ASPPA's current Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program cycle began on January 1, 2011, and continues through December 31, 2012.

Overview

As a professional society, ASPPA recognizes the importance of the continuing professional and educational development of its members. ASPPA has a mandatory program of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) that affects all ASPPA members who hold the following credentials:

■ QKA ■ QPA ■ CPC ■ QPFC ■ TGPC ■ APM

If you hold the FSPA or MSPA credential, or are an Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent (ERPA), and are in good standing with the IRS/JBEA with regard to meeting all required CPE requirements for your related credential, you are deemed to satisfy all ASPPA CPE requirements.

ASPPA’s CPE program is dedicated to helping you stay abreast of developments in the retirement plan arena. ASPPA’s CPE requirements apply to all members who hold the credentials noted above, regardless of when the credentials were awarded.

The current CPE cycle began on January 1, 2011 and will end on December 31, 2012. In order to maintain your ASPPA credential(s), you must earn 40 CPE credits during this cycle (and in each future two-year cycle). Two of the 40 CPE credits must be on ethics/professionalism topics. Members who hold more than one ASPPA credential need only meet the 40 CPE credit requirement once per cycle.

In general, CPE is based on total minutes of continuing professional education - 50 minutes equals one CPE credit. No single CPE event will qualify for more than 25 CPE credits (i.e., there is a 25 CPE credit maximum per educational event). This limit ensures that each member obtains continuing education from at least two sources every cycle.

For the initial CPE cycle in which you earn your credential(s), the number of CPE credits required is prorated based on the date of admittance or credential within the two-year CPE cycle. The proration schedule is noted below:

• First six months of the cycle: 30 CPE credits required (2 CPE credits of ethics/professionalism)
• Second six months of the cycle: 20 CPE credits required (1 CPE credit of ethics/professionalism)
• Third six months of the cycle: 10 CPE credits required (1 CPE credit of ethics/professionalism)
• Fourth six months of the cycle: 0 CPE credits required (0 CPE credits of ethics/professionalism)

If you are a credentialed member who holds one or more of the credentials noted above and you do not earn sufficient CPE credits during any CPE cycle, ASPPA will suspend your credential(s) until you have completed sufficient CPE credits to apply for reinstatement as a credentialed member in 24 months prior. To view the ASPPA 2011/2012 CPE Guidelines, click here. For further information, please direct your questions to the ASPPA Customer Support department at customersupport@asppa.org or 703.516.9300.

CPE Acceptable Subject Matter Topics

All continuing professional education topics that promote an ASPPA member’s professional development in the retirement field qualify for ASPPA CPE (including non-technical topics such as social networking, marketing and advanced IT training). Broad categories include topics such as:

• Qualified Plans
• Nonqualified Plans
• Tax-Exempt & Governmental Plans
• IRAs
• Actuarial Issues
• Investments & Insurance
• Participant Issues
• Business Management, Operations & Development
• Personal Development
• Technology

Reporting and Submitting CPE Credits