The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries or ASPPA is a national organization

Professional body

A professional association is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a...

 for career retirement plan professionals. The membership consists of the many disciplines supporting retirement income management and benefits policy. Its members are part of the diversified, technical, and highly regulated benefits industry. ASPPA represents those who have made a career of retirement plan and pension policy work.

ASPPA was founded in 1966 originally as an actuarial organization. Since then, ASPPA has carefully tracked the changing needs of the retirement plan industry. As a result, ASPPA has expanded and diversified its membership to include all types of pension professionals — from actuaries

Actuary

An actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....

, consultants

Human resource consulting

Human resource consulting is an $18.4 billion industry that has emerged from management consulting, asclients' needs have become more complex and specialized, widening the gap between HR needs and work force capabilities, and thus accentuating the ability of HR management consulting firms to fill...

, and administrators to insurance professionals, financial planner

Financial planner

A financial planner or personal financial planner is a practicing professional who helps people deal with various personal financial issues through proper planning, which includes: cash flow management, education planning, retirement planning, investment planning, risk management and insurance...

s, accountant

Accountant

An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...

s, attorneys

Lawyer

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

, and human resource managers

Human resource management

Human Resource Management is the management of an organization's employees. While human resource management is sometimes referred to as a "soft" management skill, effective practice within an organization requires a strategic focus to ensure that people resources can facilitate the achievement of...

. Embracing diversity, the more than 7,500 members of ASPPA are united by their commitment to the private pension system

Retirement plans in the United States

A retirement plan is a financial arrangement designed to replace employment income upon retirement. These plans may be set up by employers, insurance companies, trade unions, the government, or other institutions. Congress has expressed a desire to encourage responsible retirement planning by...

.

Exam-based Professional Credentials

ASPPA offers the following examination-based professional credentials:

• Tax-Exempt & Governmental Plan Consultant (TGPC)
• Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC)
• Qualified 401(k)
  401(k)
  A 401 is a type of retirement savings account in the United States, which takes its name from subsection of the Internal Revenue Code . A contributor can begin to withdraw funds after reaching the age of 59 1/2 years...
  
   Administrator (QKA)
• Qualified Pension Administrator (QPA)
• Certified Pension Consultant (CPC)
• Fellow, Society of Pension Actuaries (FSPA)

The examination requirements for the above certifications include proficiency in the following subject areas:

• Retirement Plan Fundamentals
• Plan Financial Consulting
• Administration Issues of Defined contribution plan
  Defined contribution plan
  In economics, a defined contribution plan is a type of retirement plan in which the amount of the employer's annual contribution is specified. Individual accounts are set up for participants and benefits are based on the amounts credited to these accounts plus any investment earnings on the money...
  
  s
• Administration Issues of Defined benefit plans
• Financial and Fiduciary Aspects of Qualified Pension Plans.

Conferences

ASPPA provides or co-sponsors more than 16 major conferences in the retirement plan industry throughout the year where professionals meet, share concepts and grow their skillsets.

See also

• Employee Retirement Income Security Act
  Employee Retirement Income Security Act
  The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 is an American federal statute that establishes minimum standards for pension plans in private industry and provides for extensive rules on the federal income tax effects of transactions associated with employee benefit plans...
  
  
• Retirement plan
• Retirement plans in the United States
  Retirement plans in the United States
  A retirement plan is a financial arrangement designed to replace employment income upon retirement. These plans may be set up by employers, insurance companies, trade unions, the government, or other institutions. Congress has expressed a desire to encourage responsible retirement planning by...
  
  
• Human resources
  Human resources
  Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
  
  
• Human resource consulting
  Human resource consulting
  Human resource consulting is an $18.4 billion industry that has emerged from management consulting, asclients' needs have become more complex and specialized, widening the gap between HR needs and work force capabilities, and thus accentuating the ability of HR management consulting firms to fill...
  
  
• Enrolled Actuary
  Enrolled Actuary
  An Enrolled Actuary is an actuary who has been licensed by a Joint Board of the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Labor to perform a variety of actuarial tasks required of pension plans in the United States by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974...