I have been receiving social security disability for ~15 years. I turn 65 December 2019.
My wife is my caregiver, turned 60 this year, and has not been employed outside the home. (Became a stay at home Mom 35 years ago, then my primary caregiver.) It is likely she will survive me within the next 5-7 years. Social Security at that point will be her primary source of funds.
When my disability payments convert at age 65, can I delay taking it to increase benefits she will receive?

Hi,

Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits convert to Social Security retirement benefits when the beneficiary reaches full retirement age (FRA), not at age 65. Your FRA is age 66 since you were born in 1954, so that's when your SSDI benefits will convert to retirement benefits.

But yes, you could voluntarily suspend your benefits for any or all of the months starting with the month you reach FRA until the month you reach age 70 in order to earn delayed retirement credits (DRC). Each DRC would raise your benefit rate by 2/3rds of 1% (i.e. 8% per year), and that increase would carry over to the calculation of your wife's widow's rate if you precede her in death.

Just to be clear, though, you couldn't continue receiving SSDI past your FRA, so no benefits would be paid to you for as long as you choose to voluntarily suspend your benefits. Nor could your wife be paid any spousal benefits while your benefits are suspended. Furthermore, any increase in your benefit rate resulting from DRCs wouldn't raise your wife's spousal benefit rate while your living. The most that she could receive as a spouse while your living is 50% of your primary insurance amount (PIA), and to get the full 50% she'd have to wait until her FRA to start drawing. A person's PIA is the amount they would receive if they start drawing their Social Security retirement benefits at FRA.

Best, Jerry