Financial Services Credential Focused on Retirement Income Planning Now Available to IRI Members

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) today announced that it has endorsed a new designation focused exclusively on retirement income planning. The Retirement Income Certified Professional^TM (RICP^TM) designation offered by The American College was developed with input from IRI members and in coordination with top experts from across the retirement income industry.

"As the 79 million Baby Boomers continue to retire in greater and greater numbers and begin to tap into their retirement income resources, the financial planning focus will pivot from asset build up strategies to asset drawdown strategies," IRI President and CEO Cathy Weatherford said. "To meet the needs of this vast demographic group, advisors will need the best information available on the most effective drawdown strategies. As the leading provider for retirement income educational resources for financial professionals, IRI is pleased meet the demand for information on retirement income strategies by making this designation available to our members."

The RICP^TM curriculum features online video lectures and interviews with top retirement income specialists, and is supplemented with additional material and a study guide. Three courses are required to complete the RICP^TM. The first, "Retirement Income Process, Strategies and Solutions," already is available. The remaining courses, "Sources of Retirement Income" and "Managing the Retirement Income Plan," will be rolled out during the next six months.

"Top industry practitioners have told us they need more information about retirement income strategies in order to better serve their clients," said Larry Barton, Ph.D., CAP^®, President and CEO of The American College. "As the nation's leading educator of financial services professionals, we felt it was our responsibility to address this need and develop, with the help of our expert faculty and prominent industry thought leaders, an in-depth and innovative program focused on creating sustainable, lifelong income.  The result is the groundbreaking Retirement Income Certified Professional^TM designation."

As a special educational offering for IRI members, the new-student fee will be waived for members registering for the course through IRI.

For more information about this offering for IRI members or to register, click HERE.

About the Insured Retirement Institute: The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) is a not-for-profit organization that for twenty years has been a mainstay of service, commitment and collaboration within the insured retirement industry.  Today, IRI is considered to be the authoritative source of all things pertaining to annuities, insured retirement strategies and retirement planning. IRI proudly leads a national consumer education coalition of nearly twenty organizations and is the only association that represents the entire supply chain of insured retirement strategies: our members are the major insurers, asset managers, broker dealers and more than 150,000 financial professionals. IRI exists to vigorously promote consumer confidence in the value and viability of insured retirement strategies, bringing together the interests of the industry, financial advisors and consumers under one umbrella. IRI's mission is to: encourage industry adherence to highest ethical principles; promote better understanding of the insured retirement value proposition; develop and promote best practice standards to improve value delivery; and to advocate before public policy makers on critical issues affecting insured retirement strategies and the consumers that rely on their guarantees. Visit www.IRIonline.org today to experience the vast resources of the Insured Retirement Institute for yourself.     

About The American College: The American College is the nation's largest non-profit educational institution devoted to financial services. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has served as a valued business partner to banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and others since 1927. The College has assembled a faculty of the foremost thought leaders in the industry to help companies and their employees succeed. The marks CLU^®, ChFC^®, RICP^TM, CASL^®, CLF^®, CAP^®, REBC^® and RHU^® are the property of The American College and may be used by individuals who have successfully completed the initial and ongoing certification requirements for these designations. www.theamericancollege.edu

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