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Certificate Programs
ASPPA has designed a variety of certificate programs that meet the educational and training needs of retirement plan professionals. Successful completion of a certificate program earns continuing professional education credits and often counts toward the requirements for ASPPA’s credentials. There are no specific education or background requirements for individuals seeking certifications. Anyone interested in retirement plan consulting, administration, or employee benefits may pursue.
ASPPA offers the following certificates:
Basic Education:
- Retirement Plan Fundamentals Certificate is earned after successful completion of the Retirement Plan Fundamentals (RPF-1 and RPF-2) exams. The first step on the path to a professional education in retirement plan administration is ASPPA’s Retirement Plan Fundamentals (RPF) certificate. Constantly updated by practitioners working in the industry, the RPF course curriculum provides a perfect introduction to the issues, terminology, and requirements of retirement plan administration. There’s no better way to demonstrate to employers or clients your mastery of the rudiments of retirement plan administration, design and operation. The curriculum is designed to give the candidate a big picture view of the lifecycle of a retirement plan from its establishment, annual administration to closing down a plan.
- Tax-Exempt & Governmental Plan Administration Certificate is earned after successful completion of the Tax-Exempt & Governmental Plan Administration (TGPC-1) exam. The TGPC-1 exam also serves as a gateway to the TGPC credential, ASPPA’s credential for retirement plan professionals specializing in the 403(b) and/or 457 marketplace as well as other plans maintained by tax-exempt and governmental entities.
Intermediate Education:
- New in 2012! Defined Benefit Administration Certificate - is earned after successful completion of the Defined Benefit Administration (DB-A) examination. It is designed for entry level to intermediate level DB administrators. Many firms that administer defined benefit plans rely heavily on non-actuarial staff to interact with defined benefit plan sponsors and to partner with the plan’s actuary to prepare the plan valuation and tax filings. It will allow the non-actuary with an understanding of the administration of a defined benefit plan, including the basics of determining contributions, the applicable deadlines, calculations for termination and retirement benefits, and other critically important aspects of these types of plans. The DBA Certificate is valuable to administrators interested in expanding their knowledge of defined benefit plans; providing full defined benefit plan administration support to their plan’s actuaries; improving their consulting abilities with defined benefit plan clients; developing basic actuarial skills; and becoming a more valuable asset to their employer.
- New in 2012! Plan Financial Consulting Certificate - is earned after successful completion of the 2012 Plan Financial Consulting-1 (PFC-1) examination. The PFC-1 exam is also is the primer for the Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) credential. The PFC certificate program provides the framework for a candidate to achieve core competency on the administrative and consulting issues commonly encountered by financial consultants who service the retirement plans market.
All certificate program exams are administered online in open-book, multiple choice format. Upon successful completion of these exams, ASPPA will automatically issue online the appropriate certificate.