This part discusses Primary Insurance Amount, which is referred to as PIA throughout this part, and which is an important element in the calculation of any retirement or survivor annuity. There are a number of PIA computations based on different periods, amounts, and types of earnings. However, the formulas for computing any PIA are prescribed in section 215 of the Social Security Act and are described in detail in the regulations of the Social Security Administration (20 CFR part 404, subpart C). This part discusses PIA computation formulas and relates them to the PIA's which the Board uses. Descriptions of the majority of PIA's used in computing retirement or survivor annuities under the Railroad Retirement Act are contained in this part. Explanations are included of when delayed retirement credits and cost-of-living increases can be added to the PIA's used by the Board. This part also explains when and how a PIA is recomputed or adjusted. Since these regulations are intended to address annuities currently being awarded, certain PIA's, not used in the computation of annuities awarded after August 13, 1981, are not included in these regulations. Parts 226, 228 and 229 of this chapter explain how PIA's are used in actual annuity computations.

As used in this part:

Average Indexed Monthly Earnings means the result of dividing the total of the indexed earnings through the indexing year and the nonindexed earnings after the indexing year in the benefit computation years by the number of months in the benefit computation years. The indexing year for the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings PIA is the second year before the employee's eligibility year. Indexing of an employee's yearly earnings serves to put the earnings in proportion to the earnings level of all workers for the corresponding years, and to express the earnings in terms of a more recent dollar value. Indexed earnings are determined under section 215(b)(1) of the Social Security Act. The Average Indexed Monthly Earnings formula PIA is based on the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings amount.

Average Monthly Earnings means the average determined by dividing the acutal earnings used in computing the PIA by the total months in the benefit computation years. The Average Monthly Earnings is determined under section 215(b)(4) of the Social Security Act. The Average Monthly Earnings formula PIA is based on the Average Monthly Earnings amount.

Base Years means the years after 1950 (or 1936, if applicable) and up to the year in which the employee dies or is entitled to an annuity based on retirement or disability. When the employee's death occurs before he or she reaches retirement age as defined in section 216(l) of the Social Security Act, the Base Years include the year of the employee's death. Base Years are defined in sections 215(b)(2)(B)(ii) and 215(d) of the Social Security Act.

Benefit Computation Years means the years with the highest earnings used in computing the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings or Average Monthly Earnings. The number of Benefit Computation Years is determined in accordance with section 215(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Social Security Act and is based on the employee's age or when the employee becomes disabled or dies.

Compensation means railroad compensation which is the amount of creditable railroad earnings under the Railroad Retirement Act, as explained in part 211 of this chapter.

Earnings means compensation creditable under the Railroad Retirement Act (other than compensation attributable to years of service prior to 1937) or “wages” creditable under the Social Security Act or both.

Eligible means that a person meets the necessary requirements and could qualify for payment if a valid application were filed.

Eligibility Year means the earliest of: the employee's year of attainment of age 62; The year of disability onset; or the year of death. The Eligibility Year determines the formula used to compute a Primary Insurance Amount. Eligibility Year is defined in section 215(a) of the Social Security Act.

Employee means any person who is working or has worked for a railroad employer who is eligible for a retirement annuity or on whose account a survivor is eligible for a survivor annuity, as explained in part 216 of this chapter. For a detailed discussion of Employees under the Railroad Retirement Act, see part 203 of this chapter.

Entitled means that a person meets the necessary requirements, files a valid application and establishes his or her right to payment.

Indexed Earnings means the employee's yearly earnings for the years after 1950 that have been adjusted to put the earnings in proportion to the earnings level of all workers for each of those years and to express the earnings in terms of a more recent dollar amount.

Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) means the result obtained by applying one of three formulas in the Social Security Act to the employee's earnings as prescribed under that Act. A PIA can be based on the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings formula, the Average Monthly Earnings formula or, in the case of the Special Minimum PIA, on a special formula based on years of coverage. Averaging earnings and PIA formulas are prescribed in section 215 of the Social Security Act.

Social Security Act means the Social Security Act as amended from time to time, unless the Act as in effect on a particular date is specified.

Wages means creditable wages or self-employment under sections 209 or 211, respectively, of the Social Security Act.

Year of service means 12 months of railroad service credited in accordance with part 210 of this chapter.

Years of coverage means years after 1936 as defined in section 215(a)(1)(C)(ii) of the Social Security Act in which the employee had earnings over certain specified amounts. Years of Coverage is primarily a factor in determining the Special Minimum formula PIA amount.

(a) General. PIA's are generally computed under one of two normal formulas determined by the employee's eligibility year. In addition, there is a special PIA formula, based on an employee's years of coverage, that is used when it produces a PIA that is higher than the PIA computed under the appropriate PIA formula. The two most common PIA formulas are the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings PIA formula and the Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula. The special PIA formula is called the Special Minimum PIA formula.

(b) Average Indexed Monthly Earnings PIA formula. When the employee's eligibility year is after 1978, the Tier I PIA, Overall Minimum PIA, Survivor Tier I PIA, Employee's Retirement Insurance Benefit PIA and Residual Lump-Sum PIA are computed under the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings PIA formula.

(c) Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula. The Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula is used to compute a PIA for one of two reasons: either the employee's eligibility year is before 1979 or the type of PIA requires that it always be computed under the Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula.

(1) Use of Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula based on the employee's eligibility year. The Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula is used in computing the Tier I PIA, the Overall Minimum PIA, the Employee Fictional Retirement Insurance Benefit PIA and the Residual Lump-Sum PIA when the employee's eligibility year is before 1979.

(2) Types of PIA's always computed using the Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula. The following PIA's used by the Board are determined under the Social Security Act as in effect on December 31, 1974, and are always computed using the Average Monthly Earnings PIA formula.

(i) Combined Earnings Dual Benefit PIA described in § 225.12.

(ii) Social Security Earnings Dual Benefit PIA described in § 225.13.

(iii) Railroad Earnings Dual Benefit PIA described in § 225.14.

(iv) Combined Earnings PIA described in § 225.23.

(v) Social Security Earnings PIA described in § 225.24.

(vi) Railroad Earnings PIA described in § 225.25.

(d) Special Minimum PIA formula. The Special Minimum PIA formula is based on the employee's years of coverage. The Special Minimum PIA formula usually applies when the employee had consistently low earnings during his or her working lifetime. The Special Minimum PIA formula is used when it is higher than the PIA calculated under the applicable Average Indexed Monthly Earnings formula or the Average Monthly Earnings formula.

Certain PIA's used by the Board are based on a combination of compensation and wages, while other PIA's used by the Board are based solely on either compensation or wages. For purposes of crediting earnings when computing any PIA, compensation is always treated as wages. Regardless of whether a PIA is based on a combination of compensation and wages or exclusively on either compensation or wages, the total earnings for each year used in computing a PIA cannot be higher than the maximum social security earnings creditable in that year under sections 209(a) and 211(b) of the Social Security Act. The various PIA's used by the Board are described in subparts B and C of this part.