Accredited Retirement Advisor®

This credential recognizes professionals who have a thorough knowledge of topics relevant to retirement planning and special issues of senior citizens including tax planning and tax preparation for decedents, estates, and trusts; and applying your knowledge and skills in real-life situations when serving aging clients.

Accredited Retirement Advisor® (ARA) Examination

The ARA examination is a three and a half hour, 100 multiple-choice question exam. You must score 70% or better to earn the credential. Our exams are offered at Lasergrade locations across the United States. Locate your testing site: here

Upcoming Exam Dates

Registration for the spring testing window will begin in February 2012.

Examination fee

The exam fee for the ARA exam is $200 + a $50 registration fee.

Scheduling your exam date and time

Once your regstration is processed, you will receive a confirmation Authorization-To-Test (ATT) letter with information on setting up your exam date and testing site.


Lasergrade Locations

The ARA comuter based exams are offered at any of the over 700 authorized LaserGrade test centers in North America. Go here to find the one closest to you.

Rescheduling Policy

You must test within the testing window stated on the Authoriation-To-Test (ATT), which you receive after your submitted Registration Form is successfully processed.

Candidates who wish to reschedule an examination within the testing window without forfeiting the examination fee must notify LaserGrade at least three working days prior to the scheduled test date. You will forfeit your examination fee if you do not appear for your scheduled examination or are not admitted due to lack of proper photo/signature identification.

Appeals Policy

ACAT will review any appeals on eligibility determinations, exam results, and certification
status on a case by case basis. If you wish to appeal to the ACAT Board you may place your request
in writing to info@acatcredentials.org or 1010 N. Fairfax St. Alexandria, VA 22314.

Confidentiality Policy

All test scores and candidate information shall be confidential, available only to the
candidates and others they may designate.


Accredited Retirement Advisor® Credential Blueprint

Retirement Plans, Benefits & Retirement Distribution (21 questions)
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veteran's benefits, retirement plans, retirement plan distribution and planning

Insurance, Health Care, Senior and Long-Term Care Options (21 questions)
Health insurance, long term care insurance, health care, long-term care, life insurance, senior housing options and issues

Estates, Trusts, Estate Planning & Taxation Considerations (44 questions)
Estates, trusts, estate planning, taxation of estates Form 706, decedent’s final return, gift tax returns Form 709, special considerations for the self-employed

Personal Residence Issues (10 questions)

Ethics & Professionalism in Serving Aging Clients (4 questions)

Exam Preparation

To locate Serving Aging America Seminars click here
Serving Aging America offers courses to help you become familiarized with the topics tested in each level of the ARA exam.

The Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation^® (ACAT)
1010 N. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1574 888.289.7763 x 1343 info@acatcredentials.org