THE CERTIFIED RETIREMENT SPECIALIST (CRS)

There are four required courses in the CRS curriculum. Most courses are made up of 10 weekly assignments. The curriculum is revised annually, and the following outlines are subject to change.

COURSE 1- THE BASICS OF 403(b) PLANS
  • The 403(b) Market: Issues and Practices
  • Legislative History, Market Segments and the Code Explained
  • Eligibility for 403(b) Plans
  • Gathering Data for Maximum Annual Contribution Calculations
  • The 402(g) Limits
  • The Section 415 Limit on Annual Additions
  • Putting it All Together: The Maximum Annual Contribution
  • Accounting and Tax Reporting
  • Professionalism and Ethics in the 403(b) Business
COURSE 2- Planning and Managing the 403(b) Product and Investment Options
  • Retirement Income Planning
  • The Uniqueness of 403(b) Arrangements
  • Fixed Annuities
  • Annuity Pricing
  • Variable Annuities
  • 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts
  • Equity-Indexed Annuities
  • Life Insurance in 403(b) Plans - Part I
  • Life Insurance in 403(b) Plans - Part II
  • Planning the Client's Estate
COURSE 3- Loans, Distributions, Transfers and Rollovers
  • Planning Retirement Spending
  • Loans from 403(b) Plans
  • 403(b) Loans: Issues & Practices
  • Taxation of Distributions From Retirement Plans
  • Minimum Distribution Rules
  • Working with Distribution Options
  • Correction of Excess Deferrals, Excess 403(b)(2) and 415 Contributions
  • Distributions and 403(b) Tax-Free Transfers
  • Direct and Indirect Rollover
  • Legal Aspects of 403(b) Beneificiary Designations
COURSE 4- EMPLOYER FUNDED PLANS, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, AND IRS AUDITS
  • ERISA 403(b) Plan Overveiw – Part I
  • ERISA 403(b) Plan Overview – Part II
  • Types and Choices of Plans
  • Alternative Plan Designs For 501(c)(3) Organizations
  • The Choice Between 403(b) and 401(k) Plans (for 501(c)(3)s)
  • Working With Religious Organizations
  • Third Party Support Providers
  • The IRS Audits, Examination Guidelines – Part I
  • The IRS Audits, Examination Guidelines – Part II

THE ADVANCED RETIREMENT SPECIALIST (MCRS)

In addition to the above four courses, the MCRS program requires the successful completion of the following two courses:

COURSE 5- ADVANCED ISSUES IN 403(b) AND RELATED PLANS

  • The NTSAA Compliance Initiative
  • Compliance in General
  • 457 Eligible & Ineligible Def. Comp. Plans
  • DROP Programs
  • Nondiscrimination Testing of 403(b) Plans
  • SEPs and SIMPLE Plans
  • Frequently Asked Questions; Merging Issues
  • Post Retirement Contributions to 403(b) Plans
  • Individual Retirement Plans - Part I
  • Individual Retirement Plans - Part II
COURSE 6- FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ESTATE PLANNING
  • Retirement Planning Overview
  • Social Security
  • Determining Retirement Needs
  • Investing – Part I
  • Investing – Part II
  • Ownership of Property
  • Trusts, Trustees and Other Fiduciaries and Powers of Appointment
  • Transfers at Death; Administration of the Estate
  • Lifetime Transfers by Gift; An Overview of Federal Gift Taxation
  • Federal Estate Taxation:The Gross Estate – Part I
  • Federal Estate Taxation:The Gross Estate – Part II
  • The Marital Deduction