Annual Rate letter

RAILROAD RETIREMENT
INFORMATION AND REMINDERS
Let Us Know If You Change Your Address
We need your correct mailing address to mail benefit notices,
tax statements and important information about changes that
may affect your benefits. Please check your address on the
accompanying letter. If it is correct, you do not have to do
anything. If it is incorrect, please contact your nearest
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) office to report your new
address.

[.]li~(!ltlL~51rJ
Simple. Safe. Secure,
Almost 90 percent of all railroad retirement beneficiaries have
their monthly benefits deposited directly into an account at
their bank, savings and loan, or credit union. Direct Deposit
is a simple, safe and secure way to receive benefits.
Beneficiaries on Direct Deposit do not have to worry
about lost, stolen or misplaced checks.

If you receive a check and want to switch to Direct Deposit for
your monthly railroad retirement benefits, visit your bank or
other financial institution. Most financial institutions are able
to complete a Direct Deposit enrollment to get you started.
Or, you can contact your nearest RRB office to sign up.
If you already have Direct Deposit, be sure to promptly notify
your nearest RRB office if you change banks or bank accounts.
Check with your RRB office before you close your old bank
account to ensure that your RRB benefits are not delayed.

Tax Information
The RRB will mail a tax statement for your 2009 railroad
retirement benefits by January 31, 2010. If you do not
receive a statement by February 15, 2010, let us know.
If your monthly benefit amount includes Social Security
benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will mail you
a separate tax statement. If you changed your address in the
past year and have not reported the change to SSA, call them
at 1-800-772-1213 as soon as possible to report your new
address.

The RRB shows only the total Part B Medicare premiums that
were deducted from railroad retirement benefits on your RRB
issued tax statements. Medicare premiums deducted from
Social Security benefits paid by the RRB, paid by a third party,
paid through direct billing, or refunded to you are not shown
on RRB issued tax statements.
If you have Federal income taxes withheld from your benefits,
your tax withholding amount may increase in 2010. You can
elect, change or cancel tax withholding from your monthly
railroad retirement benefits by filing Form RRB W-4P and/or

IRS Form W-4V with the RRB. Contact your nearest RRB
office or visit the RRB website for these forms. (If you want
taxes withheld from Social Security benefits paid by the RRB,
you must contact SSA to request the withholding.)

Medicare Information
In 2010, the standard Medicare Part B premium is $110.50.
Most beneficiaries, however, will pay $96.40, the same
amount as in 2009. By law, the increase in monthly Part B
premiums for most beneficiaries cannot be more than the
annual cost of living increase in monthly benefits. Because
there is no cost of living increase for 2010, monthly Part B
premiums for most beneficiaries stay the same as in 2009.
This provision does not apply to individuals who do not have
premiums deducted from their monthly benefits, or to
beneficiaries who pay income-related monthly adjustment
amounts.
Some people pay more than the standard premium because
they enrolled late or because they withdrew from the program
and enrolled again later. Also, Part B premiums are higher in
2010 for individuals with annual incomes above $85,000, and
for married couples with incomes above $170,000. If your
Medicare premium is more than your monthly benefit amount,
we will bill you for the amount you owe, instead of deducting
it from your benefits.
The Part B deductible for 2010 is $155.00. The Medicare Part
A deductible in 2010 is $1,100.00. This is the amount you pay
for a hospital stay before Medicare begins to pay.
If you have Medicare, a monthly income of less than $1,239
(or $1,660 for a couple)*, and resources (such as bank
accounts, stocks and bonds) not exceeding $4,000 for a single
person or $6,000 for a married couple, you may qualify for a
Medicare Savings Program. A Medicare Savings Program can
help pay your Medicare premiums, and in some cases,
deductibles and coinsurance amounts. To find out if you are
eligible for a Medicare Savings Program, call your state
medical assistance office. You can get the number for that
office by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and
asking for information about the Medicare Savings Program.

* Income limits increase slightly each year and are higher in Alaska
and Hawaii.
If you are a Medicare beneficiary with limited income and
resources, you may also be able to get extra help paying for
your monthly premiums, deductibles and co-payments under
the Medicare prescription drug program. You can go online at
www.socialsecurity.gov and file an application or call Social
Security at 1-800-772-1213 (ITY 1-800-325-0778).

(SEE REVERSE SIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION)

computer Matching and Privacy Protection

The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988
requires the RRB to periodically let you know that
information you provide to us may be used, without your
consent, in automated matching programs. These
matching programs are a computer comparison of RRB
records with records kept by other Federal, state or local
government agencies. Information from these matching
programs can be used to establish or verify a person's
eligibility for benefits and to help in the collection of debts.

services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In
addition to hearing general information about railroad
retirement benefits, retirees can use the HelpUne to
request a letter showing their current monthly annuity rate,
request a duplicate tax statement, or request a replacement
Medicare card. By entering your ZIP Code, you can also
find the address of the RRB field office serving the area in
which you live.

Retiree Earnings Limits for 2010

Computer matching programs are conducted under strict
guidelines designed to ensure that confidential information
is protected and only used for the limited purpose of the
matching program.
'----------~-----------'I

Help Prevent Identity Theft

Be aware of scams through the mail, Internet, telephone
and in person. You should be careful when someone asks
for personal information, including your Social Security
number or railroad retirement claim number.
If you call or write to the RRB, we generally need you to
provide your RRB claim number or Social Security number.
We need this information in order to find you on our
records. If you call us about your benefits, to update your
address, or to change your Direct Deposit information, we
will ask you some questions to help us make sure that you
are who you say you are. While this may seem
inconvenient, we do not want to release information about
your benefits to someone else unless you give us your
permission.
Help for Elders

The Eldercare Locator is a free public service of the U.S.

Administration on Aging. Call 1-800-677-1116 to speak

with a specialist about programs that provide financial,

employment, legal and caregiving assistance to seniors.

RRB Nationwide Telephone Service

The RRB offers nationwide toll-free telephone service to

better serve the railroad community. A single toll-free

number provides callers with easy access to the RRB's field

offices, and to our automated RRB HelpUne. If you call the

RRB at 1-877-772-5772, you will hear the following

message:

"You have reached the Railroad Retirement Board. Please

remain on the line orpress 0 at any time during this call to

be transferred to your local Field Service office. To use our

automated Helpline for access to unemployment, sickness

and retirement benent information and services, press 1. "

Stay on the line or press 0 to speak with a representative in

the RRB field office serving your area. You may be

connected to a representative in another nearby RRB office,

if all representatives in your service area are busy. .

If you want to use our automated RRB HelpUne, call the

same toll-free number and press 1. Our automated

The earnings limit for 2010 for railroad retirement
beneficiaries who are under full retirement age (age 66 for
individuals born in 1943 through 1954) and who work after
retirement remains the same as in 2009. For those under
full retirement age throughout 2010, the exempt earnings
amount is $14,160. Benefits are reduced $1.00 for each
$2.00 of earnings over the exempt amount of $14,160.
For benefiCiaries attaining full retirement age in 2010, the
exempt amount is $37,680 and only earnings in months
before the month you attain full retirement age are
counted. We must deduct $1.00 from benefits for each
$3.00 earned over $37,680. Let us know if you need help
determining your full retirement age. There is no limit on
earnings for beneficiaries who are full retirement age or
older for the entire year.
Keep in mind that there are additional earnings rules that
apply to some beneficiaries. Those rules are:
..J No railroad retirement benefits are payable for any
month you work for a railroad or railroad labor
organization. This rule applies to all benefiCiaries,
regardless of age or amount of earnings.
..J Retired employees and spouses who work for their
last pre-retirement non-railroad employer,
regardless of their age or the amount of their earnings,
are subject to an earnings deduction.

There are also special rules and earnings limits that apply to
individuals who receive railroad retirement disability
benents. Contact us ifyou receive disability benents and are
thinking about going to work.

U. S. Railroad Retirement Board

www.rrb.gov
T-58 (12-09)