Retirement Planning Certificate

About the Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program

The Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program is a series of certificates covering the core areas of personal financial planning (PFP), including retirement, estate, risk management and insurance, and investment planning, and how tax planning relates to each area. This certificate program is a combination of education and a certificate exam that gives you the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and demonstrate competence in that specific discipline.

This PFP certificate program offers three different options:

• Certificate: You can display your competence and understanding in one or more core areas with a digital badge awarded upon completion of each certificate exam, an online proctored exam taken from the convenience of your home or office. This certificate offers optional online education to provide a thorough comprehension of the material in preparation for the exam.
• Education: If CPE is your goal, you can purchase the education, without the certificate exam, and simply earn CPE credit for your CPA license, PFS credential, and/or CFP® credential. If you hold the PFS credential, there is no need to take the certificate exam because your PFS credential exam tests this material.
• Credential: If you are an active CPA who wants to obtain the PFS credential, the certificate program provides an alternative pathway for meeting the exam and education requirements.

The Retirement Planning Certificate Program

The Retirement Planning Certificate Program is an informative and engaging learning experience that will enhance your knowledge in retirement planning. Part of the Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program, this certificate program includes six dynamic courses covering critical steps in the retirement planning life cycle, including unique planning for aging and chronically ill clients.

This series of courses include:

• The Retirement Planning Process
• Governmental and Employer Retirement Plans
• Personal Retirement Investments, Income, and Expenses
• Analyzing Client Retirement Data
• Creating, Implementing, and Monitoring the Plan
• Elder and Special Needs Planning

CPA, PFS, and CFP Continuing Education

These courses meet the CPE requirements for the CPA license and PFS credential. In addition, it qualifies for CFP board CE credits. The AICPA will report CE credits to the CFP Board every two weeks on a rolling basis as courses are completed. To have your CE reported please complete the following steps as there is not an automated feed to the CFP Board: Send an email to CFPReporting@aicpa-cima.com with the following information: Name, CFP Number, Copy of Certificate of completion and number of CE hours requested to be reported.

Exam Scheduling

Five to eight business days after receiving your purchase confirmation email, we will send out the Notice to Schedule (NTS) email enabling you to schedule the specific day and either online proctor time or testing center location to take the exam any time over the next 12 months.

It is extremely important that the AICPA has the most recent contact information and email address for each registrant as your email and mailing address will be utilized for all communications regarding this exam. Log in to view or update your information.

Comprehensive retirement planning

The Retirement Planning Certificate Program includes six dynamic courses covering critical steps in the retirement planning life cycle, including unique planning for aging and chronically ill clients.

• The Retirement Planning Process
• Governmental and Employer Retirement Plans
• Personal Retirement Investments, Income, and Expenses
• Analyzing Client Retirement Data
• Creating, Implementing, and Monitoring the Retirement Plan
• Elder and Special Needs Planning

Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program

The Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program is a series of certificates covering the core areas of personal financial planning (PFP), including retirement, estate, risk management and insurance, and investment planning, and how tax planning relates to each area.

This certificate program is a combination of education and a certificate exam that gives you the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and demonstrate competence in that specific discipline.

Which option is right for you?

The PFP certificate program offers three different options so you can decide which helps you achieve your goals.

Certificate to display your competence

You can display your competence and understanding in one or more core areas of personal financial planning with a digital badge awarded upon completion of each certificate exam.

Each exam is proctored online and can be taken from the convenience of your home or office.

Optional online education is available so you can thoroughly comprehend the material and prepare for the exam.

Education to earn CPE

If CPE is your goal, you can purchase the education without the certificate exam, and simply earn CPE credit for your CPA license, PFS credential, and/or CFP® credential.

If you hold the PFS credential, there is no need to take the certificate exam because your PFS credential exam tests this material.

Credential as a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS)

If you are an active CPA who wants to obtain the PFS credential, the certificate program provides an alternative pathway for meeting the exam and education requirements.

See https://www.aicpa-cima.com/membership/landing/credentials for additional information.

CPA, PFS, and CFP® Continuing Education

These courses fulfill CPE requirements for both the CPA license and PFS credential. They also qualify for CFP® Board CE credits. The AICPA reports these CE credits to the CFP® Board every two weeks. However, this reporting is not automatic. Follow these steps to ensure your CE credits are reported:

Email: CFPReporting@aicpa-cima.com.
Include: Your name, CFP® Number, a copy of your completion certificate, and the number of CE hours you wish to report.of CE hours requested to be reported.

Who Will Benefit

• Financial Planners
• CPAs
• Tax professionals
• Qualified professionals with basic knowledge of, and interest in, personal financial planning

Key Topics

• The Retirement Planning Process
• Governmental and Employer Retirement Plans
• Personal Retirement Investments, Income, and Expenses
• Analyzing Client Retirement Data
• Creating, Implementing, and Monitoring the Retirement Plan
• Elder and Special Needs Planning

Learning Outcomes

• Determine the standards that apply to AICPA members performing personal financial planning engagements.
• Identify the requirements that apply to participants in a qualified plan.
• Identify regulatory and legislative requirements for qualified retirement plans designed to protect plan participants.
• Identify characteristics of nonqualified plans.
• Identify types of retirement assets.
• Identify requirements and features of employer-sponsored retirement plans.
• Distinguish saving strategies for retirement.
• Identify types of assumptions used in personal financial planning.
• Determine the implications of retirement plan contributions for employers and employees.
• Determine nonfinancial factors involved in planning care for the elderly and those with special needs.