From time to time, readers of this column send me questions on topics of concern that relate to spouses. A particularly prickly topic is how Social Security retirement benefits work when a spouse dies.

I reached out to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for help.

"Harold" and "Wilma," a married couple, needed guidance. Harold just turned 70 and started taking his Social Security retirement benefit. Wilma, who also is 70 years old, had already been taking her own Social Security retirement benefit since age 62.

First, what are Wilma's options now that Harold is taking his Social Security?

According to the SSA, if a spouse qualifies for benefits on his or her own record, the SSA will pay that amount first. If the benefit on the spouse's record is higher, "they will get an additional amount on their record so that the combination of benefits equals that higher amount," according to the SSA spokesperson.

The "Benefits for Your Family" section on the Social Security website (tinyurl.com/y4jakh6k) provides guidance. The maximum family benefit ("Generally, the total amount you and your family can receive is about 150 to 180 percent of your full retirement benefit") is covered, as well as benefits for a spouse, benefits for children and benefits for a divorced spouse.

Second, what happens if Harold predeceases Wilma?

A surviving spouse "may be eligible for a higher survivor benefit," according to the SSA. If the surviving spouse is already receiving a benefit on a spouse's record, then the surviving spouse will automatically be converted into a "survivor" and will receive a survivor's benefit.

The SSA's "If You Are the Survivor" page (tinyurl.com/yc2mupcr) provides more details. There you will find who receives benefits, what happens if you are a surviving divorced spouse and how benefit amounts are factored for survivors.

Note: The website points out that in most cases, the funeral home handling the arrangements for the deceased will report the person's death to the SSA. However, if you need to report a death or apply for benefits, you can call the SSA at 800-772-1213. SSA representatives are available Monday through Friday. You also can contact your local Social Security office.

The Receiving Survivors Benefits Early page (tinyurl.com/2p9dmsuw) has a chart showing the "full retirement age" for survivors and a link to the regular full retirement age chart. The page also states "The earliest a widow or widower can start receiving Social Security survivors benefits based on age will remain at age 60," adding that "If a person receives widow's or widower's benefits, and will qualify for a retirement benefit that's more than their survivors benefit, they can switch to their own retirement benefit as early as age 62 or as late as age 70."

Third, what if Harold is unmarried at age 70 when he starts his retirement benefit and marries later. Assume his new wife has never worked, so she is not eligible for a Social Security retirement benefit on her own record. What happens?

Harold's new wife can apply for a spousal benefit if she is 62 or older, the details of which can be found on the "Benefits for Your Family" SSA webpage.

The spouse must be 62 throughout an entire month to be eligible for a spousal benefit.

To address your personal situation, take a little time to do some research using SSA resources. Don't skip the Frequently Asked Questions page at tinyurl.com/2f2kwr5a, which includes a popular question asked by many: "At what age should I start receiving my Social Security retirement benefits?" (tinyurl.com/4nf6jnju).

When there is lack of clarity on your best options, do not hesitate to contact SSA directly.

Ask for an appointment at your local office (find it at tinyurl.com/52t68mh8). Read more about documents needed for a widow's, widower's or surviving divorced spouse's benefits at tinyurl.com/24xjcf3f.

Before leaving this topic, let's tackle this question: How long can full benefits be expected to last? According to the Social Security Board of Trustees report released in early May, there is "enough dedicated revenue to pay all scheduled benefits and associated administrative costs until 2035, one year later than projected last year" (tinyurl.com/44nyhe4v).

That's both reassuring -- and distressing. What happens after 2035 will depend on Washington.

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Have you hidden financial information from your spouse (financial infidelity)? Are you overcompensating when sending money to your adult children (financial enabling)?

Do you purchase luxuries on credit when the impulse hits you (compulsive buying disorder)? Do you have a fear of budgeting (financial denial)?

These are the types of destructive behaviors that financial psychologists can help you identify and correct.

To get started, test yourself by taking a free test called the Klontz Money Behavior Inventory (KMBI).

Developed by author and associate professor Dr. Brad Klontz, Psy.D., CFP (tinyurl.com/yk47rv2e), the KMBI identifies "patterns of destructive financial behaviors and beliefs that may impede individuals from achieving their financial goals."

The test focuses on nine categories:

-- Compulsive buying disorder

-- Gambling disorder

-- Hoarding disorder

-- Workaholism

-- Financial dependence

-- Financial denial

-- Financial enabling

-- Financial enmeshment

-- Financial infidelity

You can take the test, which involves 50-plus questions, at tinyurl.com/3bw4b52p. Each question offers multiple selections for an answer, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree, with four selections in between. You will receive your results by email.

The test's instructions state that "You will get the most value from the test if you read each statement and go with your first impulse," adding that "you must avoid falling prey to 'social desirability.' This is the psychological impulse that tells us that we must show our best selves." Your first impulse "is likely the best reflection of what is happening in your subconscious and what is driving your actual financial behaviors."

Your scores (ranging from one to six) will translate into a rank of low, medium or high, with low suggesting you do not exhibit the money behavior, medium suggesting you exhibit some characteristics, and high suggesting you exhibit many of the characteristics.

When you receive your results, you also will get detailed descriptions about the categories. For example, compulsive buying disorder is described as "a serious money disorder and is associated with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, substance abuse, and a tendency to try to escape from or avoid stress. Compulsive buyers believe that the acquisition of objects will compensate for or neutralize negative feelings, which is just not the case."

You might be curious about the definitions for the other categories. Here are some additional explanations:

-- Financial Dependence: This "can take on many forms, including a dependency on partner, parents, trust funds or the government to take care of one's financial needs. It is a primary reason that victims of domestic violence return to their abusers, and a common source of conflict and frustration among family members."

-- Financial Denial: "Many of those who are experiencing financial stress attempt to cope by simply not thinking about money or trying to avoid dealing with it. Rather than addressing financial situations or problems, they try to ignore them."

-- Financial Enabling: Enablers "often put themselves at financial risk to help others. They have trouble saying 'no' to financial requests from children, friends and/or family members, and may avoid making clear arrangements for repayment of loans."

-- Financial Enmeshment: This involves "the blurring of boundaries between adults and minor children around money." It also includes "the 'use' of children by adults to bear unreasonable responsibility for, or worry about, adult financial situations."

-- Financial Infidelity: "Forty percent of Americans admit that they lie to their spouses about the details of their spending. Financial infidelity involves lying about, hiding, or omitting information about one's financial behaviors from one's spouse or partner."

Keep in mind, as the test points out, "Nothing contained herein constitutes investment advice," and the information "should be used in consultation with a qualified financial professional."

Still, the test can provide insight on your approach to how you view money and manage it, pointing out strong and weak points. From there, you can look into resources to help you improve your perspective when it comes to the way you handle financial issues.

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Do you have bonds in your investment portfolio but have not found a good way for tracking their performance? The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority offers an online solution to your problem -- with a caveat. FINRA cautions that "Individuals should not make investment or other financial decisions solely on the basis of this data." With that in mind, watch the short video on how to use the data center before signing up for a free (non-commercial use) account (tinyurl.com/yc8y7wfz). FINRA regulates the brokerage industry.

Called the Fixed Income Data Center (tinyurl.com/26b6fa7e), the online resource includes real-time data on bonds and other fixed income products, along with aggregate data on fixed income markets. It combines FINRA's Bond Facts page with its Market Data Center.

You'll be able to look up individual bonds with the Fixed Income Security Lookup search tool. To create a watchlist, sign up for an account using the FINRA Gateway (tinyurl.com/37wy2bm8).

Once you click on a bond, you'll be provided with information that includes coupon rate, maturity date, the last trade price, yield and date, price/yield chart and credit rating.

The Fixed Income Securities and Trade Activity section allows you to browse different types of bonds and securities. There are also sections on Market Statistics and Data Subscriptions (which is for "market professionals, academics and media outlets").

Beyond the numbers, FINRA also provides access to general information about bonds, which can be helpful if you are new to having bonds in your portfolio, or if you want to increase your knowledge of something in which you are invested.

The link "Basics to Know About Investing in Bonds" (tinyurl.com/2jnrjb55) will take you to a FINRA page that discusses the types of bonds (from U.S. Treasury Securities and Savings Bonds to corporate and municipal bonds, among others), buying and selling them, the risks involved (you might be surprised to find 12 risks, including interest rate risk, call risk and liquidity risk) and key terms.

If you are investing in bonds, you will want to understand yield and return.

Yield is the return on the money you invested in a bond. "Price and yield are inversely related: As the price of a bond goes up, its yield goes down, and vice versa," according to FINRA (tinyurl.com/2ucz69ey).

Two main bond yields are coupon yield and current yield. Coupon yield is "the annual interest rate established when the bond is issued that does not change during the lifespan of the bond," according to FINRA. It's also known as the coupon rate.

The current yield is "the bond's coupon yield divided by its current market price."

FINRA offers this example:

"[I]f you buy a $1,000 bond at par (often described as 'trading at 100,' meaning 100% of its face value) and receive $45 in annual interest payments, your coupon yield is 4.5%. If the price goes up and the bond subsequently trades at 103 ($1,030), then the current yield will fall to 4.37%."

Current yield comes into play if you decide to sell a bond before it reaches maturity.

Bonds are attractive to investors because they provide a "predictable income stream," typically paying interest twice a year, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission's Investor.gov site (tinyurl.com/mvambjx9). Bonds also can "help offset exposure to more volatile stock holdings."

Since bonds can serve an important role in your portfolio, you'll want to make sure to understand how they fit into your overall financial goals. FINRA's Fixed Income Data Center can be a big help in your bond research.

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