The 2019 NTSA publication of the 403(b) Plan Enhancement Guide was one of the tangible results of the PSCA study that examined the savings of public education in more than 4,400 school districts across the country. The Plan Enhancement Guide enumerates ways to increase participation in 403(b) plans in the public education market; the establishment of retirement education programs is prominently mentioned.
The following excerpt is from the Plan Enhancement Guide, and offers a great solution provided by NTSA, intended to help school districts provide this valuable information to their faculty and staff and to help them with their retirement readiness.
Retirement Education Programs – Because Employees Need the Right Information to Make the Best Choice
Your school district employees need the right information to make the best choice regarding their retirement security. This information should include the services associated with the various 403(b) offerings, so participants can choose the option(s) that best suit their needs.
In an effort to improve the understanding of retirement planning options and improve participation rates in 403(b) plans, the NTSA created a comprehensive retirement educational program that is available to school districts and their employees across America. The NTSA educational program is vendor-neutral and does not include any specific investment product recommendations. Attendees of the program gain a greater awareness of what they will need to save to supplement their pension plan and Social Security and how to take action.
Certified Retirement Education Specialist – CRES
The NTSA Certified Retirement Education Specialist (CRES) Advisor is qualified and available to teach employees of your school district about the retirement education program. The Certified Retirement Education Specialist has completed a certificate program through the American Retirement Association (ARA) Retirement Planning Academy addressing the important retirement planning considerations of public employees. The NTSA CRES Advisor has agreed to abide by the highest standards of professional conduct and to coordinate all educational activity in accordance with school district solicitation policies and guidelines.
More information regarding the CRES Retirement Education Program and a registry of CRES Advisors is available at NTSA-CRES.org.
Attending the Upcoming NTSA Summit in Denver
If you have not yet gotten your CRES Certification, you can take advantage of a great opportunity to do so at the upcoming NTSA Summit in Denver, CO, Jan. 26-28. The CRES Certification Program is being delivered on day three of the summit by Robert M. Kaplan, CPC, QPA, the American Retirement Association’s Director of Technical Education. And you can do so at a substantial discount simply because you attend the summit!
You can become an NTSA Certified Advisor by attending this three-hour workshop and learn how to present the retirement literacy curriculum, overcome school access challenges, and motivate clients to achieve retirement security. Advisors who complete the certificate program are eligible to present the NTSA Retirement Literacy Course in our nation’s schools and are listed on the NTSA registry of certified advisors.
The NTSA retirement literacy curriculum and presentations are engaging and fun, yet also meet core educational standards incorporating key principles of behavioral economics. The programming has been designed to inspire action of participants and represents the collaboration of NTSA Elite Advisors who have utilized this curriculum successfully to engage educators in the retirement planning process.
CRES advisors are required to recertify annually in order to solidify your commitment to the CRES standards and practices. Recertification includes continuing education, updated program resources, and inclusion on the CRES registry website. This year’s course will include two hours on behavioral finance and one hour on ethics. By attending the CRES Recertification course, advisors have the opportunity to complete the annual recertification at no additional cost – while also earning two hours of CFP CE!
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