# Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP)

> The RICP is a retirement income designation from The American College of Financial Services, earned with three courses and three years of experience.

Canonical page: https://find.wellspent.co/glossary/ricp/
Also called: RICP

Candidates complete two required courses and one elective, each with its own 100-question final exam; CFP professionals and ChFC holders need only the two required courses. They also need three years of experience in financial planning or a related field to use the designation.

To keep it, client-facing designees complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including one hour of ethics, pay an annual recertification fee, and agree to the College's Code of Ethics.

The RICP is a focused add-on rather than a full planning credential, and it doesn't say how someone is paid. Retirement income products such as annuities usually pay commissions, so ask how an advisor is paid before acting on an annuity recommendation. In the public graph, 92 fee-only advisors list an RICP.

## How to check

Search the advisor's name on The American College's Verify a Designation page at youradvisorguide.com/verify, and check their registrations on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site.

## Sources

- [The American College of Financial Services: RICP requirements](https://www.theamericancollege.edu/designations-degrees/RICP)
- [The American College: Professional Recertification Program](https://www.theamericancollege.edu/recertification)
- [The American College: Verify a Designation (Your Advisor Guide)](https://youradvisorguide.com/verify)

## Related terms

- [Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC)](https://find.wellspent.co/glossary/chfc.md)
- [CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) certification](https://find.wellspent.co/glossary/cfp.md)
- [Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)](https://find.wellspent.co/glossary/crpc.md)
- [Commission-based advisor](https://find.wellspent.co/glossary/commission-based.md)