What is the Certified College Planning Specialist Designation Program (CCPS)?
The Certified College Planning Specialist designation program is the nation's only professional education and certification program focused exclusively on college financial planning. The CCPS designation is much more than an acronym and a framed certificate. It is a symbol of knowledge, experience, expertise, and professionalism that will distinguish genuine college financial planning experts.
What is the National Institute of Certified College Planners (NICCP)?
The National Institute of Certified College Planners is the body that promotes the Certified College Planning Specialist designation program. The NICCP's mission is to provide recognition and support to the thousands of experienced professionals around the country who devote a significant portion of their practices to helping families plan financially for college. College planning is closely linked to retirement planning. However, while most financial advisors have backgrounds in retirement planning, they lack the in-depth training needed to acquire and maintain an expertise in the field of college planning. The NICCP provides the education and public recognition to distinguish and empower CCPS designees in the college financial planning marketplace.
How do I know the Certified College Planning Specialist is a credible program?
The strengths and capabilities of its members endow the NICCP with the expertise and resources necessary to build the curriculum, training infrastructure, and professional materials underlying the CCPS designation. Additionally the NICCP Advisory Council, composed of financial services and higher education industry leaders, provide ongoing support and oversight to the NICCP.
Are there pre-qualification requirements needed to enter this program?
CCPS candidates must have experience and/or training in financial services prior to enrolling in the CCPS certification program. Minimum requirements include at least one of the following:
• Professional financial certification/designation (CFP, RFC, ChFC, CLU, CEP, CPA, etc.), or
• Professional financial licensing (securities, insurance, accounting, etc.), or
• A combination of education and experience deemed satisfactory by the NICCP Advisory Council.
For answers to questions on qualifications, please e-mail us at staff@niccp.com
What are the components and cost of the CCPS certification?
The three modules candidates are tested on are: Saving for College, Paying for College, and Advanced College Funding Strategies. Each of the three compulsory self-study modules will contain approximately 150 pages of materials and can be downloaded on-line as a .pdf file. Candidates are tested on each Module seperately. The Module Exams are included in the cost of the study modules and are taken on-line. The price for the certification ( all three modules) is $1,485. In addition, once certified, all designees are required to obtain 24 hours of CE per year and pay a $95 per year CCPS administrative licensing fee. Note: The dues paid for membership in the NICCP includes the CCPS renewal fee.
Upon enrollment in the CCPS Certification program all candidates automatically receive a free membership in the NICCP and NICCP Plus for one year from their date of enrollment in the CCPS Certification Program. All Study materials and Exams are accessed online in the My Account section of the NICCP site located at www.niccp.com
Note: After the first year, your dues for membership in the NICCP and NICCP Plus are $50 per month (or use the annual renewal option $600 per year). Membership dues are billed monthly through an automated online billing system.
How will certification testing be handled?
The testing for the CCPS designation will be handled entirely on-line. The candidate has the option of selecting and initiating whichever module test he feels most prepared to take. The cost of the exams is included in the price of the self-study modules. The candidate can take the test(s) anytime he wishes. There will be 40 objective questions for each module. The candidate must complete each Module Exam within a time period of 30 minutes, and must score a minimum of 70% (28 of 40) on each module to pass. If the candidate does not pass one or more modules, he will be required to pay a $75 charge for the re-test (regardless of the number of modules re-tested). Upon the successful completion (passing) of the third and final testing module, the candidate will receive an official framed Certificate of Designation from the National Institute of Certified College Planners and the rights to use the CCPS designation in professional correspondence.
Are there continuing education requirements to keep my CCPS designation?
Each Certified College Planning Specialist will be required to complete 24 hours of continuing education requirements each year to maintain his designation in good standing. This can be accomplished by attending a NICCP Conference (16 Hours), attending NICCP PLUS teleconferences (1 hour each) or by obtaining training and or education from other sources that enhances their college financial planning abilities. For answers to questions on CE credits e-mail us at staff@niccp.com
Is there a NICCP association membership requirement?
Each Certified College Planning Specialist can maintain his NICCP and NICCP Plus membership on a monthly basis. Membership dues are $50 per month (waived the first year of membership), which includes a monthly newsletter, access to the annual NICCP national conferences at reduced pricing, a Certified College Planning Specialist listing on the NICCP website, and access to useful practice management tools. Membership dues are billed monthly through an automated online billing system powered by 1shoppingcart.
Why should CPAs, CFPs and other Financial Advisors obtain the CCPS Designation?
A statement heard often from advisors in the financial services industry is, "If I could just get in front of more families....". The subject of college funding draws more attention than any other subject in the financial services industry. In fact, college financial planning is perhaps the ultimate business growth tool for financial advisors. The CCPS designation shows that you are a specialist in college funding, and will differentiate you from other financial professionals.
Here are the four major factors that make college funding a necessary part of your financial planning practice.
1. The high cost of college
- The average cost of a public university is $16,000
- The average cost of a private college is $32,000
- The average cost of an elite private college is $48,000
2. 75 million baby-boomers
- There are 75 million baby-boomers who have, or will have, children in college
- Many grandparents contribute to the grandchildren's education
- College addresses both the money issue and the best interests of the child
3. Baby-boomer debt
- Baby-boomers typically are high-debt consumers
- Baby-boomers are notorious non-savers
4. Lack of planning
- Many baby-boomers generally are not long-term planners
- Many baby-boomers have not budgeted or saved for college and/or retirement
- True college planning integrates retirement planning
As a result of the above four factors, todays college funding environment has created the perfect opportunity for Certified College Planning Specialists to help more families.
Baby-boomers want to give their children the best education possible, but they:
1) Have not saved,
2) Have not properly planned,
3) Currently have other financial priorities and concerns about retirement.
In other words, many baby-boomers are in a crisis situation and are anxious for an immediate solution. Therefore, the Certified College Planning Specialist has an incredible opportunity to become the planner of choice with families of college bound children of any age.
You will never again have to say, "If I could just get in front of more families...".
Must the CCPS program be approved by my internal compliance department?
It is the responsibility of each and every candidate for the Certified College Planning Specialist designation to ensure that obtaining and maintaining the CCPS designation is compliant with all internal policies and procedures. The NICCP is unable to make the determination as to whether or not the CCPS program and designation meet the specific requirements of any organization. However, the NICCP invites compliance professionals from interested organizations to contact the NICCP to discuss the mission and content of the CCPS program. Compliance professionals should feel free to e-mail us at staff@niccp.com with all NICCP and CCPS inquiries.
Is the CCPS program eligible for any continuing education credits?
The NICCP is actively pursuing reciprocal relationships with other certifying bodies through which CCPS designees will accumulate continuing education credits for earning the CCPS designation. At the present time, 40 of the 50 state CPA societies accept the CCPS program for up to 16 CPE hours.
State CPA Societies that do not currently accept the CCPS program for CPE credit are:
New Jersey, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Hawaii, Arkansas, Delaware, West Virginia, Illinois
Additionally, the CFP Board of Standards Inc. has accepted the CCPS program for 16 hours of CE credit.
Are the CCPS initials "approved" for use in my professional correspondence (i.e. business cards, letterhead, etc.)?
Although the CCPS designation is listed on the NASD website, regulatory agencies like the NASD do not "approve" any designations. It is therefore up to each individual B/D's discretion whether to approve the designation for their staff. In the event a B/D does not recognize a certain credential, Registered Reps are not allowed to use that credential. For those credentials that are allowed, most B/Ds simply ask that the rep show proof that they are indeed certified with the various designations, which the CCPS certificate provides. Before using the CCPS designation on your business card, letter head, or in e-mails, check with your firm's compliance department to be certain it is permitted.
