As a professional society, ASPPA recognizes the importance of the continuing educational development of its members. ASPPA has a mandatory program of Continuing Education (CE) for all ASPPA credentialed members. Below is a brief FAQ with commonly asked questions. We strongly encourage all candidates and credentialed members to read ASPPA's CE Policy.
Who needs CE?
All ASPPA credentialed members need CE.
How many CE hours do I need?
To maintain your credential, you must earn 40 CE every two years. The CE requirement is reduced for members who earn their first credential in the first year of a CE cycle and waived for members who earn their first credential in the second year of a CE cycle.
For example: You earn your first ASPPA credential, the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA®), in 2022. It is your first credential and you earned it in the second year of the two-year cycle, so you do not need to earn any more CE for 2022. However, for the 2023-2024 CE cycle, you must earn 40 CE hours to remain credentialed.
How many CE hours do I have now?
You can check your CE hours in your account here.
Do I have to earn my CE with ASPPA?
You can earn CE hours in a variety of ways, including from parties other than ASPPA. You just need to tell us that you earned the hours; you can self-report your CE hours here.
Need help with the self-reporting of your CE?
Download our step-by-step guide here.
How can I earn CE hours?
All continuing education topics that promote an ASPPA, ASEA, NTSA, NAPA, or PSCA member’s professional development in the retirement field qualify for CE (including non-technical topics such as marketing and advanced IT training). Webinars/webcasts, conferences, teaching, publishing articles, volunteering, and more are great ways to earn CE. Topics of professional development include a broad range of disciplines and focus areas:
- Qualified Plans
- Nonqualified Plans
- Tax-Exempt & Governmental Plans
- IRAs
- Actuarial Issues
- Investments & Insurance
- Participant Issues
- Business Management, Operations & Development
- Personal Development
- Technology
What happens if I do not earn enough CE?
If you do not earn sufficient CE credits during any CE cycle, ASPPA will suspend your credential(s) until you have completed the required CE credits in the 24 months prior to applying for reinstatement as a credentialed member.
I still have questions.
Read the comprehensive ASPPA CE policy or contact Customer Care by calling (800) 308-6714 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET.