(c) Individual’s entitlement
(1) An individual’s entitlement to an annuity under paragraph (i), (ii), or (iii) of section 231a(a)(1) of this title or to a supplemental annuity under section 231a(b) of this title shall end with the month preceding the month in which he dies.
(2) An individual’s entitlement to an annuity under paragraph (iv) or (v) of section 231a(a)(1) of this title shall end on (A) the last day of the second month following the month in which he ceases to be disabled as provided for purposes of such paragraphs, (B) the last day of the month preceding the month in which he attains retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 416(l)]) or (C) the last day of the month preceding the month in which he dies, whichever first occurs.
(3) The entitlement of a spouse of an individual to an annuity under section 231a(c) of this title shall end on the last day of the month preceding the month in which (A) the spouse or the individual dies, (B) the spouse and the individual are absolutely divorced, or (C) in the case of a wife who does not satisfy the requirements of clause (ii)(A) or (ii)(B) of section 231a(c)(1) of this title (other than a wife who is receiving such annuity by reason of an election under section 231a(c)(2) of this title), such wife no longer has in her care a child described in clause (ii)(C) of section 231a(c)(1) of this title, whichever first occurs. The entitlement of the divorced wife of an individual to an annuity under section 231a(c) of this title shall end on the last day of the month preceding the month in which (A) the divorced wife or the individual dies or (B) the divorced wife remarries.
(4) The entitlement of a widow or widower of a deceased employee to an annuity under paragraph (i) of section 231a(d)(1) of this title on the basis of age shall end on (A) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she or he dies or (B) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she or he remarries after the employee’s death, whichever first occurs.
(5) The entitlement of a widow or widower of a deceased employee to an annuity under paragraph (i) of section 231a(d)(1) of this title on the basis of disability shall end on (A) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she or he dies, (B) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she or he remarries after the employee’s death, (C) the last day of the second month following the month in which she or he ceases to be disabled as provided for purposes of such paragraph, or (D) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she or he attains age 60, whichever first occurs.
(6) The entitlement of a widow of a deceased employee to an annuity under paragraph (ii) of section 231a(d)(1) of this title shall end on (A) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she dies, (B) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she remarries after the employee’s death, or (C) the last day of the month preceding the month in which she no longer has in her care a child described in clause (B) of such paragraph (ii) whichever first occurs.
(7) The entitlement of a child of a deceased employee to an annuity under paragraph (iii) of section 231a(d)(1) of this title shall end on (A) the last day of the month preceding the month in which he or she dies, (B) the last day of the month preceding the month in which he or she marries, (C) the last day of the month preceding the month in which he or she attains age 18 and does not meet the qualifications set forth in clause (B) or (C) of such paragraph (iii), (D) the last day of the month preceding (i) the month during no part of which he or she is a full-time elementary or secondary school student or (ii) the month in which he or she attains age 19, and does not meet the qualifications set forth in clause (A) or (C) of such paragraph (iii), or (E) the last day of the second month following the month in which he or she ceases to be disabled for purposes of such paragraph (iii) and does not meet the qualifications set forth in clause (A) or (B) of such paragraph (iii), whichever first occurs. A child whose entitlement to an annuity under paragraph (iii) of section 231a(d)(1) of this title terminated by reason of clause (E) of this subdivision because he or she ceased to be disabled and who again becomes disabled as provided in clause (C) of such paragraph (iii), may become reentitled to an annuity on the basis of such disability upon his or her application for such reentitlement. A child whose entitlement to an annuity under paragraph (iii) of section 231a(d)(1) of this title terminated with the month preceding the month in which he or she attained age 18, or with a subsequent month, may again become entitled to such an annuity (providing no event to disqualify the child has occurred) beginning with the first month thereafter in which he or she meets the qualifications set forth in clause (B) or (C) of such paragraph (iii), if he or she has filed an application for such reentitlement.
(8) The entitlement of a parent of a deceased employee to an annuity under paragraph (iv) of section 231a(d)(1) of this title shall end on the last day of the month preceding the month in which (A) such parent dies or (B) such parent remarries after the employee’s death, whichever first occurs.
(9)
No annuity shall accrue with respect to the calendar month in which an annuitant dies. In cases where an individual entitled to an annuity under this subchapter disappears, no annuity shall accrue to that individual with respect to any month until and unless such individual is shown, by evidence satisfactory to the Board, to have continued in life throughout such month, but—
(A) where an annuity would accrue for such month under
section 231a(a)(1) of this title to an individual who had a current connection with the railroad industry at the time of such individual’s disappearance, and under
section 231a(c) of this title to such individual’s spouse, had such individual been shown to be alive during such month, such individual shall be deemed, for the purposes of benefits under
section 231a(d) of this title, to have died in the month in which such individual disappeared, and where an annuity would accrue for such month under
section 231a(a)(1) of this title to an individual who did not have a current connection with the railroad industry at the time of such individual’s disappearance, and under
section 231a(c) of this title to such individual’s spouse, had such individual been shown to be alive during such month, such individual shall be deemed, for purposes of benefits payable under
section 231a(c) of this title, to be alive during such month unless the death of such individual has been established or the annuity of the spouse of such individual is otherwise terminated under subsection (c)(3) of this section, and
(B) if such individual is later determined to have been alive during any of such months, recovery of any benefits paid on the basis of such individual’s compensation under
section 231a(d) of this title for the months in which such individual was not known to be alive, minus the total of the amounts that would have been paid as a spouse’s annuity during such months (treating the application for a widow’s or widower’s annuity as an application for spouse’s annuity), shall be made in accordance with section 231
l of this title.
For purposes of the payment of benefits under this subchapter, the death of an individual shall be presumed based on such individual’s unexplained absence of not less than seven years, except that whenever the death of an individual is so established, such individual shall be deemed to have died in the month in which such individual disappeared.
References in Text
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 7 (§ 301 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Title II of the Social Security Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 401 et seq.) of chapter 7 of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.
Amendments
2008—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–458, which directed repeal of subsec. (d) of section 5 of the Railroad Retirement Act, was executed by striking out subsec. (d) of this section, which is section 5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Text read as follows: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the payment of any portion of an annuity computed under section 231b(b) of this title to a surviving former spouse in accordance with a court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation or the terms of any court-approved property settlement incident to any such court decree shall not be terminated upon the death of the individual who performed the service with respect to which such annuity is so computed unless such termination is otherwise required by the terms of such court decree.”
2006—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–280 added subsec. (d).
2001—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–90 inserted second and third sentences and struck out former second sentence which read as follows: “An application filed with the Board for an annuity under this subchapter shall, unless the applicant specifies otherwise, be deemed to be an application for any benefit to which such applicant may be entitled under this subchapter or title II of the Social Security Act.”
1983—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–76, § 103(a)(1), substituted “Subject to the limitations set forth below, an annuity” for “An annuity” in provisions preceding cl. (i).
Pub. L. 98–76, § 103(a)(3), inserted provision following cl. (vii) that for purpose of determining annuity amounts provided under sections 231b(a), 231c(a), and 231c(f) of this title, provisions with respect to beginning dates of annuities set forth in this subsection shall be deemed to govern beginning dates of monthly benefits provided under Social Security Act.
Subsec. (a)(ii). Pub. L. 98–76, § 103(a)(2), amended cl. (ii) generally, substituting “in the case of an applicant otherwise entitled to an annuity under paragraph (iv) or (v) of section 231a(a)(1) of this title or under section 231a(d)(1)(i) of this title on the basis of disability, not earlier than the later of (A) the first day of the sixth month following the onset date of the disability for which such annuity is awarded or (B) the first day of the twelfth month before the month in which the application therefor was filed” for “not earlier than the first day of the twelfth month before the month in which the application therefor was filed”.
Subsec. (a)(iii). Pub. L. 98–76, § 103(a)(2), amended cl. (iii) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (iii) read as follows: “in the case of an applicant otherwise eligible for an annuity under section 231a(a)(1) or 231a(c) of this title not earlier than the date following the last day of compensated service of the applicant; and”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–76, § 106(i), substituted “retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act)” for “the age of 65” and “age 65”.
Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 98–76, § 106(j), substituted “retirement age (as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act)” for “age 65”.
Subsec. (c)(7)(D)(i). Pub. L. 98–76, § 104(c)(1), substituted “full-time elementary or secondary school student” for “full-time student”.
Subsec. (c)(7)(D)(ii). Pub. L. 98–76, § 104(c)(2), substituted “19” for “22”.
1981—Subsec. (a)(iv) to (vii). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1120(a), added pars. (iv) to (vii).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1120(b), substituted “title II of the Social Security Act” for “the Social Security Act”.
Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1120(c), inserted provision that entitlement of the divorced wife of an individual to an annuity under section 231a(c) shall end on the last day of the month preceding the month in which (A) the divorced wife or the individual dies or (B) the divorced wife remarries.
Subsec. (c)(9). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1120(d), added subdiv. (9).
Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 110(b)(2), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5112, provided that:
“The amendment made by subsection (a)(2) [amending this section] shall take effect upon the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2008].”
Effective Date of 2006 Amendment
Pub. L. 109–280, title X, § 1003(b), Aug. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 1053, provided that:
“The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 17, 2006].”
Effective Date of 2001 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 107–90 effective Jan. 1, 2002, see section 103(j) of Pub. L. 107–90, set out as a note under section 405 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
Effective Date of 1983 Amendment
Pub. L. 98–76, title I, § 103(b), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 416, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall become effective on the first day of the first month beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 12, 1983], and shall apply only with respect to annuities awarded on the basis of applications filed on or after that day.”
Amendment by section 104(c) of Pub. L. 98–76 effective with respect to annuities accruing for months after Aug. 1983, with certain exceptions, see section 104(d) of Pub. L. 98–76, set out as a note under section 231a of this title.
Amendment by section 106(i), (j) of Pub. L. 98–76 effective Aug. 12, 1983, except such amendment inapplicable to certain annuity amounts, see section 106(k) of Pub. L. 98–76, set out as a note under section 231a of this title.
Effective Date of 1981 Amendment
Amendment by section 1120(a), (d) of Pub. L. 97–35 effective Jan. 1, 1975, amendment by section 1120(b) of Pub. L. 97–35 effective Oct. 1, 1981, and amendment by other provisions of section 1120 of Pub. L. 97–35 effective Oct. 1, 1981, and applicable only with respect to annuities awarded on or after Oct. 1, 1981, see section 1129 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 231 of this title.
