Railroad retirement annuitants subject to earnings restrictions can earn more in 2019 without having their benefits reduced as a result of increases in earnings limits indexed to average national wage increases.
Like social security benefits, some railroad retirement benefit payments are subject to deductions if an annuitant’s earnings exceed certain exempt amounts. These earnings restrictions apply to those who have not attained full social security retirement age. For employee and spouse annuitants, full retirement age ranges from age 65 for those born before 1938 to age 67 for those born in 1960 or later. For survivor annuitants, full retirement age ranges from age 65 for those born before 1940 to age 67 for those born in 1962 or later.
For those under full retirement age throughout 2019, the exempt earnings amount rises to $17,640 from $17,040 in 2018. For beneficiaries attaining full retirement age in 2019, the exempt earnings amount, for the months before the month full retirement age is attained, increases to $46,920 in 2019 from $45,360 in 2018.
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