(a) What does this part include? This part includes the computation of a widow(er)'s, disabled widow(er)'s, remarried widow(er)'s, surviving divorced spouse's, parent's, and child's insurance annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act. This part describes the two annuity components or tiers which are included in these annuities. The tier I annuity component, which may be payable in all of the above annuities, is described in subpart B of this part. Subpart C of this part describes the tier II annuity component which is only applicable to the widow(er)'s, disabled widow(er)'s, parent's, and child's annuity.

(b) Other relevant parts. (1) Part 225, Primary Insurance Amount Determinations, describes the various types of primary insurance amounts which form the basis of the computation of the tier I annuity component described in this part.

(2) Part 216, Eligibility for an Annuity, describes the eligibility requirements for receipt of the annuity computations described in this part.

(a) Tier I annuity component. The Tier I annuity component is generally the amount that would have been payable under the Social Security Act if all of the employee's earnings after 1936 under both the railroad retirement system and the social security system had been creditable under the Social Security Act.

(b) Tier II annuity component. The tier II annuity component is the portion of the survivor's annuity which is based on an employee's railroad earnings only. The tier II component of an annuity described in this part is a specified percentage of the employee's actual or anticipated tier II annuity component.