- Capture business in a growing marketplace. One-in-three households own an IRA—a popular retirement planning vehicle full of opportunities and obstacles. This program has massive real-world applicability and potential business-building outcomes.
- Receive an education from Ed Slott. America's IRA Expert is a retirement thought leader well known by many of your clients and prospects. His team of IRA experts provide additional expertise.
- Experience video presentations that cut through the tax jargon to deliver actionable, comprehensive insights, including introduction and summary videos from Ed Slott.
- Leverage a resource library with each course that includes an in-depth course manual for ongoing learning, handouts, and charts for use in client meetings (no translation necessary!)
- No educational prerequisites—enroll in the entire program for tuition savings or start with any course at any time.
- Successfully obtain valuable CE credits, including from The American College, CFP Board and Select States.
Ed Slott and Company’s IRA Success
"The Best Source for IRA Advice" - The Wall Street Journal
Program at a Glance
Tuition
$205 per course; $2,195 full 12-course program
Timing
1 hour per course (complete program in 12 hours)
Format
100% online, self-study
CE
CE approved for American College, CFP Board, Select States.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize and avoid costly errors made by other advisors, CPAs, and estate planning attorneys
- Apply IRA planning insights that will help your clients protect and grow their retirement savings
- Implement IRA knowledge through a demonstrated action plan to build your business
Updated with SECURE 2.0 Strategies
Updated for the SECURE 2.0 Act, IRA Success is the only e-learning program that includes the latest tax law updates, rule changes, and unique planning strategies on IRA distribution planning.
Ed Slott and Company’s IRA Success, powered by The American College of Financial Services, is an on-demand, CE-eligible, 12-course program that combines the expertise and clear-cut language of America’s IRA Expert Ed Slott, CPA, and his team with The College's pedigree in e-learning design and delivery. You’ll gain expert knowledge of the impact of the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Act on Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), trusts as IRA beneficiaries, required minimum distributions (RMDs), estate planning with IRAs, and more.
IRAs are subject to a complex web of tax laws, with a single misstep potentially crippling retirement dreams and generational legacies. But when used properly and planned proactively, IRAs are powerful retirement and estate planning vehicles.
Most financial advisors are focused on asset accumulation and often lack knowledge to help their clients with tax planning in the distribution phase. At the end of the day, it’s what your clients keep that counts—after taxes. IRA Success delivers the applied knowledge you need to navigate retirement distribution complexities, prepare for the end of the stretch IRA, and grow your IRA rollover business.
With an emphasis on the SECURE Acts, February 2022 IRS regulations on RMDs, and more, the 12-course program covers everything you need to know.
Ed Slott has taught millions of Americans how to get maximum value from their retirement savings. USA Today notes that it "would be tough to find anyone who knows more about IRAs than CPA Slott.” Now, you can learn from Ed Slott and his team, bringing real value to the 42 million households with an IRA. Enrolling in this 12-course program will give you access to the deep knowledge Slott has accumulated in his years of experience as one of America’s top IRA professionals. Apply what you learn immediately, and reinforce your knowledge through video presentations, resources, and in-depth manuals.
REASONS TO ENROLL
IRA SUCCESS PROGRAM DETAILS
CE151: Navigating the SECURE Act
This course provides an overview of the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Act in 2023. Students gain insight on how this legislation up-ended long standing retirement rules. Other topics explored in this course include, Coronavirus-Related Distributions (CRDs), CRD income inclusion and repayment provisions, and the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Act summary of key changes.
CE152: Planning for the End of the Stretch IRA
This course examines planning for the end of the stretch IRA and discusses the application of the 10-year rule. Through a series of examples, students will learn how the SECURE Act’s post-death payout rules will assist their beneficiary clients.
CE153: IRA Beneficiary Examples, Mistakes, and Checklists
This course provides an overview of the foundational IRA beneficiary knowledge needed to achieve IRA success for financial professionals and their clients. Students identify the right questions to ask to avoid potential IRA beneficiary mistakes.
CE154: 25 IRA Rules You Must Know (Part One)
This course is the first of three courses dedicated to the 25 IRA rules every financial professional must know. Students explore the first 10 rules, essential IRA planning strategies, the RMD aggregation rules, 5-year rule confusion after death, creditor protection of IRAs, and Medicaid treatment of retirement accounts.
CE155: 25 IRA Rules You Must Know (Part Two)
This course resumes the examination of the 25 IRA rules every financial professional must know. Students explore the 5-year rules for Roth IRAs, qualified domestic relations orders or QDROs, non-spouse beneficiary rollover rules, and goes in-depth on the 10% early distribution penalty exceptions including cases and planning ideas.
CE156: 25 IRA Rules You Must Know (Part Three)
In this final course dedicated to the 25 IRA rules, students focus on key information on splitting IRAs, spousal rollovers, tax breaks for IRA and plan beneficiaries, 60-day rollover relief, and correcting excess IRA contributions.
CE157: Roth IRAs: Conversions, 3 Questions to Ask, Estate Planning
In this course, students explore the ordering rules for the Roth IRA distributions. The topics covered in this course include Roth IRA tax planning after the SECURE act, three questions to ask in every Roth conversion evaluation, who should and who should not convert, and estate planning with Roth IRAs.
CE158: Roth 401(k) Rules / IRA Update and Tax Planning Strategies
This course provides an overview of Roth 401(k) planning and includes a review of the latest tax rule changes and planning opportunities. Students gain insight on the “mega back-door Roth” and evaluate contributions and distribution rules for a popular list of Roth company plans. In addition, this course includes charitable IRA planning strategies using qualified charitable distributions (QCDs).
CE159: Naming Trusts as IRA Beneficiaries (Part One)
This course is the first of two courses on naming trusts as IRA beneficiaries. In this course, students engage with the basic IRA trust planning concepts, including knowing how to explain options to clients to determine the necessity of an IRA trust, how to set it up, and communicate with the beneficiary after the IRA owner’s death.
CE160: Naming Trusts as IRA Beneficiaries (Part Two)
This course is the second of two courses on naming trusts as IRA beneficiaries. Students differentiate conduit vs. accumulation trusts, examine how to determine RMDs when a trust is the IRA beneficiary, and how to avoid the major IRA trust mistakes that your peers constantly make. In addition, the SECURE Act effect on IRA trusts will be reinforced with practical examples.
CE161: Advising Clients on Key Rollover Decisions
This course provides an overview of how to advise clients on key rollover decisions. Topics covered in this course include how to use the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Act to attract large IRA rollover clients, net unrealized appreciation (NUA) rules and strategies for employer stock, five NUA mistakes you cannot afford to make, 72(t) rules for early IRA and plan distributions, and an examination of 72(t) IRA rulings and court cases.
CE162: Estate and Life Insurance Planning with IRAs
This course provides an overview on estate and life insurance planning with IRAs. Students explore using life insurance as a planning solution to replace the stretch IRA, how to plan for estate tax uncertainty, and the application of IRA strategies to increase insurance and annuity sales.
CE163: Ed Slott and Company’s IRA Success (All 12 Courses)
This 12-course program is dedicated to enriching the knowledge of the financial professional. Through applied, actionable education on the latest tax rules, laws, court cases, and IRA planning strategies, students acquire the skills to successfully meet their clients' needs. The program contains a robust, action-oriented manual for each course, resource materials, a video presentation from Ed Slott and his team of IRA experts, and access to the most frequently asked questions on course topics. With this course you will receive access to all 12 courses listed below including CE 164, the comprehensive exam. You must complete all the courses listed below including the comprehensive exam to earn credit for CE 163.
Ed Slott and Company’s IRA Success is currently approved for the following continuing education credit.
American College Professional Recertification (PRP): Designee will receive 27.5 credits for successfully completing the program requirements for the entire program (CE163). CE credit for individual courses varies.Credit hours can go towards Professional Recertification continuing education requirements for CAP®, CASL®, ChFC®, ChSNC®, CLF®, CLU®, FSCP®, RICP®, and WMCP® designee holders. For more information on The College’s Professional Recertification Program, visit www.TheAmericanCollege.edu/Recertification.
CFP®: Students will receive 27.5 credits for successfully completing the program requirements for the entire program (CE163). CE credit for individual courses varies.
Individual courses are approved for the following CFP® CE credit.
| Course | Approved PRP/ CFP® CE Credit |
|---|---|
| CE151: Navigating the CARES and SECURE Acts | 1.0 |
| CE152: Planning for the End of the Stretch IRA | 1.5 |
| CE153: IRA Beneficiary Examples, Mistakes, and Checklists | 2.0 |
| CE154: 25 IRA Rules You Must Know, Part One | 2.5 |
| CE155: 25 IRA Rules You Must Know, Part Two | 2.5 |
| CE156: IRA Rules You Must Know, Part Three | 3.5 |
| CE157: Roth IRAs: Conversions, 3 Questions to Ask, Estate Planning | 1.5 |
| CE158: Roth 401(k) Rules / IRA Update and Tax Planning Strategies | 2.5 |
| CE159: Naming Trusts as IRA Beneficiaries, Part One | 1.5 |
| CE160: Naming Trusts as IRA Beneficiaries, Part Two | 2.0 |
| CE161: Advising Clients on Key Rollover Decisions | 2.5 |
| CE162: Estate and Life Insurance Planning with IRAs | 1.5 |
Insurance Credit By State: State insurance CE is available to professionals who complete all 12 courses. See the CE page for more information.
To earn CE credit, a student must finish all requirements, which include watching the presentation(s) and successfully completing a multiple-choice exam that assesses the student's knowledge of the topics covered. The student must earn a score of 70% or higher to earn continuing education credit. For more information about the CE process, email CE@TheAmericanCollege.edu.
Students interested in joining Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM must successfully complete the entire program and earn a score of 70% or higher on the final assessment. The College has no affiliation with Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM. Please contact Ed Slott and Company directly at (800) 663-1340 or info@irahelp.com with any questions.
Ed Slott and Company’s IRA Success is a self-paced, continuing education course delivered in the Knowledge Offerings learning platform. Learners may work at their own pace but are expected to review all course content, complete all course activities, and abide by all policies of The American College of Financial Services.