The Social Security Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1), (f), (g), (h)(1) to (5), (i)(2), and (m), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, which is classified generally to chapter 7 (§ 301 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Title II of the 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.

The Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (f)(2), is act Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 812, 49 Stat. 867, as amended generally by act June 24, 1937, ch. 382, part I, 50 Stat. 307, which is classified principally to subchapter III (§ 228a et seq.) of this chapter. The Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 was amended generally and redesignated the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 by Pub. L. 93–445, title I, Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1305. The Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 is classified generally to this subchapter. For complete classification of these Acts to the Code, see Tables.

Section 3 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (f)(2), which was classified to section 228c of this title, has been omitted from the Code.

Sections 204 and 206 of Public Law 93–445 (approved Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1352, 1354), referred to in subsec. (l)(2), are set out as part of the Transitional Provisions note under section 231 of this title.

2001—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 107–90, § 102(a), inserted after par. designation “For purposes of this subsection, individuals entitled to an annuity under section 231a(a)(1)(ii) of this title shall, except for the purposes of recomputations in accordance with section 215(f) of the Social Security Act, be deemed to have attained retirement age (as defined by section 216(l) of the Social Security Act).”

Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 107–90, § 103(b), added par. (3).

Pub. L. 107–90, § 102(c), struck out par. (3) which read as follows: “In lieu of an annuity amount provided under subdivision (1), the annuity of an individual entitled to an annuity under paragraph (ii) of section 231a(a)(1) of this title which begins to accrue before the individual attains age 62 shall be in an amount equal to—

“(i) for each month prior to the first month throughout which the individual is age 62, the amount (after any reduction on account of age but before any deductions on account of work) of the old-age insurance benefit to which such individual would have been entitled under the Social Security Act as of the date on which such individual’s annuity begins to accrue if such individual had attained age 62 on the first day of the month in which his or her annuity begins to accrue and if all of such individual’s service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term ‘employment’ as defined in that Act, using for purposes of this computation the number of benefit computation years applicable to a person born in the year in which such individual was born; and

“(ii) for months beginning with the first month throughout which the individual is age 62, the amount (after any reduction on account of age but before any deductions on account of work) of the old-age insurance benefit to which such individual would have been entitled under the Social Security Act if all of such individual’s service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term ‘employment’ as defined in that Act.”

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 107–90, § 104(a)(1), (2)(A), redesignated pars. (2) and (3) as (1) and (2), respectively, struck out “, without regard to the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection,” before “proportionately so as to equal” in first sentence of par. (1), and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “If the total amount of an individual’s annuity and supplemental annuity computed under the preceding subsections of this section would, before any reductions on account of age, before any reduction due to such individual’s entitlement to a monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act, and disregarding any increases in such total amount which become effective after the date on which such individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue, exceed an amount equal to the sum of (A) 100 per centum of his ‘final average monthly compensation’ up to an amount equal to 50 per centum of one-twelfth of the maximum annual taxable ‘wages’ (as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) for the calendar year in which such individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue, plus (B) 80 per centum of so much of his ‘final average monthly compensation’ as exceeds 50 per centum of one-twelfth of the maximum annual taxable ‘wages’ (as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) for the calendar year in which such individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue, the supplemental annuity of such individual first, and then, if necessary, the annuity amount of such individual as computed under subsection (b) of this section, shall be reduced until such total amount of such individual’s annuity and supplemental annuity equals such sum or until such supplemental annuity and such annuity amount computed under subsection (b) of this section are reduced to zero, whichever occurs first: Provided, however, That the provisions of this subdivision shall not operate to reduce the total amount of an individual’s annuity and supplemental annuity computed under the preceding subsections of this section below $1,200. For purposes of this subdivision, the ‘final average monthly compensation’ of an individual shall except as provided in the following sentence be determined by dividing the total compensation received by such individual in the two calendar years, consecutive or otherwise, in which he was credited with the highest total compensation during the ten-year period ending with December 31 of the year in which such individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue by 24. If the individual’s ‘average monthly compensation’ is determined under subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section, the ‘final average monthly compensation’ for such individual shall be the average of the compensation for the 24 months in which the compensation determined for the purpose of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section is the highest. For purposes of this subdivision, the term ‘compensation’ shall include ‘compensation’ as defined in section 231(h) of this title, ‘wages’ as defined in section 209 of the Social Security Act, ‘self-employment income’ as defined in section 211(b) of the Social Security Act, and wages deemed to have been paid under section 217 or 229 of the Social Security Act on account of military service: Provided, however, That in no case shall the compensation with respect to any calendar month exceed the limitation on the compensation for such month prescribed in subsection (j) of this section. Wages and self-employment income included as compensation for purposes of this subdivision shall, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, be presumed to have been paid in equal proportions with respect to all months in the calendar quarter in which credited, in the case of wages paid before 1978, or in equal proportions with respect to all months in the calendar year in which credited, in the case of self-employment income and in the case of wages paid after 1977.”

1986—Subsecs. (f)(1), (2), (i)(4), (j). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954” wherever appearing.

1983—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 98–76, § 101(a)(1), amended par. (2) generally, substituting provisions that for purposes of this subsection, individuals entitled to an annuity under section 231a(a)(1)(iv) or (v) of this title shall be deemed to be entitled to a disability insurance benefit under section 223 of the Social Security Act, for provisions that for purposes of this subsection, individuals entitled to an annuity under paragraph (ii) of section 231a(a)(1) of this title would except for purposes of recomputations in accordance with the provisions of section 215(f) of the Social Security Act, be deemed to have attained age 65, and individuals entitled to an annuity under paragraph (iv) or (v) of such section 231a(a)(1) of this title would be deemed to be entitled to a disability insurance benefit under section 223 of the Social Security Act.

Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 98–76, § 101(a)(2), added par. (3).

Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 98–76, § 404(1), inserted “except as provided in the following sentence” in sentence relating to the determination of the “final average monthly compensation” of an individual.

Pub. L. 98–76, § 404(2), inserted “If the individual’s ‘average monthly compensation’ is determined under subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section, the ‘final average monthly compensation’ for such individual shall be the average of the compensation for the 24 months in which the compensation determined for the purpose of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section is the highest.”

Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 98–76, § 405(a), in first sentence, inserted “and divorced wife” after “of the spouse”, and substituted “the annuities of the individual and spouse” for “such annuity or annuities”.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 98–76, § 102(a), amended subsec. (g) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (g) read as follows: “Effective with the month of June for any year after 1981, that portion of the annuity of an individual which is computed under subsection (b) of this section shall, if such individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title began to accrue on or before June 1 of such year, be increased by 32.5 per centum of the percentage increase, if any (rounded to the nearest one-tenth of 1 per centum), obtained by comparing (A) the unadjusted Consumer Price Index for the calendar quarter ending March 31 of such year with (B) the higher of (i) such index for the calendar quarter ending March 31 of the year immediately preceding such year or (ii) such index for the calendar quarter ending March 31 of any preceding year after 1980. The unadjusted Consumer Price Index for any calendar quarter shall be the arithmetical mean of such index for the three months in such quarter.”

Subsec. (i)(4). Pub. L. 98–76, § 107(a), added par. (4).

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 98–76, § 107(b), inserted provision that if for any calendar year after 1984 an employee has received compensation of less than one-twelfth of the current maximum annual taxable “wages” as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 in one or more months of the calendar year, the total compensation paid such employee in the calendar year (without regard to the limitation on the amount of compensation provided in the preceding sentence) shall be deemed to have been paid in equal proportions with respect to all months in the year in which the employee will have been in the service of one or more employers for compensation or will have performed service for compensation as an employee representative, but this sentence shall not operate to increase the employee’s compensation for any month above an amount equal to one-twelfth of the current maximum annual taxable “wages” as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

1981—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(a), substituted new criteria for computation of increase in annuity of an individual provided under subsec. (a) of this section.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(b), repealed subsec. (c) which provided for amount of increase of annuity of an individual entitled to an annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title and who rendered service as an employee to an employer, or as an employee representative subsequent to Dec. 31, 1974.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(b), repealed subsec. (d) which prescribed a formula for increase in amount of annuity of an individual provided for in other provisions of this section.

Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(c)(2), substituted “such individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title begins to accrue, exceed an amount equal to the sum of (A)” for “such begins to accrue, exceed an amount equal to the sum of individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title (A)”.

Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(c)(1), substituted “subsection (b) of this section” for “subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section” in two places.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(d), substituted new formula for increase of portion of annuity of an individual computed under subsec. (b) of this section for formula for increase of portions of annuity of an individual computed under subsecs. (b) and (d) of this section, and revised effective dates for such increases.

Subsec. (h)(1) to (4). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(e)(1), substituted “subsections (a) and (b) of this section” for “subsections (a) through (d) of this section” in subdivs. (1) to (4).

Subsec. (h)(5). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(e)(2), substituted “January 1, 1975, to the earlier of the date on which the individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title began to accrue or January 1, 1982” for “January 1, 1975, to the date on which the individual’s annuity under section 231a(a)(1) of this title began to accrue”.

Subsec. (h)(6). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(e)(3), added subdiv. (6).

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(f), substituted def­inition of average monthly compensation by reference to computation in manner specified in subsec. (b) of this section, for definition by reference to average compensation paid to an employee with respect to calendar months included in his years of service, and struck out provision rounding to next lower multiple of $1 if average monthly compensation is not a multiple of $1.

Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(g), designated existing provisions as subdiv. (1), substituted provisions that except as provided in subdiv. (2) of this subsection, if an annuity awarded under section 231a(a)(1)(iii) or under section 231a(c)(2) of this title is increased or decreased either by a change in law or by a recomputation, the reduction on account of age in the amount of such increase or decrease shall be computed as though such increased or decreased annuity amount had been in effect for and after month in which annuitant first became entitled to such annuity under section 231a(a)(1)(iii) or section 231a(c)(2) of this title, for provisions that in cases where an annuity awarded under section 231a(a)(1)(iii) or under section 231a(c)(2) of this title is increased either by a change in law or by a recomputation, the reduction for the increase in the annuity shall be determined separately and period with respect to which the reduction applies shall be determined as if such increase were a separate annuity payable for and after first month for which such increase is effective, and added subdiv. (2).

Subsec. (m). Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(h)(2), inserted “(before any deductions on account of work)” after “monthly benefit”.

Pub. L. 97–35, § 1118(h)(1), substituted “shall, after any reduction pursuant to paragraph (iii) of section 231a(a)(1) of this title, be reduced” for “shall be reduced”.

1980—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 96–582 designated existing provisions as subdiv. (1) and added subdiv. (2).

1977—Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 95–216 substituted “Wages and self-employment income included as compensation for purposes of this subdivision shall, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, be presumed to have been paid in equal proportions with respect to all months in the calendar quarter in which credited, in the case of wages paid before 1978, or in equal proportions with respect to all months in the calendar year in which credited, in the case of self-employment income and in the case of wages paid after 1977” for “Wages and self-employment income included as compensation for purposes of this subdivision shall, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, be presumed to have been paid in equal proportions with respect to all months in the calendar quarter in which credited in the case of wages, or in equal proportions with respect to all months in the calendar year in which credited, in the case of self-employment income”.

Amendment by section 102 of Pub. L. 107–90 applicable to annuities that begin to accrue on or after Jan. 1, 2002, with exception for amount of the annuity provided for a spouse under section 231c(a) of this title, see section 102(d) of Pub. L. 107–90, set out as a note under section 231c of this title.

Amendment by section 103(b) of 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.

Pub. L. 107–90, title I, § 104(c), Dec. 21, 2001, 115 Stat. 882, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 231c and 231f of this title] shall take effect on January 1, 2002, and shall apply to annuity amounts accruing for months after December 2001.”

Pub. L. 98–76, title I, § 101(c), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 412, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending sections 231b and 231c of this title] shall become effective on July 1, 1984, and shall apply only with respect to awards in cases where the individual’s annuity under section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [45 U.S.C. 231a(a)(1)] began to accrue on or after that date and the individual had not completed thirty years of service and attained age 60 prior to that date. In the case of an individual who has completed thirty years of service and has attained age 60 before January 1, 1986, the amount of the reduction on account of age in the annuity amount provided to such individual under section 3(a)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsec. (a)(3) of this section] and the amount of the reduction on account of age in the annuity amount provided to the spouse of such individual under subdivision (3) of section 4(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [45 U.S.C. 231c(a)(3)] shall be only one-half of the amount by which such annuity would be reduced on account of age except for the provisions of this sentence.”

Pub. L. 98–76, title I, § 102(d), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 415, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending sections 231b and 231c of this title] shall be effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 12, 1983]. For purposes of the amendments made by subsection (a) of this section [amending this section], annuity portions computed under subsections (b) and (d) of section 3 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsecs. (b) and (d) of this section] as in effect before October 1, 1981, shall be treated as having been computed under subsection (b) of such section as in effect after that date.”

Pub. L. 98–76, title I, § 107(c), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 419, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall become effective on January 1, 1985.”

Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, § 404(c), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 435, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall be effective October 1, 1983, and shall apply with respect to annuities awarded on or after that date.”

Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, § 405(b), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 435, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall be effective October 1, 1981.”

Amendment by section 1118(a), (d) of Pub. L. 97–35 effective on the later of Oct. 1, 1981, and the date, after July 1, 1981, on which there is an increase in the rate of any tax imposed under chapter 22 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and applicable only with respect to annuities awarded on or after such date, amendment by section 1118(b), (g) of Pub. L. 97–35 effective Oct. 1, 1981, amendment by section 1118(c)(2) of Pub. L. 97–35 effective Jan. 1, 1975, amendment by section 1118(e)(3) of Pub. L. 97–35 effective Aug. 31, 1981, amendment by section 1118(h)(2) of Pub. L. 97–35 effective Jan. 1, 1982, and amendment by other provisions of section 1118 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.

Pub. L. 96–582, § 3, Dec. 23, 1980, 94 Stat. 3374, provided that: “The provisions of this Act [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 1980].”

Pub. L. 95–216, title III, § 358(b), Dec. 20, 1977, 91 Stat. 1556, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall be effective January 1, 1978.”