Railroad Board Refines Doomsday Chain of Command Plan

2025-23137 — Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; Notice of Computer Matching Program (Railroad Retirement Board and Social Security Administration, Match Number 1007)

Starting January 16, 2026, the Railroad Retirement Board and Social Security Administration will team up to share info and make sure benefits are paid right. This new computer matching program helps both agencies check records to prevent mistakes or fraud. It runs for 18 months, with a chance to extend, and affects anyone getting railroad or Social Security benefits.

2025-22996 — Proposed Collection; Comment Request

The Railroad Retirement Board wants your thoughts on their paperwork that helps prove marriage for spouse or widow(er) benefits. If you’re applying, you might fill out forms about your marriage status, but no changes to these forms are planned. They’re asking for comments now to make sure the process is clear and not too much work, with no extra costs or delays expected.

2025-17981 — Proposed Collection; Comment Request

The Railroad Retirement Board is asking for public feedback on their forms used to apply for survivor death benefits after a railroad worker passes away. They’re keeping most forms the same but updating one form to clarify who should be listed for prearranged funeral payments. If you’re involved in filing these benefits, now’s the time to share your thoughts—no cost changes, just clearer instructions!

2025-17475 — Eligibility for an Annuity and Family Relationships

The Railroad Retirement Board fixed unfair rules that treated husbands differently from wives when it comes to getting annuities for taking care of a railroad employee’s minor child. Now, both male and female spouses can receive annuities until the child turns 18, not 16. This change ensures equal treatment and protects your benefits starting right away.

2025-17322 — Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

The Railroad Retirement Board is asking for public feedback on a form they use to track employee representatives’ status and pay. This helps make sure the form is clear, useful, and not too much work to fill out. If you’re an employee rep or work with one, your input matters—and you’ve got 30 days to share your thoughts before any changes happen.

2025-11453 — Proposed Collection; Comment Request

The Railroad Retirement Board wants your thoughts on a form railroad employers use every quarter to report and pay unemployment and sickness contributions for their workers. They’re checking if the form is clear, useful, and not too much work, and they’re open to ideas for making it easier—especially with tech. This affects railroad employers and keeps the system running smoothly without extra costs or delays.

Previous: 2025-11459 — Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Vessels Using Jig Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Fishing boats using jig gear in the Central Gulf of Alaska can’t fish for Pacific cod right now because they’ve almost caught their limit for 2025. This pause helps keep the fish population healthy and follows the rules to avoid overfishing. If you’re a fisher with jig gear, you’ll need to wait until the next season or new rules come out.

Next: 2025-11471 — Method of Correcting Errors Involving Retired Lifecycle Funds

If you have money in a Lifecycle Fund that was retired before June 1, 2022, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board is changing how they fix mistakes with those funds. They’re going back to using a special share price to figure out any lost or gained value. This update helps make sure your retirement money is corrected fairly and accurately.