DC-3 Syllabus
    Course Overview
    Exam Details
    Required and Supplementary Reading
    Exam Waivers and Grandfathering Rules
    Study Guide References and Errata

Course Overview

This course is designed for those retirement plan professionals who want to learn more than just the basics about qualified plans. It not only goes into more depth on the basics of coverage and nondiscrimination but also covers a range of more advanced topics.

The subject matter of DC-3:

• The course begins with leased employees and different types of business entities and moves to employer situations such as determining controlled groups and affiliated service groups.
• Identifies different types of compensation as well as looks at when a definition of compensation may be subject to additional nondiscrimination testing.
• Covers advanced topics like average benefit testing and plan aggregation are discussed with emphasis on how choices made in coverage testing affect nondiscrimination methodologies.
• Discusses advanced nondiscrimination testing techniques including general testing, identifying rate groups and the intricacies involved in the average benefit test.
• Covers a basic understanding of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and explains how these plans operate and the special rules that apply to them.
• This course covers fiduciary issues, including fiduciary responsibilities, standards and consequences of fiduciary breaches, prohibited transactions, advanced distribution issues and life insurance in plans.
• Candidates will learn about the ASPPA Code of Professional Conduct and be able to identify ethical dilemmas that may be faced by retirement plan professionals.

It is presumed that a candidate sitting for the DC-2 examination will have the knowledge of material covered in the Pension Administrator (PA) or Retirement Plan Fundamentals (RPF) series, DC-1 examination and the DC-2 examination. Please refer to the DC-3 syllabus for specific learning objectives, exam topic weightings, etc.

Exam Details

The DC-3 examination consists of 55 multiple choice questions and candidates have two (2) hours to complete it. Candidates will receive a grade immediately upon completing the exam. Exams are given at Prometric Testing Centers during the examination window, please refer to the Education calendar for dates.  

To register, a candidate must have an account with ASPPA, to create an account please click here. Candidates can register online or download the registration form and send via mail or fax to 703.516.9308.

Once registered, eligibility e-mails will be sent to candidates beginning approximately eight weeks prior to the opening of an exam window.  The eligibility e-mail has detailed instructions on scheduling your appointment with Prometric. It is the candidate’s responsibility to schedule an exam. We strongly recommend you schedule an appointment upon receipt of the confirmation letter as testing centers fill up quickly. To find a Prometric Testing Center visit http://www.2test.com.

Exam Fees - The registration fee is a non-refundable. 

• To qualify for early registration, registration forms accompanied by the early registration fee of $199 for members and $230 for non-members must reach the ASPPA office no later than April 19 for the spring examinations and September 27 for the fall examinations.
• To qualify for final registration, registration forms accompanied by the final registration fee of $269 for members and $295 for non-members must reach the ASPPA office no later than May 12 for the spring examinations and October 29 for the fall examinations.

For more information visit the Exam Schedule & Fees page.

Required and Supplementary Reading

All study materials can be ordered by using the online ASPPA Bookstore or downloading the Publications Order Form and following the instructions to phone, fax or mail your order form and payment. 

The required reading for the DC-3 exam is: 

Supplementary Study Tools - The study tools below are not required preparation for the DC-1 examination. They are offered as additional study aids. 

Note: The 2009 Textbook is the required text for the 2010 exam. The material in 2009 Practice Exam is valid and can be used as a study tool for the 2010 exam.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to review all of ASPPA’s exam policies and procedures which can be found in the ASPPA Program Catalog or on Candidate Corner. 

Study Guide References & Errata

For updates to ASPPA’s publications and examinations please click here. Stop by regularly as new updates are posted.