Hello, My wife is 63 and she started her SS at 62. I am also 63 and I am waiting until 66 10 months to take mine (I have the larger amount and hers is more than 1/2 of mine). My question is if something was to happen to me before I reach FRA, say at 65. Can my wife continue to collect her SS until I would have reached FRA and then switch over to the amount I would receive at FRA and give hers up? (note she is 4 months older than me so she would have already reached her FRA). Thank you for your time.

Hi. Yes. Technically, though, your wife wouldn't be able to give her benefits up and draw just a widow's benefit instead. What would happen is that she'd continue to collect her own benefits, and she could then file for an unreduced excess widow's benefit when she reaches her full retirement age (FRA). Her own benefit plus her excess widow's rate would then add up to your full primary insurance amount (PIA), which is equal to the amount you would have collected if you had started drawing your benefits at FRA.

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Best, Jerry