What Is a Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC)?

Salespeople and marketers working in the financial services profession, as well as college students, can earn the Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC) certificate to show they have proficiency and professionalism sufficient to help employers create effective retirement plans for workers. That includes plan features and designs as well as how to educate, advise and communicate with eligible employees about the plan, not to mention marketing the plans. They can also address required reporting and compliance demands.

A financial advisor can offer individuals, whether they are employees or not, valuable advice on creating, adjusting and monitoring their own personal financial plan.

What Is the ARPC Certification?

The ARPC certification is a professional designation for financial professionals who specialize in designing, implementing and managing employer-sponsored retirement plans. It signals that the holder has demonstrated a focused understanding of the rules, strategies and best practices that go into building retirement plans that work for both businesses and their employees.

The designation is geared toward professionals already working in the retirement plan space, including plan administrators, benefits consultants, financial advisors and third-party administrators. It’s particularly valuable for those who want to deepen their expertise in retirement plan consulting and stand out in a competitive field. If you’re an employer looking for help with your company’s retirement plan, seeking out someone with an ARPC credential can give you confidence that they have specialized training in this area.

Even if you’re not pursuing the credential yourself, understanding what an ARPC brings to the table can help you make better decisions when choosing a retirement plan consultant. Professionals who hold this designation have invested time and effort into mastering the specific challenges of employer-sponsored plans.

ARPC Issuing Body

The Society of Professional Asset Managers and Recordkeepers (SPARK) is the sponsor of the ARPC certificate. The nonprofit was formed in 1998 and acts as an advocacy group on federal retirement policy. The membership of SPARK includes many of the financial industry’s top companies, including BlackRock, Fidelity, Charles Schwab and Merrill Lynch. In addition to the APRC certificate program, SPARK provides research, training and other resources on cybersecurity, fraud, compliance and industry best practices.

The ARPC has been offered since 2004. About 150 financial professionals currently hold the certificate. So it’s not an especially common certification.

ARPC Certification Requirements

The ARPC designation is primarily intended for people already working in sales and marketing in the retirement plan field. With the exception of students, applicants must have a year of full-time experience.

SPARK further defines a year of experience as at least 2,000 hours of working in financial services. That has to include at least 400 hours spent selling, marketing or providing services to retirement plans and plan participants.

Applicants must provide a recommendation letter from a current work supervisor. The recommendation letter has to verify the type and amount of the application’s work experience.

Students currently enrolled in a college or university can apply without the required job experience requirement. Instead, they need a recommendation from a faculty member or department head to qualify. Student applicants won’t receive their ARPC until they complete a year of professional work experience, however. The relevant work experience can include an internship.

The ARPC Exam

ARPC applicants also have to pass a certification exam. This is a 100-question multiple-choice test that must be completed within two hours with a passing score of 73% correct. The exam questions are designed to test the applicant’s knowledge of how to determine an organization’s retirement plan needs, evaluate the effectiveness of the organization’s current retirement plan, formulate a suitable retirement plan solution, present it to the employer and assist in implementation and follow-up.

No coursework is required to sit for the exam. However, applicants can take an online ARPC course that presents material based on the exam outline.

Costs to Get an ARPC

ARPC applicants have to pay a $350 application fee and taking the exam costs another $150. The optional self-paced online ARPC training course costs $850. Applicants who pay for the SPARK ARPC course can have the $350 application fee waived.

ARPC certificate holders pay $150 annually to renew the designation. Each year they also have to complete 10 hours of continuing education courses. SPARK offers five-hour continuing education courses that meet the requirements for $150 each.

ARPC Jobs and Privileges

Earning the ARPC designation opens the door to a range of career opportunities in the retirement plan industry. It also comes with professional privileges that can help set credential holders apart from their peers. Here’s a closer look at the types of roles and advantages that come with the certification.

One of the most common career paths for an ARPC is working as a retirement plan consultant. In this role, professionals advise employers on which plan structures best fit their workforce and business objectives. They guide clients through everything from initial plan design to ongoing compliance monitoring, acting as a trusted resource for companies that want to get the most out of their retirement offerings.

Many ARPCs work as or within third-party administration (TPA) firms, handling the day-to-day operational and regulatory demands of employer-sponsored plans. This includes tasks like nondiscrimination testing, contribution calculations and government filings. The ARPC credential signals to employers and plan sponsors that the administrator has the specialized knowledge to manage these responsibilities accurately and efficiently.

Financial advisors who earn the ARPC can use it to strengthen their expertise in employer-sponsored retirement plans. This added specialization allows them to serve business-owner clients more effectively, particularly when it comes to plan selection, fiduciary responsibilities and regulatory compliance.

Comparable Certifications

There are several other professional designations that can be earned by financial services workers in the retirement field. Here are a couple of the most comparable certifications:

Accredited Retirement Plan Specialist (ARPS) is a SPARK designation for administrative and recordkeeping professionals working in retirement plan operations. Similar to the ARPC certificate, ARPS holders have demonstrated a year of experience and the ability to pass an exam.
Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC) is offered by the International Foundation for Retirement Education. Applicants can earn the certificate by registering and passing a four-hour 200-question exam that costs $520.

Bottom Line

Sales and marketing professionals working in the retirement plan industry can demonstrate their proficiency in designing employer-sponsored retirement plans by earning the ARPC designation. Earning the certificate requires having a year of relevant experience, obtaining a letter of recommendation and passing an exam. The designation, which is not particularly common among financial professionals, can also be earned by college students.

Tips on Retirement

Consider working with a financial advisor to develop, implement and fine-tune a personal financial or estate plan. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Are you saving enough for retirement? SmartAsset’s award-winning retirement calculator can help you determine exactly how much you need to save to retire.