Explore the Enhanced RICP®
New Features to Ensure Your Continued Success
Retirement planning is the service your clients want most, yet only 18% of the CFP® exam covers retirement. To better address the complex needs of your clients, the Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) Program offers in-depth, specialized education that expands your expertise. In an effort to ensure your continued success in retirement planning, several enhancements are coming to the RICP® Program.
In addition to the curriculum being updated with the latest in retirement income planning knowledge, several aspects of the program’s format are being restructured to streamline your learning journey. The enhanced program aims to better ensure knowledge retention and equip you to provide holistic retirement income planning to your clients.
Take a look at what’s new with the RICP®:
Faster completion time
The new accelerated learning enables students to finish each course in as little as five weeks.
Updated learning experience
The all-virtual lessons will be organized by sequential units, supported by short videos, knowledge checks, case studies, and quizzes to improve knowledge retention.
New start dates
Courses will start the first Monday of each month and be accompanied by a “welcome” unit available to learners two weeks before their start date. Learners can register up to a month before or one week after the course has started.
New grading policy
Learners must earn a final course grade of 70% or higher to pass, and quizzes will be graded and count towards final grades.
Revised retake and re-enrollment policies
There will be no final exam retakes or reschedules, and learners who do not pass the course can re-enroll for a standard re-enrollment fee.
New transfer of credit opportunity
CFP® professionals, ChFC® holders, and those who have completed HS 326 within the past five years will only need two courses to complete the program, with HS 326 counting as their elective.
Live Demo Webcast
Want to dive deeper into the newly enhanced RICP® Program? On Tuesday, April 1, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET, join Program Director Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP® and Assistant Provost, Elizabeth Pearsall, PhD for a live tour of the program and curriculum overview.
Don’t miss your chance to get your questions answered and visualize your retirement income planning success with the elevated RICP® Program!
How RICP® Expands Your Opportunities
“The RICP® Program helped me paint a better picture for clients, especially when it comes to the social aspects of retirement.”
—Terrell Dinkins, ChFC®, RICP®
“People are living their lives all at once, they’re dealing with all of these things at one time. The RICP® education that I’ve been able to get has helped me to go in deep when I need to, but also take a step back and look at the big picture.”
—Ande Frazier, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, BFA™, ChSNC®, CDFA®, CEPA, CExP
FAQs
Is the RICP® Program curriculum changing with the enhancements?
Yes, currently there are three required courses in the RICP® Program however, as of April 1, 2025, there will be two required courses, and one elective course (2+1 = RICP®) as outlined below:
Two Required Courses:
- RICP 353: Retirement Income Process, Strategies and Solutions
- RICP 354: Sources of Retirement Income
One Elective Course:
- RICP 355: Managing Retirement Income Or
- HS 326 Planning for Retirement Needs
Will learners still be able to self-pace?
Yes! Learners can move through the course at their own pace. However, each unit builds on the previous one, and all learning activities within a unit must be completed before proceeding. To be eligible for the final exam, students must score at least 70% on all learning activities. While students may complete their exam before Week 5, their final course grade will not be posted until Week 5.
How is the final grade calculated?
Learners must earn a final course grade of 70% or higher. The final course grade is a combination of required coursework which consists of quizzes and multiple-choice mini case studies (30% weight) and a 100-question final exam (70% weight.)
When are grades released?
Learners who complete their course during the first 5 weeks will have their final grade posted at the end of week 5. Learners who finish between week 6 and week 10 will have their grades posted within 2 business days of completion.
What is required to enroll in the new courses? Am I automatically enrolled, or do I have to opt-in?
You will not be automatically enrolled in the new version; this is a request that you must initiate. If you are currently enrolled in the RICP® Program and wish to transition to the updated version, please reach out to our RICP® Advising team at RICPAdvising@TheAmericanCollege.edu. Our academic advisors are ready to help you with the transition.
What are the course materials in the enhanced RICP®?
The enhanced RICP® is completely self-contained. There are no textbooks or study guides that need to be purchased or printed.
What is the recommended course sequence?
The RICP® Program is designed to be taken in the following sequential order:
- Required Course - RICP 353: Retirement Income Process, Strategies and Solutions
- Required Course - RICP 354: Sources of Retirement Income
- Elective Course - RICP 355: Managing Retirement Income or HS 326 Planning for Retirement Needs
How long does it take to complete the RICP® Program?
Each course can be completed in as few as five weeks. However, if not opting for the accelerated learning path, each course must be completed in ten weeks including taking the final course exam.
I failed an RICP® course exam. Can I retake the exam in the existing program?
Learners who have failed an RICP® course prior to April 1, 2025 can re-enroll in the updated version of the RICP® course or may retake the original RICP® exam as long as their original enrollment date was no more than a year ago. If the original enrollment date was more than one year ago, the student must re-enroll into the new RICP® version of the course at the discounted re-enrollment price and cannot retake the exam.
What is the re-enrollment policy of the redesigned RICP® Program?
A learner who fails one of the redesigned RICP® courses must re-enroll in the class and complete the coursework again before taking the exam. Learners can re-enroll at a discounted rate that can be found on our Tuition and Fees webpage.
When will the new RICP® Program courses be approved for continuing education (CE) credit?
We are applying for CFP® and State Insurance CE Credit, but it may not be available until later in 2025. Please click here or contact CE@TheAmericanCollege.edu with questions and for more information.
Will the redesigned RICP® courses still satisfy the CE requirement for The American College of Financial Service Professional Recertification Program (PRP)?
Yes! Learners who are recertifying designations earned through The College can use the new RICP® courses toward your Professional Recertification Program (PRP) CE requirement.
Who can I contact if I have a specific question or scenario that is not answered here?
Learners can email RICPAdvising@TheAmericanCollege.edu with any additional questions. Our advising team will be sure to respond within 24 hours.
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