What is a QKA and a QPA?

The Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) and Qualified Pension Administrator (QPA) certifications are awarded by the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), a national professional society of benefits professionals.  www.ASPPA.org

Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA)
The QKA credential is offered for retirement plan professionals who typically assist employers and consultants with the recordkeeping, non-discrimination testing and administrative aspects of 401(k) and related plans. 

To become certified, professionals must have a minimum of two years of pension-related experience and pass a rigorous series of examinations.  The required examinations consist of

• Pension Administrators Course (Parts 1,2, and 3) or Retirement Plan Fundamentals exam series – provides the latest industry information and standards and introduces new topics that are essential to today’s retirement practitioner.
• Defined Contribution Administrative Issues – Basic Concepts  - explores the numerous requirements in the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations.
• Defined Contribution Administrative Issues – Compliance Issues  -  covers complex rules regarding plan qualification and nondiscrimination requirements, distributions, plan design, and allocations. 

Qualified Pension Administrator
The QPA credential recognizes professionals who are qualified to perform the technical and administrative functions of qualified plan administration.  QPA’s assist employers, actuaries, and consultants handling eligibility determination for benefits, benefit computations, plan recordkeeping, trust accounting and disclosure, and compliance requirements.

Candidates for the QPA must have at least two years of pension-related experience, complete all requirements for the QKA certification, and pass an additional series of comprehensive examinations, which includes:

• Defined Contribution Administrative Issues – in-depth review on the basics of coverage and nondiscrimination.  Also covers a range of more advanced topics such as average benefit testing and plan aggregation.
• Administrative Issues of Defined Benefit Plans  - covers a broad range of topics at an intermediate level including ERISA law along with IRS, DOL, and PBGC regulations.

To maintain the QKA and QPA credential, holders must earn a minimum of 40 continuing education credits in acceptable subject matter in each two-year reporting cycle.