Skip to main content

You are here

Who We Are

The American Retirement Association has a long and storied reputation that dates back to its founding in 1966 as the American Society of Pension Actuaries. Today its 30,000+ members and five premier retirement industry associations include every type of pension professional – from business owners, actuaries, consultants and administrators, to insurance professionals, financial advisors, accountants, attorneys and human resource managers. While American Retirement Association members come from all corners of the country, representing every part of the industry, they are all united by their belief in and commitment to the private pension system.

 

What is the American Retirement Association?

Based in the Washington, D.C. area, the American Retirement Association is a non-profit professional organization with two major goals: to educate all retirement plan and benefits professionals, and to create a framework of policy that gives every working American the ability to have a comfortable retirement.

The American Retirement Association is comprised of five premier retirement industry associations; the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA), and the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA).

Working for America’s Retirement

The American Retirement Association offers its 30,000+ members extensive educational opportunities, paired with a strong advocacy operation that puts us at the center of any legislative debate or policy discussion. Our educational opportunities through the Retirement Plan Academy include robust credentialing, certificate and continuing education programs, along with the best lineup of conferences and networking opportunities in the industry.

While the American Retirement Association began in 1966 as an actuarial organization, we have evolved along with America’s retirement system. Today we represent every type of pension professional — from business owners, actuaries, consultants and administrators, to insurance professionals, financial advisors, accountants, attorneys and human resource managers. While the members of the American Retirement Association come from all corners of the country, representing every part of the industry, they are all united by their belief in, and commitment to, the private pension system.

Member Associations

Founded in 1966 as an actuarial organization, members of today’s  American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) include individuals engaged in the provision of services relating to plan administration, compliance, plan design and actuarial consulting, as well as those providing legal, recordkeeping and vendor services/products to support the traditional retirement services community. While ASPPA members come from all corners of the country, they are all united by their belief in and commitment to the private pension system.

For more information about ASPPA, visit www.asppa.org

The American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA) was renamed from the ASPPA College of Pension Actuaries (ACOPA), which was formed in September 2008, when ASPPA and the College of Pension Actuaries (COPA) combined to form a semi-autonomous operating unit within ASPPA.  ASEA is the primary source of professional organizational support for pension actuaries, and is charged with carrying out ASPPA’s responsibilities as one of the recognized U.S.-based actuarial organizations. All credentialed actuarial members of ASPPA are members of ASEA.

For more information about ASEA, visit www.asppa.org/asea

In 2011, the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) was formed, quickly becoming the fastest-growing member association. Created by and for retirement plan advisors, membership is also open to other retirement industry professionals who support the interests of plan advisors. While the financial services industry is well represented in Washington by a number of trade associations that weigh in on issues affecting advisors, NAPA is the only advocacy group exclusively focused on the issues that matter to retirement plan advisors. This exclusive focus is what sets NAPA apart.

For more information about NAPA, visit www.napa-net.org

The National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA) is the nation’s only independent, non-profit association dedicated to the 403(b) and 457(b) marketplace. Having joined the American Retirement Association in 2009, NTSA was formed in 1989 as the National Tax Sheltered Annuities Association (NTSAA). Today its members include practitioners, agencies, corporate and employer members. The NTSA’s mission is to provide high-quality related education, technical support, information resources and networking forums for all professionals involved in the 403(b) and 457(b) marketplace.

For more information about NTSA, visit www.ntsa-net.org

Since its founding in 1947, the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) has been on the forefront of protecting the American retirement system, and is committed to improving workers’ retirement security. Today, PSCA assists more than six million plan participants, and provides its members with programs and services to help them better manage their company’s retirement plans.

For more information about PSCA, visit www.psca.org