20 CFR § 222.31 - Relationship as child for annuity and lump-sum payment purposes.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s222.31"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 222.31 - Relationship as child for annuity and lump-sum payment purposes."
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "222.31"
section_name: "Relationship as child for annuity and lump-sum payment purposes."
chapter_name: "RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT"
part_number: "222"
part_name: "FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS"
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: "54 FR 42949, Oct. 19, 1989, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "222"
---


# 222.31 Relationship as child for annuity and lump-sum payment purposes.

(a) *Annuity claimant.* When there are claimants under paragraph (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3) of § 222.30, a person will be considered the child of the employee when that person is—

(1) The natural or legally adopted child of the employee (see § 222.33); or

(2) The stepchild of the employee; or

(3) The grandchild or step-grandchild of the employee or spouse; or

(4) The equitably adopted child of the employee.

(b) *Lump-sum payment claimant.* A claimant for a lump-sum payment must be one of the following in order to be considered the child of the employee:

(1) The natural child of the employee;

(2) A child legally adopted by the employee (this does not include any child adopted by the employee's widow or widower after the employee's death); or

(3) The equitably adopted child of the employee. For procedures on how a determination of the person's relationship to the employee is made, see §§ 222.32-222.33.

[65 FR 20726, Apr. 18, 2000]