100+ Free RET 101 Practice Questions
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Under a final average earnings (FAE) defined benefit formula, what is the typical structure of the accrued benefit at normal retirement age?
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Key Facts: RET 101 Exam
25%
DB Plan Design Weight
SOA syllabus
~5 hrs
Exam Length
SOA RET 101 page
$23,500
2025 401(k) Deferral
IRS Notice 2024-80
$11,250
2025 Super Catch-Up
SECURE 2.0 §109
73 → 75
RMD Age (2033)
SECURE 2.0
8
Syllabus Topics
SOA RET 101 syllabus
RET 101 is a written-response, case-study FSA exam offered in March, July, and November 2026. The syllabus weights DB Plan Design at 25%, DC Plan Design at 20%, and ten percent each for sponsor objectives, multiemployer and public sector design, retirement income adequacy, executive comp/nonqualified plans, and the ERISA/IRC regulatory framework, with ASOPs and ethics at five percent. Candidates need ASA designation and typically 250-450 hours of study time to prepare for the case-based format.
Sample RET 101 Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your RET 101 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Under a final average earnings (FAE) defined benefit formula, what is the typical structure of the accrued benefit at normal retirement age?
2A plan sponsor wants benefit costs to track an employee's full earnings history rather than only the years just before retirement. Which DB design best meets that objective?
3In a U.S. cash balance plan, the participant's hypothetical account is credited each year with which two components?
4Which SECURE 2.0 provision specifically expanded the interest crediting options that a cash balance plan can use without violating the age-discrimination safe harbor?
5A pension equity plan (PEP) accumulates which of the following as the participant's accrued benefit?
6A traditional DB plan sets normal retirement age (NRA) at 65 and applies an actuarially equivalent reduction for early retirement at 62. Compared with a subsidized early retirement benefit, the actuarial reduction is generally:
7Which feature is most clearly characteristic of a 'hybrid' DB plan rather than a traditional DB plan?
8A sponsor freezing its traditional FAE plan and replacing future accruals with a cash balance plan is most often motivated by which design objective?
9Which IRC section sets the basic qualification rules for defined benefit plans, including accrued benefit and vesting requirements?
10Under a final 5-year average earnings (FAE5) formula, an employee retires with 30 years of service, FAE5 = $90,000, and a 1.4% accrual rate. What is the annual accrued benefit?
About the RET 101 Exam
SOA RET 101 Retirement Plan Design is the first exam in the three-course Retirement Benefits (RET) FSA track. It tests defined benefit and defined contribution plan design, multiemployer and public sector pension structures, retirement income adequacy, executive nonqualified plans, and the ERISA/IRC/SECURE 2.0/PBGC regulatory framework.
Assessment
Written-response case study exam covering DB and DC plan design, multiemployer and public sector pensions, executive compensation, ERISA/IRC regulatory framework, and ASOPs.
Time Limit
~5 hours
Passing Score
Pass mark set by SOA
Exam Fee
~$1,275 (Society of Actuaries (SOA))
RET 101 Exam Content Outline
Defined Benefit Plan Design
Final average earnings (FAE), career average (CARE), cash balance, pension equity, hybrid designs, accrual rates, NRA, early retirement reductions, and SECURE 2.0 cash balance interest crediting flexibility.
Defined Contribution Plan Design
401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), profit sharing, ESOP/KSOP, target date funds and glide paths, QDIA selection, and SECURE 2.0 deferral, catch-up, and Roth provisions.
Plan Sponsor Objectives and Stakeholder Analysis
Workforce management, cost stability, benefit security, total rewards positioning, and identifying competing stakeholder priorities for plan design and amendment decisions.
Multiemployer and Public Sector Pension Design
Taft-Hartley plans, withdrawal liability, MPRA critical/critical-and-declining status, PBGC SFA from ARPA 2021, and public sector PERS/STRS systems with GASB 67/68/74/75 reporting.
Retirement Income Adequacy and Replacement Ratios
Replacement ratio targets, the 4% rule, Trinity Study, Monte Carlo analysis, sequence-of-returns risk, and lifetime income solutions including QLACs and in-plan annuities.
Executive Compensation and Nonqualified Plans
SERPs, top-hat plans (DOL Adv. Op. 90-14), IRC §409A timing rules, 457(b) eligible vs 457(f) ineligible plans, IRC §162(m) deduction limits, and rabbi trust funding.
Regulatory Framework
ERISA Title I (§404(c), fiduciary duties, prohibited transactions, fee disclosure), IRC §§401-417 qualification rules, SECURE Act 1.0 and 2.0 provisions, and PBGC single- and multi-employer programs.
Actuarial Standards of Practice and Ethics
ASOP 4 Pension Measurements (with LDROM), ASOP 27 Economic Assumptions, ASOP 35 Demographic Assumptions, ASOP 41 Communications, ASOP 51 Risk, and the U.S. Code of Professional Conduct.
How to Pass the RET 101 Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Pass mark set by SOA
- Assessment: Written-response case study exam covering DB and DC plan design, multiemployer and public sector pensions, executive compensation, ERISA/IRC regulatory framework, and ASOPs.
- Time limit: ~5 hours
- Exam fee: ~$1,275
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
RET 101 Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is SOA RET 101 and what is the format?
RET 101 is approximately 5 hours of written-response questions built around a case study. Candidates analyze plan design fact patterns and write structured responses, similar in style to other FSA exams. SOA offers the exam in March, July, and November 2026 sittings.
What are the prerequisites for RET 101?
Candidates should hold the ASA designation and have completed the FSA prerequisites. RET 101 is the first of the three-course RET FSA track and assumes a working knowledge of pension actuarial methods, ERISA fundamentals, and U.S. retirement plan structures.
What does the RET 101 syllabus weight most heavily?
DB Plan Design carries the largest weight at about 25%, followed by DC Plan Design at about 20%. Sponsor objectives, multiemployer/public sector, retirement income adequacy, executive comp, and the regulatory framework each carry about 10%, with ASOPs and ethics at 5%.
How much study time should I plan for RET 101?
Most candidates spend 250-450 hours preparing. Because RET 101 is a written-response exam, time spent practicing structured answers under exam conditions matters as much as content review, and review of past SOA model solutions is especially valuable.
How is RET 101 different from RET 201 and the DA-RET module?
RET 101 covers plan design and the regulatory framework; RET 201 covers funding, accounting, and risk management; and the Decision Making and Communication module integrates plan design judgment. Together they form the FSA Retirement Benefits track.
What 2026 regulatory changes are likely to be tested?
Expect coverage of SECURE 2.0 provisions (RMD age 73 moving to 75 in 2033, age 60-63 super catch-up of $11,250 in 2025, mandatory Roth catch-up for high earners in 2026, auto-enrollment for new plans, and Section 348 cash balance interest crediting flexibility), plus PBGC SFA, MPRA, and the LDROM disclosure under the 2023 ASOP 4 revision.