Making the right decisions in retirement planning is often a matter of grasping details and fine distinctions.

This quiz covers important issues that are commonly misunderstood.

1. Once you are divorced, you lose all Social Security benefits associated with your previous marriage. True or false?

2. If you file for a survivor benefit, and you haven’t yet filed for a benefit based on your work record, you will not be able to file later for a benefit based on your work record. True or false?

3. If you convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA over several years, the five-year holding requirement applies to each Roth conversion. True or false?

4. If you wait until age 70 to apply for a Social Security benefit, your spouse will receive a spousal benefit based on your age 70 benefit. True or false?

The answers are …

A1. False. You do not lose all of your Social Security benefits after a divorce. If your marriage lasted at least 10 years, you may be eligible for benefits. Which benefits you are entitled to depends on your marital situation.

If you are single, even if you remarried after your divorce, you may be entitled to a spousal benefit and/or a survivor benefit. Even if your ex has not filed for his/her Social Security work benefit, you can still file for a spousal benefit two years after your divorce. However, if you do file for a spousal benefit, Social Security will assume you are also filing for your Social Security benefit based on your work record. You are only entitled to whichever is higher. If you do file for a benefit prior to reaching your full retirement age, your benefit will be discounted permanently.

If you are single, after your divorce you are still entitled to a survivor benefit if your ex predeceased you. Survivor benefits are more generous than spousal benefits. If you have reached your full retirement age (FRA), your survivor benefit will be equal to 100% of your ex’s Social Security benefit at the time of his/her death. A spousal benefit is only as much as 50% of your ex’s Social Security benefit.

A2. False. Even if you are receiving a survivor benefit, you are still eligible to file for a Social Security benefit based on your work record as long as that benefit is greater than the survivor benefit.

So, for example, you can delay filing for your Social Security work benefit up to age 70, in which case, your benefit based on your work record would increase by 8% per year after you reach your FRA. So, in that case, your benefit would increase. The important point to remember is that a survivor benefit is independent from a benefit based on your work record. You are not entitled to both benefits, but you are entitled to whichever benefit is greater.

A3. True. However, if you already have established a Roth account, and have made contributions to that account, those contributions are not subject to the five-year rule. When you withdraw from Roth accounts, contributed amounts are distributed first. These withdrawals are not taxable or subject to the early distribution penalty, even if made before five years, or before age 59 1/2.

A4. False. Your spouse will receive a survivor benefit based on your age 70 benefit, but a spousal benefit would be based on the retirement benefit you would qualify for at your full retirement age.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com.