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Free RICP Exam Prep

Retirement Income Certified Professional

Prepare for the RICP exam without spending hundreds on expensive prep courses. Free study guides, practice questions, flashcards, and related exam resources.

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Your Study Path

RICP The American College Credentials License: Complete Roadmap

Follow this path to organize your licensing and exam preparation

1

Phase 1: Retirement Income Process & RisksYou are here

Build the framework for longevity, sequence, inflation, and healthcare risk modeling.

60
hours
2

Phase 2: Social Security, Medicare, and Distributions

Master claiming strategies, Medicare/IRMAA, RMD rules, and inherited account rules.

60
hours
3

Phase 3: Annuities, Investments, and Tax Strategies

Apply guaranteed income products, bucket and floor strategies, and withdrawal sequencing.

60
hours
4

Phase 4: LTC, Health Care, and Ethics

Complete long-term care funding, retirement health care, and the Code of Ethics.

30
hours
Estimated total study time
210 hours
That's about 21 weeks at 10 hours/week

Can You Take the RICP Exam?

Check if you meet the basic eligibility requirements

Age
Education
High school diploma (or equivalent) to begin the program
Experience
Three years of full-time business experience in financial services or a related profession to use the designation
Additional Requirements
  • Agree to The American College Code of Ethics and Procedures
  • Complete annual Professional Recertification Program (PRP) requirements to maintain the mark
  • Each required course includes coursework and an online proctored final exam

RICP Quick Facts

Time to Get Licensed

9-15 months for most candidates

From start to license in hand

Exam Provider

The American College proctored exam platform (online proctored)

Remote Testing Available
Schedule Your Exam

Retake Policy

If you fail or miss a final exam, you may purchase one retake/reschedule window for a fee; if unsuccessful, re-enrollment in the course is required.

Total Cost Breakdown

Exam FeeFinal exam included with each enrolled course
Total Estimated Cost~$3,500 full 3-course program (CFP/ChFC holders may qualify for a 2-course path)
Why Choose Us

Free RICP Prep Tools

Reported exam pass rate: The American College does not publish a public RICP program-wide pass-rate percentage.. These figures describe exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep user outcomes. Check the exam sponsor’s website for published statistics.

100 Practice Questions

Scenario-driven RICP practice across retirement income, Social Security, RMDs, and annuities.

AI-Powered Learning

Guided support for sequence-of-returns, bucket, and tax-efficient withdrawal cases.

2026 Updated

Review SECURE 2.0 RMD age 73, 10-year inherited IRA rule, and current QLAC limits.

Free Access

Free RICP-style drills before paid American College coursework.

Compare:
Kaplan $300+Achievable $200+OpenExamPrep $0

What You'll Study

16 chapters covering the exam topics in this guide

RICP Exam Details

Retirement Income Certified Professional

Administered by The American College of Financial Services

Official Source
70% per course final exam
Passing Score
Approximately
Questions
2
Hours
$1,150 per course (~$3,500 for the full 3-course program)
Exam Fee
Study time: 150-250 hours total
Prerequisites: 3 years of full-time business experience in financial services or a related profession to use the designation
Valid for: Designation maintained through annual recertification and continuing education

Exam Content Breakdown

Based on the official The American College of Financial Services content outline

Retirement Income Process & Risks20%

Retirement income planning process, longevity risk, sequence-of-returns risk, inflation, healthcare and tax risks, safe withdrawal rates, Bengen 4% rule and Trinity Study, Monte Carlo analysis.

Social Security & Medicare Coordination15%

Full retirement age (FRA), early/delayed claiming, spousal and survivor benefits, taxation of Social Security, Medicare Parts A/B/C/D, Medigap, IRMAA tiers and MAGI two-year lookback.

Retirement Account Distributions15%

401(k), Traditional/Roth IRA distribution rules, SECURE Act 2.0 RMD age 73 (75 in 2033), 10-year inherited IRA rule, eligible designated beneficiaries, Roth 401(k) RMD elimination, NUA strategy.

Annuities & Guaranteed Income15%

SPIAs, deferred income annuities, QLACs (IRC §401(a)(9)(I)), variable and indexed annuities with living benefits, annuitization vs systematic withdrawal, mortality credits, payout options.

Investment Strategies for Retirees15%

Sequence-of-returns risk illustration, time-segmentation/bucket strategy, floor-with-upside, total-return vs income-based portfolios, asset allocation glide paths in decumulation.

Tax-Efficient Withdrawal Strategies10%

Conventional withdrawal order (taxable, tax-deferred, tax-free), Roth conversion sequencing, tax bracket management, capital gains harvesting, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs).

Long-Term Care & Health Care in Retirement5%

LTC funding options: self-fund, traditional LTC insurance, hybrid life/LTC, Medicaid planning; healthcare costs in retirement and HSA strategies.

Ethics & Professional Conduct5%

The American College Code of Ethics and Procedures, fiduciary considerations, suitability vs best interest, conflict-of-interest disclosure for retirement income recommendations.

What's Included

16 Chapters

Complete exam coverage

Practice Quizzes

With detailed explanations

Free to Start

No credit card required

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CFP®
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What's Next After the RICP?

After passing the RICP, you can pursue these career paths

RICP Exam FAQ

Official The American College of Financial Services Resources

Verify information with these official sources

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