# 216.2 Definitions.
Except as otherwise expressly noted, as used in this part—
*Age* means an individual's age on the day preceding the anniversary date of his or her birth.
*Annuity* means a payment due an entitled individual for a calendar month and made to him or her on the first day of the following month.
*Apply* means to sign a form or statement that the Railroad Retirement Board accepts as an application for benefits under the rules set out in part 217 of this chapter.
*Attainment of age* means that an individual attains a given age on the first moment of the day preceding the anniversary date of his or her birth corresponding to such numerical age.
*Board* means the Railroad Retirement Board.
*Claimant* means an individual who files an annuity application or for whom an annuity application is filed.
*Eligible* means that an individual meets all the requirements for payment of an annuity but has not yet applied for one.
*Employee* means an individual who is or has been in the service of an employer as here defined.
*Employer* means a company, individual, or other entity determined to be a covered employer under the Railroad Retirement Act as provided by part 202 of this chapter.
*Entitled* means that an individual has applied for and has established his or her rights to benefits.
*Railroad Retirement Act* means the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, as amended.
*Re-entitled annuity* means an annuity to which an individual becomes entitled after an earlier-awarded annuity has been terminated. A re-entitled annuity is usually awarded on the basis of different factors of eligibility from the initial annuity, and may be awarded without the filing of another application.
*Retirement age* means, with respect to an employee who attains age 62 before January 1, 2000 (age 60 in the case of a widow(er), remarried widow(er) or surviving divorced spouse) age 65. For an employee who attains age 62 (or age 60 in the case of a widow(er), remarried widow(er), or surviving divorced spouse) after December 31, 1999, retirement age means the age provided for in section 216(1) of the Social Security Act.
*Social Security Act* means the Social Security Act as amended.
*Tier I benefit* means the benefit component calculated using Social Security Act formulas and based upon earnings covered under both the Railroad Retirement Act and the Social Security Act.
*Tier II benefit* means the benefit component calculated under a formula found in the Railroad Retirement Act and based only upon earnings and service in the railroad industry.
*Year of service* means 12 calendar months, consecutive or otherwise, of service creditable to an employee as described in part 210 of this chapter.