We are extremely pleased to report that on September 1, 2009, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) officially accredited the Certified Retirement Counselor® (CRC®) certification.

This is a major step forward for InFRE and all CRC certificants, and sets the CRC certification program apart as one of the few professional financial credentials to meet the rigorous governance, exam and recertification standards of the NCCA. We extend sincere appreciation to InFRE’s dedicated staff and the volunteers who contributed hundreds of hours to this important initiative over the past 24 months.

For CRC certificants employed in the financial services sector, please send your compliance contact and Broker/Dealer information to Amy Hayes at ahayes@infre.org as soon as possible, so we can forward what they require to ensure continued use of your CRC® marks.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the Certified Retirement Counselor® (CRC®) certification.

InFRE submits application for accreditation on April 30, 2009.

InFRE submitted an application for CRC accreditation by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA) on April 30, 2009. The application includes the results of the 2008 CRC Practice Analysis and new CRC Exam Test Specifications. We expect to demonstrate compliance with accreditation standards by late summer 2009.

We extend special thanks to the retirement professionals that contributed dozens of hours of their time and subject matter expertise to create the CRC Practice Analysis and new comprehensive examinations. We are deeply grateful for your generous contribution to the profession of retirement counseling.

Why is InFRE seeking accreditation for the Certified Retirement Counselor ^® (CRC^®) certification?

InFRE is keenly aware of its responsibility to maintain its role as the pre-eminent certification in the field of retirement counseling. In light of this responsibility and recent regulatory developments regarding the use of “senior designations”, InFRE has recognized that independent accreditation is the right thing to do to distinguish the CRC among the proliferation of retirement-oriented designations.

Accreditation is also an indication to consumers that all who hold an accredited certification possess a minimum level of knowledge and competency pertaining to their profession. After successfully completing the accreditation process, InFRE will be able to demonstrate that the CRC meets the professional standards determined by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

What do accreditation standards include?

In order to be an accredited program, InFRE must meet high standards regarding governance, responsibility to stakeholders, exam process, and recertification. Evidence of compliance with these standards must be submitted along with other required documentation.

Accreditation requires a certification to be structured and governed in way appropriate for the profession and that ensures autonomy in decision making over essential certification activities. To avoid conflicts of interest between certification and education functions, the certification agency may not require the purchase of educational materials but may offer educational materials as on optional way to prepare for an exam. Study materials and exams are based on the domains of knowledge and tasks determined in an industry practice analysis and generally accepted psychometric principles. The certification program must also demonstrate that its recertification requirements measure or enhance the continued competence of certificants.

NCCA uses a peer review process to establish accreditation standards, evaluate compliance with the standards, and recognize organizations/programs which demonstrate compliance.

Why is it important to be certified by a third party?

Independent accreditation is an important way to distinguish between a “certification” designed to help prepare retirement counselors to competently address retirement issues and a “designation” that may only indicate completion of a course. Striving to ensure that all consumers, especially seniors, receive competent retirement planning guidance, many organizations offering a retirement certification or designation are now seeking accreditation. It is a challenging process and many organizations may not achieve the high standards that are required.

Since its founding in 1997, InFRE has accomplished its mission of enhancing the preparedness of the American worker by working with retirement professionals to provide relevant education and certification programs. Texas Tech University, recognized nationally for their outstanding undergraduate, graduate and masters financial planning programs, is a key partner. By seeking independent third-party accreditation of the CRC program, InFRE continues to lead the retirement profession as it has done since it's inception in 1997.

How does the accreditation process work?

In the fall of 2007, InFRE engaged the services of Professional Examination Service (PES) to assist in the accreditation process. The accreditation process is lengthy and involves several phases beginning with updated practice analysis survey. The practice analysis was completed in September 2008 and included a literature review of the underlying knowledge base for the retirement counseling profession, as well as a large-scale web based survey of CRC's.

New exams were then created from the results of the practice analysis to test Candidate's understanding of the identified knowledge domains and associated tasks. The last steps is to submit an accreditation application seeking approval by NCCA commissioners.

What is the timeline for the accreditation of the CRC certification?

The creation of the practice analysis and evolved certification exams typically takes 18 months or more. InFRE hopes to be able to demonstrate compliance with NCCA standards by summer 2009.