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FAQs - Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent Continuing Education Requirements

  1. I applied during an enrollment cycle; how many continuing education credits must I complete?

    If your initial enrollment is during an enrollment cycle, you are required to complete 2 hours of qualifying continued education credits each month AND 2 hours of ethics or professional conduct credits each year. When your new enrollment cycle begins, you will be required to satisfy the full 72-hour continuing education credit requirement.

    Example: If you enroll in May of year 2 of an enrollment cycle, you are required to complete 2 hours of qualifying education credits for each month: (May (2), June (2), July (2), August (2)…etc. until the end of the enrollment year(s); in addition to completing 2 hours of ethics or professional conduct credits for each year. Your total credits would be, 40 hours of CE credits with 4 hours of ethics credits for the enrollment cycle.

  2. I enrolled in November of year 3 of an enrollment cycle and my social security number ends with a five. How many ERPA CE credits must I complete?
     
    You are required to complete four (4) ERPA CE credits for November and December of the 3rd year; two (2) of which must be completed in Ethics courses. For your next renewal cycle 2011-2014, you will be required to complete a minimum of 72-hours of CE credits which encompasses three (3) calendar years. (Note: you must complete a minimum of 16 hours of CE credits, of which 2  must be on ethics, during each enrollment year of an enrollment cycle.)

  3. I enrolled in March of year 2 of an enrollment cycle and my social security number ends with a seven. How many ERPA CE credits must I complete?
     
    Based on the month and year you enrolled, you were required to complete 44 ERPA CE credits before December 31, 2011. For your next renewal cycle beginning 2012-2015, you will be required to complete a minimum of 72 hours of CE credits.

  4. I enrolled in January of year 1 of an enrollment cycle and my social security number ends with a one. How many ERPA CE credits must I complete?
     
    Based on the month and year you enrolled, you are required to complete 72 ERPA CE credits before December 31, 2012. (Note: you must complete a minimum of 16 hours of CE credits, of which 2 must be on ethics during each enrollment year of an enrollment cycle.)

  5. I was unable to complete the minimum continuing education credits required during an enrollment cycle, due to extenuating circumstances. Is there an exception to the CE requirements?
     
    Refer to Section 10.6(j) of Treasury Department Circular 230 to determine if you qualify to request a waiver of continuing education requirements.

  6. What are the recordkeeping requirements for ERPAs?

ERPAs must keep these records for four years:

  • CE Provider’s name;
  • CE program’s location;
  • CE program’s title, approval number, and copy of its content;
  • CE program’s written outlines, course syllabi, textbook, and/or electronic materials;
  • CE Provider’s instructor(s) name(s), discussion leader(s) name(s), or speaker(s) name(s), if appropriate;
  • date(s) attended;
  • credit hours claimed; and
  • certificate of completion and/or signed statement of the hours of attendance from the CE Provider.
Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 2012-08-04