PFC-1 Syllabus
    Course Overview
    Exam Details
    Required and Supplementary Reading
    Exam Waivers and Grandfathering Rules
    Study Guide References and Errata

This course is the first of two building on the material covered in RPF 1 & 2, leading to the Qualified Plan Financial Consultant designation (QPFC). QPFC is the professional credential for financial professionals who sell, advice, market or support qualified retirement plans. The focus of this course is the administrative and consulting issues commonly encountered by financial consultants who service clients in the qualified and non-qualified plan arena.

The subject matter of PFC-1:

• Focuses on the administrative and consulting issues commonly encountered by financial consultants who service the retirement plans market.
• Covers all types of defined contribution and defined benefit plans including nonqualified SERPs, cash balance plans, ESOPs and also the Roth 401(k).
• Discusses plan design issues such as eligibility, vesting, nondiscrimination testing, plan documents, top-heavy and the deductibility of contributions.
• Examines the role played by the type of business sponsoring the plan, controlled group issues and the impact that leased employees, independent contractors and Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) have on qualified plans.
• Addresses the ethical responsibilities of the financial consultant.

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 2010 PFC-1 exam is: 

• Retirement Plan Consulting for Financial Professionals, 2nd Edition. Arlington, VA: ASPPA, 2009 by Sarah E. Simoneaux, CPC: $259

Supplementary Study Tools - The study tools below are not required preparation for the PFC-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.