election made and filed by a widow, widower, or parent pursuant to this subdivision shall be legally effective according to its terms. After a lump sum with respect to the death of an employee is paid pursuant to an election filed with the Board under the provisions of this subsection, no further benefits shall be paid (other than to a survivor in the circumstances described in paragraph (3)) under this subchapter or the Social Security Act on the basis of such employee’s compensation and service under this subchapter, except that nothing in this subchapter or the Social Security Act shall operate to deprive a widow, widower, or parent making such election of any insurance benefit under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] to which such individual would have been entitled if the employee had not rendered service as an employee under this subchapter.

(2)

The lump sum provided under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be in an amount equal to (A) the sum of 4 per centum of the deceased employee’s compensation paid after December 31, 1936, and prior to January 1, 1947, plus 7 per centum of such employee’s compensation paid after December 31, 1946, and before January 1, 1959, plus 7½ per centum of such employee’s compensation paid after December 31, 1958, and before January 1, 1962, plus 8 per centum of such employee’s compensation paid after December 31, 1961, and before January 1, 1966, plus an amount equal to the total of all employee taxes payable by such employee after December 31, 1965, and before January 1, 1975, under the provisions of section 3201 of the Railroad Retirement Tax Act [26 U.S.C. 3201] (excluding, for this purpose, the amount of the employee tax attributable to that portion of the tax rate derived from section 3101(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 3101(b)]), plus one-half of 1 per centum of the compensation on which such taxes were payable, deeming the compensation attributable to creditable military service after June 30, 1963, and before January 1, 1975, to be taxable compensation, and one-half of the taxes payable by an employee representative under section 3211 of the Railroad Retirement Tax Act [26 U.S.C. 3211] to be employee taxes under section 3201 of such Act, minus (B) the sum of all benefits paid to such employee, and to others deriving from such employee, during his or her life, or to others by reason of his or her death, under this subchapter, the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 228a et seq.], or the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] (excluding, for this purpose, payments to providers of services under section 231f(d) of this title or section 21 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 228s–2], any supplemental annuity payments made to the employee under section 231a(b) of this title or section 3(j) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 228c(j)], any amounts by which that portion of the annuities provided the employee under section 231b(a) of this title or his spouse or divorced wife under section 231c(a) of this title were increased by reason of the employee’s wages and self-employment income derived from employment and self-employment under the Social Security Act, that portion of the annuities provided the employee under section 231b(h) of this title or his spouse under section 231c(e) of this title, and so much of the benefits paid to the employee and to others deriving from him or her under the Social Security Act during his or her lifetime as would have been payable under that Act if such employee had not rendered service as an employee as defined in section 231(b) of this title). In computing compensation for purposes of this subdivision there shall be excluded compensation in excess of $300 for any month before July 1, 1954; compensation in excess of $350 for any month after June 30, 1954, and before June 1, 1959; compensation in excess of $400 for any month after May 31, 1959, and before November 1, 1963; compensation in excess of $450 for any month after October 31, 1963, and before October 1, 1965; and compensation in excess of (i) $450 or (ii) an amount equal to one-twelfth of the current maximum annual taxable “wages” as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 3121], whichever is greater, for any month after September 30, 1965.

(3)

Notwithstanding the last sentence of paragraph (1), benefits shall be paid to a survivor who—

(A)

is a divorced wife; and

(B)

through administrative error received benefits otherwise precluded by the making of a lump sum payment under this section to a widow;

if that divorced wife makes an election to repay to the Board the lump sum payment. The Board may withhold up to 10 percent of each benefit amount paid after October 21, 1998, toward such reimbursement. The Board may waive such repayment to the extent the Board determines it would cause an unjust financial hardship for the beneficiary.

(d) Payments to recipients ineligible for certain other annuities

(1)

Every individual who will have completed ten years of service at the time of his retirement or death, but does not meet the qualifications for an annuity amount determined under the provisions of section 231b(h)(1) or 231b(h)(2) of this title, shall, at the time his annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue, be entitled to a lump sum in the amount provided under subdivision (2) of this subsection. If an individual otherwise eligible for a lump sum under this section dies before he becomes entitled to an annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title, or before he receives payment of such lump sum, such lump sum shall be payable to the person, if any, who is determined by the Board to be such individual’s widow or widower and who will not have died before receiving payment of such lump sum. If there be no such widow or widower, such lump sum shall be payable to the children, grandchildren, parents, brothers and sisters, or the estate of the deceased individual in the same manner as if such lump sum were a lump sum payable under subsection (c)(1) of this section.

(2)

The lump sum provided under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be in an amount equal to the sum of (A) 1.5 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for any calendar year after 1950 and before 1954 as is in excess of $3,600, plus (B) 2 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for any calendar year after 1953 and before 1957 as is in excess of $4,200, plus (C) 2.25 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for any calendar year after 1956 and before 1959 as is in excess of $4,200, plus (D) 2.5 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1959 as is in excess of $4,800, plus (E) 3 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for each of the calendar years 1960 and 1961 as is in excess of $4,800, plus (F) 3.125 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1962 as is in excess of $4,800, plus (G) 3.625 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for any calendar year after 1962 and before 1966 as is in excess of $5,400, plus (H) 4.2 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1966 as is in excess of $6,600, plus (I) 4.4 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1967 as is in excess of $6,600, plus (J) 3.8 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1968 as is in excess of $7,800, plus (K) 4.2 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for each of the calendar years 1969 and 1970 as is in excess of $7,800, plus (L) 4.6 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1971 as is in excess of $7,800, plus (M) 4.6 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1972 as is in excess of $9,000, plus (N) 4.85 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1973 as is in excess of $10,800, plus (O) 4.95 per centum of so much of such individual’s combined earnings for the calendar year 1974 as is in excess of $13,200. For purposes of this subsection, the term “combined earnings” shall include “compensation” as defined in section 1(h) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 228a(h)], “wages” as defined in section 209 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 409], and “self-employment” income as defined in section 211(b) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 411(b)].

(e) Additional lump sum payment in certain cases

(1)

Every individual who will have completed ten years of service (or five or more years of service, all of which accrues after December 31, 1995) at the time of his retirement or death, who will have received compensation in the nature of separation or severance pay on or after January 1, 1985, and who would have been credited with additional months of service pursuant to section 231b(i)(4) of this title except for the fact that such individual was not in an employment relation to one or more employers nor an employee representative in such months, shall, at the time his annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue, be entitled to a lump sum in the amount provided under subdivision (2) of this subsection. If the full amount of a lump sum under this subsection cannot be determined at the time an individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue, such lump sum shall be payable at such time thereafter as such amount can be determined. If an individual otherwise eligible for a lump sum under this section dies before he becomes entitled to an annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title, or before he receives payment of such lump sum, such lump sum shall be payable to the person, if any, who is determined by the Board to be such individual’s widow or widower and who will not have died before receiving payment of such lump sum. If there be no such widow or widower, such lump sum shall be payable to the children, grandchildren, parents, brothers and sisters, or the estate of the deceased individual in the same manner as if such lump sum were a lump sum payable under subsection (c)(1) of this section.

(2)

The lump sum provided under subdivision (l) 1 of this subsection shall be in an amount equal to the product of (A) the compensation attributable to the additional months of service which would have been credited to the individual due to the receipt of payments in the nature of separation or severance pay pursuant to section 231b(i)(4) of this title if such individual had remained in an employment relation to one or more employers or had continued to be an employee representative and (B) the rate of tax, or rates of tax, imposed on the compensation described in clause (A) of this subdivision by section 3201(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 3201(b)].

Source credit: (Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 812, § 6, as restated June 24, 1937, ch. 382, pt. I, 50 Stat. 307, as restated Pub. L. 93–445, title I, § 101, Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1334; amended Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, § 1121, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 637; Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, § 408, Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 435; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 100–647, title VII, § 7301, Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3776; Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(f) [title VII, § 709(a)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–337, 2681–391; Pub. L. 107–90, title I, § 103(i)(1), (4), Dec. 21, 2001, 115 Stat. 882.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1935Enacted · Pub. L. 93-445 · 50 Stat. 307
1981Amended · Pub. L. 97-35 · 95 Stat. 637
1983Amended · Pub. L. 98-76 · 97 Stat. 435
1986Amended · Pub. L. 99-514 · 100 Stat. 2095
1988Amended · Pub. L. 100-647 · 102 Stat. 3776
1998Amended · Pub. L. 105-277 · 112 Stat. 2681
2001Amended · Pub. L. 107-90 · 115 Stat. 882

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 93-445 on 1935-08-29.

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