can my wife get survivor benefits (social security) and draw her own social security monthly payout

Hi,

Your wife couldn't be paid her own Social Security benefits and a full survivor benefit at the same time. The most she could receive is the higher of those 2 benefit rates. If the survivor rate is higher, she would be paid her own benefit rate plus a partial survivor rate equal to the difference in the 2 rates. In other words, the 2 benefits would simply add up to the higher survivor rate.

Best, Jerry