Q: My wife and I are already retired and my wife collects spousal benefits based on my work history. What will her Social Security death benefit be; will she get my full Social Security benefit when I die?
A: That’s a good question and you’re right to plan ahead. In general, if your wife is at full retirement age when you pass she will receive 100 percent of your Social Security benefit. However, if you collected benefits before you reached full retirement age, her benefit will be based on the reduced amount you are receiving. In addition, if your wife collects survivor benefits before she reaches full retirement age (FRA), the benefits will be reduced for every month she collects benefits before her FRA.
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