CRC Candidates

The Certified Retirement Counselor® (CRC®) Certification Program

InFRE created the CRC^® in 1997 to help enhance the retirement preparedness of the American Worker by advancing recognition among retirement planning professionals of the need for a retirement specific certification program.

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Why should you become a CRC® versus earn another retirement designation? The CRC® program Is independently accredited, by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies(see below) Is developed by professionals, for professionals and is continually kept up-to-date and relevant Demonstrates a mastery of both retirement accumulation and distribution planning Requires an ongoing investment in continuing education Commits Certificants to adhere to a Code of Ethics.

1. The CRC^® is independently accredited

The CRC® is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Obtaining NCCA accreditation required the CRC^® certification program be vetted to meet the highest standards regarding governance, responsibility to stakeholders, exam process, and recertification on the merits of the program itself – an important difference from designations being offered by accredited colleges. Hence, the CRC^®’s independent, third-party program accreditation signifies that CRC^® Certificants are an elite group of qualified retirement professionals among the array of retirement-related designations available today.

As a result of independent accreditation, the CRC^® mark is approved for use in states that regulate senior designations, now allowing financial professionals in all 50 states the ability to use the CRC^® mark in their communications with the public.

Many compliance departments have approved the mark for use as well. If you are an advisor and restricted by your current employer or broker/dealer from using your CRC^® mark, please contact us for help. We are happy to work with your Compliance/Advertising Review Department to provide the documents they need to approve the use of the CRC^®.

Learn more about CRC^®’s program policies here: CRC^® Program Policies manual

 

2. Developed by professionals, for professionals

The Certified Retirement Counselor^® (CRC^®) certification is a one-of-a-kind professional development program that enables financial professionals to address the challenges facing today’s retirees. The CRC^® program was developed over a two-year period of original research and analysis by a team of 75 highly-respected retirement practitioners in partnership with the academic guidance of the Center for Financial Responsibility at Texas Tech University, one of the leading financial planning universities in the country. The CRC^® Test Specifications address retirement planning and income management issues from multiple perspectives—including those faced in both private and government sector employer-sponsored retirement plans.

The CRC^® program enhances a professional’s understanding of retirement planning concepts and principles. Many who have earned the CRC^® certification comment that the CRC^® curriculum’s focus on applying a retirement planning and income management process enhances their ability to tangibly demonstrate expertise and commitment to better serve clients’ retirement planning needs.

The CRC^® Study Guides help advisors meet the comprehensive retirement planning needs of clients by covering both accumulation planning and distribution planning.

CRC® 1: Fundamentals of Retirement Planning - Course #1 provides techniques for understanding the broad variety of factors that can affect a client's retirement goals. You will also learn methods for motivating and educating clients on the need to save for retirement. Retail: $125
CRC® 2: Fundamentals of Investments - Course #2 teaches the basic investment concepts and terminology you need to help your clients with goal-appropriate investing. Retail $125
CRC® 3: Fundamentals of Retirement Plan Design – Course #3 teaches you the concepts needed to guide your clients in maximizing assets within different types of retirement plans. Retail $125
CRC® 4: Fundamentals of Retirement Income Planning - This guide presents a well-developed retirement planning process that encompasses the entire spectrum of retirement planning from the individual’s point of view of accumulation as a worker to distribution as a retiree. Retail $125

SAVE $50 when you buy the complete set of four Study Guides - $450

Free bonus worth $249! When you purchase the complete set of Study Guides, you will also receive access to the CRC^® Elearning Review Courses to supplement your self-study preparation for exams.These 30 online sessions, totaling more than 18 hours of content, may be viewed by candidates at their convenience to clarify concepts and answer questions on the more difficult topics.
Click here to view a sample.

 

3. Demonstrates a mastery of both retirement accumulation and distribution planning

Today’s other retirement credentials typically cover only accumulation planning OR only distribution planning – not both. The CRC^® program is the only retirement-specific certification that prepares financial professionals for meeting today’s comprehensive retirement planning needs.

The CRC^® Certification Test Specifications outline in detail the knowledge and task proficiency needed for Candidates to pass the exam. The five domains of practice are as follows:

Domain 1: Provide Retirement Education

Domain 2: Identify Needs, Concerns and Goals in Terms of Quantitative and Qualitative Factors by Career Stage/Phase of Retirement

Domain 3: Design Retirement-readiness and Post-retirement Strategies within the Context of the Regulatory, Legal, Operational and Structural Environment

Domain 4: Facilitate the Implementation of the Retirement-readiness and Post-retirement Strategies

Domain 5: Evaluate, Adjust, and Document Retirement Strategies Across Career Stages/Retirement Phases

If you’re seeking one credential that is designed to help you best serve BOTH the accumulation and distribution planning needs of the mid-market, look no further than the CRC^®!

 

4. Time spent preparing for the exam can earn CFP^® and state insurance continuing education (CE) credits

In addition to an ongoing education requirement, you can earn continuing education while preparing for the exam if you purchase the CRC^® study guides and satisfactorily complete the online quizzes related to the four CRC^® study guides. Each of the CRC^® study guides has been approved for 7.5 hours of CFP^® CE credit (30 hours total). Study guides have also been approved in most states for insurance license CE credit. Click here to view states granting CE approval and the number of hours approved.

To maintain certification status, CRC^® Certificants must earn and submit fifteen (15) hours of continuing education (CE) annually. CRC^® CE requirements may be fulfilled with firm element training and other required internal training programs. Insurance license and other license/certification CE may also apply. All CRC^® CE is self-reporting. Though CE courses do not require pre-approval, submitted CE can be rejected if it does not properly meet CE standards as outlined in the CRC^® Program Policy Manual.

 

5. CRC^® Certificants commit to adhere to a Code of Ethics

All CRC^® Certificants must complete an annual renewal of their certification, which requires signing a Certificate Holder’s Statement that indicates adherence to the CRC^® Code of Ethics. A CRC^® Certificant agrees to follow within his or her professional activities both traditional ethical principles and the letter and spirit of the state and federal laws that regulate retirement advice, records, and transactions.

 

Are you ready to become a CRC?

Register now for the CRC^® program.