CRPS® Designation
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Chartered Retirement Plans SpecialistSM - CRPS®

CRPS
CRPS® Professional Designation Program
$1,300.00

The Chartered Retirement Plans SpecialistSM , or CRPS® program, is a designation program for financial professionals. This program provides experienced advisors who are focused on retirement plans with the knowledge to recommend implementation techniques that can be executed into well-structured, company-appropriate retirement plans. Students will be able to effectively administer retirement plans for businesses and their employees.

Choose your learning modality and complete your CRPS® designation program.

  • Live Online Classes
    Our Live Online classes are best for individuals who prefer a structured schedule of instructor-led classes to stay on track with completing the program and the advantages of active learning features only possible in a live learning community. Features such as the following help you participate in the learning process, enabling you to apply new skills more quickly into your client interactions:
    • Interactive infographics
    • Activities using whiteboards
    • In-class polls as part of knowledge checks
    • Additional handouts to reinforce learning
    • Real-time access to instructors to ask questions or get clarifications on challenging concepts

Because this option is structured-pace, classes begin at certain times of the year.

  • OnDemand Classes
    Our OnDemand classes are best for individuals who need the flexibility to complete a professional designation program at their own pace based on their busy schedule. Your online learning platform will guide you through all your course-related activities, from reading assignments, recorded video lectures and module quizzes to your final exam.

Because this option is self-paced, you can begin the program at any time. 

    The CRPS® designation streamlines the cost and time toward your next credential.
    As you advance your career, the College recognizes the time and investment it takes to earn industry-recognized credentials. Upon completion of the CRPS®, graduates earn direct credit for one elective course in the College’s Master of Science Degree in Personal Financial Planning.

    Plus, completion of professional designations programs can also help you fulfill continuing education (CE) requirements:
    • If you are a CFP® professional, all designation programs (except the WMS® and LUTCF® programs) fulfill 28 hours of CE as part of your CFP® certification renewal.
    • If you currently hold a professional designation from the College, completion of a new professional designation fulfills CE hours as part of the renewal of your current designation.


    The CRPS®designation package includes:

    Choose between Live Online or OnDemand classes to complete your program.

     

    Live Online Classes

    Our Live Online classes are best for individuals who prefer a structured schedule of instructor-led classes to stay on track with completing the program and the advantages of active learning features only possible in a live learning community. Features such as the following help you participate in the learning process, enabling you to apply new skills more quickly into your client interactions:
    • Interactive infographics
    • Activities using whiteboards
    • In-class polls as part of knowledge checks
    • Additional handouts to reinforce learning
    • Real-time access to instructors to ask questions or get clarifications on challenging concepts

    Because this option is structured-pace, classes begin at certain times of the year.

    OnDemand Classes

    Our OnDemand classes are best for individuals who need the flexibility to complete a professional designation program at their own pace based on their busy schedule. Your online learning platform will guide you through all your course-related activities, from reading assignments, recorded video lectures and module quizzes to your final exam.

     

    Because this option is self-paced, you can begin the program at any time.  







    • Introduction to ERISA and the Fiduciary Standard
    • Employer-Funded Defined Contribution Plans
    • Participant-Directed Retirement Plans
    • Retirement Plan Solutions for Small Business Owners
    • Retirement Plan Selection, Design and Implementation
    • Administering ERISA-Compliant Plans
    • Working with Participants






    Electronic textbooks are your primary resource for course content. You will receive an electronic VitalSource eBook as part of the package price. eBooks in the ePub format that are compatible with Apple iPad and MOBI/Kindle will also be available on your student dashboard. 
     
    Printed textbooks are available as an add-on to your package for $150 plus tax and shipping. 


    Module Quizzes, located at the end of each unit in your program, are designed to gauge your comprehension of the material. Students must complete the 30-question quiz for each module (or 20-question quiz if you are pursuing the ADPA® program) before moving to the next module. For questions answered incorrectly, correct answers with detailed rationale are provided to help improve your comprehension.

    The Practice Exam is designed to closely replicate the Final Exam experience in terms of the degree of difficulty, timing, format, and topical coverage. This exam can be taken twice and provides unique practice questions that you haven’t seen at this point in your studies. The Practice Exam is a sound indicator of how you will perform on your Final Exam. It allows you to see areas of strength and weakness on your Performance Tracker. 

     

    For the AAMS®, APMA®, AWMA® ,CRPC® , CSRIC®  and FPQP®  designations:
    To pass the designation program, you must achieve a score of 70% or higher on the Final Exam. Students have an allotted time of 3 hours to take the Final Exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass the Final Exam. 

    The grade earned on the Final Exam reflects your overall grade for the designation program.

    For the ABFPSM, ADPA®, LUTCF®  and WMSSM  designations:
    To pass the designation program, you must achieve a score of 70% or higher on the Final Exam. Students have an allotted time of 2 hours to take the Final Exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass the Final Exam. 

    The grade earned on the Final Exam reflects your overall grade for the designation program.

     




     


    Course Sessions

    Check back for when the next Live Online classes will be offered. Students who enroll in Live Online classes will receive online access 20 days prior to the first class date.

    If you prefer OnDemand classes, you can enroll and begin pre-recorded class lectures at any time.

     

    Frequently Asked Questions about the CRPS® Designation

    The CRPS® designation program is designed for advisors and agents who wish to obtain the unique skills needed to design, install, and maintain company retirement plans.
     
    • Experienced advisors who desire financial planning credentials to advance their career
    • Advisors who wish to specialize in wholesale-based retirement plans rather than planning for individuals
    • Advisors who wish to pursue the CFP® certification or a master of science degree at a later date
    For all designation programs except LUTCF®
    Students in all professional designation programs except LUTCF® have 120 days from the date they are provided online access to complete a designation program (including testing and passing the Final Exam). 
    • Students who enroll in Live Online classes will receive online access 20 days prior to the first class date.
    • Students who enroll in OnDemand classes will receive online access immediately after they enroll.
    If you need to extend your program, extensions of up to 60 days are available at a fee.  Extensions requests must be received on or before the fourteenth day following the course end date. Fees are non-refundable.

    For the LUTCF® program
    Students have 180 days from the date they are provided online access to complete a course in the three-course LUTCF® program (including testing and passing the Final Exam). 
    • Students who enroll in Live Online classes will receive online access 20 days prior to the first class date.
    • Students who enroll in OnDemand classes will receive online access immediately after they enroll.
    If you need to extend your program, extensions of up to 60 days are available at a fee.  Extensions requests must be received on or before the fourteenth day following the course end date. Fees are non-refundable.

     

     

    he Final Exam for the CRPS® program contains 80 questions. 

    Students have an allotted time of 3 hours to take the Final Exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass the Final Exam.

    A passing score on the Final Exam is a score of 70% or higher. The grade earned on the Final Exam reflects your overall grade for the designation program.

    A score of 70% or better is required to pass all professional designation final exams. Students who do not earn a minimum of 70% after the allotted number of final exam attempts will be required to re-enroll in the professional designation course, pursuant to the Professional Designation Re-Enrollment Policy.


    After a student successfully completes the academic requirements of the professional designation program, students are notified via email (typically within 48 hours of course completion) to apply for authorization to use the applicable certification marks in accordance with the designation requirements. You can also apply for authorization through home.kaplanlearn.com. Continued use of certification marks is subject to compliance with ongoing renewal requirements.










    For all professional designation holders except LUTCF®
    All professional designation holders (except LUTCF®) are responsible for completing 16 hours of continuing education (CE) credits every two years. A $95 renewal fee is also required every two years.

    For LUTCF® designation holders 
    All LUTCF® designation holders are responsible for completing 3 hours of Ethics continuing education every two years.

    A $50 renewal fee is also required every two years. 

    Learn more about your renewal options at this link: Renew Your Professional Designation

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