The Retirement Counseling courses provide you with intermediate knowledge of retirement preparation, counseling and investment management for retirees. This program is most beneficial for individuals who are interested in taking the CRC® exam and to those who want detailed instruction in the area of retirement counseling. Both Course I and II are offered by Texas A&M University-Commerce. The following is a description of Course II.

This course will provide you with the intermediate knowledge of retirement plans, distributions, and the risks and solutions to managing retirement income. Once the course begins you will have weekly reading assignments, audio PowerPoint presentations covering course material, and weekly exams that generally consist of about 25 to 35 multiple choice questions. You must get 75% of the exam questions correct to pass the course.

Retirement plan topics include:

• The definition of qualified and non-qualified plans
• Basic features of qualified and non-qualified plans
• The difference between defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Advantages of each plan to employers and employees
• The rules governing qualified plans, including
  • eligibility and contribution limitations
  • payment options at retirement
  • the rules governing distributions
• Plans for individuals and the self employed
• Social Security and Medicare

Retirement income planning topics include:

• Goal setting
• Retirement accumulation model
• Determining client retirement income and expense gaps
• Managing retirement risks
• Identification of tax and estate planning issues and opportunities
• Converting resources into income
• Utilizing other professionals

IMPORTANT NOTE:
All students are required to enroll in Retirement Counseling I before taking Retirement Counseling II.