Certified Retirement Counselor

Certified Retirement Counselor^® (CRC^®) Exam Preparation Study Guides

This four-part program is offered as an optional educational resource to help CRC candidates prepare for the CRC examination.

The four modules are:

CRC 1 - Fundamentals of Retirement Planning

CRC 2 - Fundamentals of Investments

CRC 3 - Fundamentals of Retirement Plan Design

CRC 4 - Fundamentals of Retirement Income Planning

Hardcopies of study guides are provided in a perfect bound format for storage and reference. Individual study guides may be purchased for $125/study guide. When purchasing all four study guides at once you will receive a 10% discount of $50.

If you have questions regarding the optional educational resources offered by InFRE, please call 847-756-7350 ext. 136.

Refund Policy

Study guides may be returned in unused condition within ten business days from the date of receipt. No refunds will be granted when study guides are returned more than ten business days from the date of receipt or in damaged condition. Click here to review the full refund policy including the examimation fee or rescheduling an examination.

Purchase the individual courses below

4-part CRC Program
$450.00

CRC 1 - Fundamentals of Retirement Planning

With a strong emphasis on how the basic tools of financial planning can be used to best prepare for retirement, this course establishes the foundation of the CRC series. By taking a close look at how to plan for retirement at the different stages of life, Course #1 provides techniques for understanding the broad variety of factors that can affect a client's retirement goals.

You will learn methods for motivating and educating clients and employees on the need to save for retirement, and the importance of taking personal responsibility for their own financial futures.

Topics include: retirement planning life cycles, behavioral finance, cash management, debt management, tax and estate planning strategies, how time affects the value of money, budgeting and the different life cycle stages, elder care, integrating employees’ plans with spousal benefits, other sources of retirement income besides the employer’s plan, effectively counseling clients with unique communication needs, and helping pre-retirees understand the importance of preparing psychologically, socially, physically, geographically and financially for retirement, and ethics.

CRC 1

Course Only
$125.00

CRC 2 - Fundamentals of Investments

For a retirement program to work as envisioned, retirement professionals must thoroughly understand the basic concepts and terminology needed to help clients/participants/employees invest wisely for their long-term retirement goals. In this course, you'll gain familiarity with investment concepts that are critical to effective retirement counseling.

Emphasis is on training the retirement counselor to assist clients/participants in feeling comfortable with the investment decisions that must be made to achieve a financially worry-free retirement. The course includes a discussion of how to present the information in the course to clients/participants.

Topics include: the basic investment instruments: common and preferred stock, bonds, short-term instruments, mutual funds, annuities and guaranteed contracts, and the various fee structures associated with these investments; managing risk through diversification, asset allocation and portfolio management, and the important aspects of time horizon and goal-appropriate investing.

CRC 2

Course Only
$125.00

CRC 3 - Fundamentals of Retirement Plan Design

Employers and individuals have distinctive retirement planning needs. Finding the best retirement plan that is tailored to everyone’s unique needs may seem more idealistic than achievable. Course #3 arms retirement professionals with the key plan concepts and features to help them guide and assist clients in determining which type of retirement plan is likely to be best for them. The study guide will help the retirement professional translate this complex and often confusing information to clients/participants of various backgrounds.

Topics include: definition of qualified and nonqualified plans, basic features of qualified and nonqualified plans, the difference between defined benefit and defined contribution plans, advantages of each plan to employers and employees, the rules governing qualified plans, including eligibility and contribution limitations, payment options at retirement and the rules governing distributions, plans for individuals (IRAs) and the self employed, and Social Security and Medicare.

CRC 3

Course Only
$125.00

CRC 4 - Fundamentals of Retirement Income Planning

This course presents a well-developed retirement planning process that encompasses the entire spectrum of retirement planning from the individual’s point of view, from accumulation as a worker to distribution as a retiree. You’ll study InFRE's unique Retirement Income Management content — a practical guide to creating a lifetime income stream after retirement. And you’ll learn how to coordinate the work you do as a retirement professional with other advisors essential to the retirement planning process.

Topics include: retirement accumulation model, retirement income management model, determining client retirement income and expense gaps, managing retirement risks, identification of client tax and estate planning issues and opportunities, converting resources into income, and working with other professionals.

CRC 4

Course Only
$125.00