RPA 1: Directing Retirement Plans (Part 1)This section focuses on the foundational design of retirement plans, individual retirement needs, and the regulatory environment governing employer-sponsored programs.I. Retirement Planning FoundationsIndividual Retirement Needs: Assessing capital accumulation requirements, inflation impact, and longevity risk.Social Security & Medicare: Integration of public benefits with private employer plans; eligibility, funding, and benefit calculations.Tax-Qualified Plan Characteristics: Internal Revenue Code (IRC) requirements, tax advantages for employers/employees, and non-discrimination testing basics.II. Defined Contribution (DC) Plan DesignProfit-Sharing Plans: Contribution flexibility, allocation formulas, and vesting schedules.401(k) Features: Safe Harbor provisions, automatic enrollment, and employee elective deferrals.Other DC Variations: Money purchase plans, 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities, and 457 deferred compensation plans for governmental/non-profit sectors.Individual Accounts: Simplified Employee Pensions (SEP) and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) IRAs.III. Defined Benefit (DB) Plan DesignTraditional Pensions: Benefit formulas (flat-benefit vs. unit-benefit), accrual methods, and funding standards.Hybrid Plans: Cash balance plans and pension equity plans; advantages of "portable" DB structures.Plan Termination & Insurance: Role of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and fiduciary responsibilities during plan wind-downs.RPA 2: Directing Retirement Plans (Part 2)This section shifts focus to the operational management, investm
What you'll learn
Understand the foundational design of retirement plans
Assess individual retirement needs and inflation impacts
Explain the integration of Social Security and Medicare with employer-sponsored plans
Identify characteristics of tax-qualified plans
Differentiate between types of defined contribution and defined benefit plans