Page images
PDF
EPUB

32

employee after December 31, 1936, and before January 1, 1975, had been included in such employment and if such widow or widower were entitled to no other monthly benefit under section 2 of this Act or under the Social Security Act.

"(2) The amount determined under the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be increased by the same percentage, or percentages, as widow's and widower's insurance benefits under section 202 of the Social Security Act are increased, or would have been increased had there been no general benefit increase under the Social Security Act, pursuant to the automatic cost-of-living provisions of section 215 (i) of that Act, during the period from January 1, 1975, to the earlier of the date of the deceased employee's death or the date on which the deceased employee's annuity under section 2(a) (1) of this Act began to accrue.

"(i)(1) The annuity of any spouse under subsection (a) of this section for any month shall be reduced, but not below zero, by the amount of any wife's or husband's insurance benefit payable to such spouse for that month under title II of the Social Security Act.

"(2) If a spouse entitled to an annuity under section 2(c) of this Act or a survivor entitled to an annuity under section 2(d) of this Act for any month is also entitled to an annuity under section 2(a) (1) of this Act for such month, the annuity amount of such spouse determined under subsection (a) of this section or of such survivor under subsection (f) of this section shall, after any reduction pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, be reduced by the amount of the annuity of such spouse or such survivor determined under section 3 (a) of this Act.

"ANNUITY BEGINNING AND ENDING DATES

"SEC. 5. (a) An annuity under section 2 of this Act shall begin with the month in which eligibility therefor was otherwise acquired, but"(i) not earlier than the date specified in the application therefor:

"(ii) not earlier than the first day of the twelfth month before the month in which the application therefor was filed; and

"(iii) in the case of an applicant otherwise eligible for an annuity under section 2(a) (1) or 2(c) not earlier than the date following the last day of compensated service of the applicant. "(b) An application for any payment under this Act shall be made and filed in such manner and form as the Board may prescribe, An application filed with the Board for an annuity under this Act shall, unless the applicant specifies otherwise, be deemed to be an application for any benefit to which such applicant may be entitled under this Act or the Social Security Act. An individual who was entitled to an annuity under paragraph (iv) or (v) of section 2(a) (1) of this Act for the month preceding the month in which he attained the age of 65, shall be deemed to have filed an application for an annuity under paragraph (1) of section 2(a) (1) on the date on which he attained age 65, and a widow or widower who was entitled to an annuity under section 2(d)(1) of this Act on the basis of disability for the month preceding the month in which she or he attained age 60, shall be deemed to have felan application for an annuity under such section 2(d) (1) on the re on the date on which she or he attained age 60.

33

"(c) (1) An individual's entitlement to an annuity under paragraph (i), (ii), or (iii) of section 2 (a) (1) or to a supplemental annuity under section 2(b) 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 2(a) (1) 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 age 65 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 2(c) 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 2(c) (1) (other than a wife who is receiving such annuity by reason of an election under section 2(c) (2)), such wife no longer has in her care a child described in clause (ii) (C) of section 2(c) (1), whichever first occurs.

"(4) The entitlement of a widow or widower of a deceased employee to an annuity under paragraph (i) of section 2(d) (1) 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 2(d) (1) 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 2(d) (1) 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 2(d) (1) 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 student or (ii) the month in which he or she attains age 22, and does not meet the qualifications set forth in clause (A)

34

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 2(d) (1) 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 2(d) (1) 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 2(d) (1) 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.

"LUMP-SUM PAYMENTS

"SEC. 6. (a) (1) Annuities under section 2(a) (1) and supplemental annuities under section 2(b) 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 2(d) 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 de puede mole mđan the game manner as if such unpaid annuities In der subsection (c) (1) of this section.

35

"(3) Annuities under section 2(c) which will have become due a spouse of an individual but which will not have been paid at the time. of such spouse'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, 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 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)(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 as in effect on December 31, 1974, in an amount, if any, which would have been payable under such section 5(f) (1) 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) 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.

"(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 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, widower, child,

36

or parent who would on proper application there for be entitled to receive an annuity under section 2(d) of this Act for the month in which such death occurred, a lump-sum death payment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 202 (1) of the Social Security Act 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 sections 2(g) and 2(h) of this Act, 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 2(d) of this Act 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.

66

(c) (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 Act or the Social Security Act upon attaining the age of eligibility therefor at a future date) will be payable under this Act 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 employce 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 Act 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

« PreviousContinue »