Title 20

SECTION 228.50

228.50 Tier II annuity component widow(er), child, or parent.

§ 228.50 Tier II annuity component widow(er), child, or parent.

(a) General. The tier II annuity component is an additional amount payable to a widow(er), disabled widow(er), child, or parent, but not to a surviving divorced spouse or remarried widow(er), and a parent as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, based on the railroad employee's earnings in the railroad industry. Unlike the tier I annuity component it is not reduced for any other social insurance benefit except a railroad retirement annuity. See §§ 228.20-228.23 of this part.

(b) Amount of the tier II annuity component (1981 amendment) - (1) Widow(er) or disabled widow(er). The amount of a widow(er)'s or disabled widow(er)'s tier II annuity component is 50 percent of the amount of the employee's tier II which would have been payable in the month in which the widow became entitled had the employee been alive and in receipt of an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act at that time.

(2) Parent. The amount of a parent's tier II annuity component is 35 percent of the amount of the employee's tier II annuity component which would have been payable in the month in which the parent became entitled had the employee been alive and in receipt of an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act at that time. However, if another survivor is entitled, or potentially entitled, to a tier II annuity component, the parent tier II annuity component is zero.

(3) Child. The amount of each child's tier II annuity component is 15 percent of the employee's tier II annuity component which would have been payable in the month in which the child became entitled had the employee been alive and in receipt of an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act at that time.

(c) Minimum tier II survivor annuity components. If the total tier II annuity components payable to survivors is less than 35 percent of the employee's tier II annuity component which would have been payable in the month the survivors became entitled had the employee been alive and in receipt of an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act at that time, the individual tier II annuity components computed in paragraph (b) of this section shall be increased proportionally so that the total of all such tier II annuity components equals 35 percent of the employee's tier II annuity component.

(d) Maximum tier II annuity components. If the total tier II survivor annuity components payable to survivors exceeds 80 percent of the employee's tier II annuity component which would have been payable in the month the survivors became entitled had the employee been alive and entitled to an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act at that time, the individual tier II annuity components computed in paragraph (b) of this section shall be reduced proportionally so that the total of all such tier II annuity components totals no more than 80 percent of the employee's tier II annuity component.

(e) Age reduction. The tier II annuity component of a widow(er) or disabled widow(er) is subject to reduction by the same age reduction factor as is applicable to the tier I annuity component. See § 228.15 of this part.