20 CFR § 216.71 - Who is eligible for a child's annuity.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s216.71"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 216.71 - Who is eligible for a child's annuity."
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "216.71"
section_name: "Who is eligible for a child's annuity."
chapter_name: "RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT"
part_number: "216"
part_name: "ELIGIBILITY FOR AN ANNUITY"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "45 U.S.C. 231f."
regulatory_source: "56 FR 28692, June 24, 1991, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "216"
---
# 216.71 Who is eligible for a child's annuity.
An individual is eligible for a child's annuity if the individual:
(a) Is a child of an employee who has completed 10 years of railroad service and had a current connection with the railroad industry when he or she died;
(b) Is not married at the time the application is filed;
(c) Is dependent upon the employee as defined in part 222 of this chapter; and
(d) Meets one of the following at the time the application is filed:
(1) Is under age 18; or
(2) Is age 18 or older and either:
(i) Is disabled as defined in part 220 of this chapter before attaining age 22 (the disability must continue through the time of application for benefits);
(ii) Is under age 19 and is a full-time student as defined in § 216.74 of this part; or
(iii) Becomes age 19 in a month in which he or she is a full-time student and has not completed the requirement for, or received a diploma or certificate from, a secondary school.