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While the course is designed for financial professionals you do not need prior Social Security training. We start with fundamentals and build to advanced concepts.

Yes, the NSSA® course qualifies for 6 hours of CPE, 5.5 hours of CFP, and 4-6 hours of Insurance CE credits based on your state and filed on your behalf. Some Insurance states may not apply, please contact us for details.

Most professionals finish in about 8 hours.

Annually. Our team updates the curriculum each year with the latest Social Security and Medicare numbers and rule changes.

Our practice exam and course guide prepare you fully. Most advisors pass on the first attempt. The exam consists of 85 questions drawn from the course. The questions are not meant to “trick” you, but instead demonstrate your understanding of the material.

Yes. To use the NSSA® designation, you must maintain your annual certification & membership.

No. While many of our students are financial advisors, we regularly certify attorneys, CPAs, paralegals, tax preparers, HR professionals, educators, nonprofit counselors, and Social Security advocates.
If you work with retirees—or want to understand Social Security at a deeper level—this training is for you.

To sit for the exam and earn your NSSA® certification, you’ll purchase the $195 Exam, Certification, and Membership subscription.

This subscription renews annually to maintain your active status.

Your membership includes:

✔️ Your professional profile listing on www.nssapros.com 

✔️ Access to our monthly member update call

✔️ Access to the private NSSA® online community

✔️ Marketing resources, presentation tools, and ongoing guidance

The subscription is required to use the NSSA® designation professionally.

To keep your NSSA® credential active, you must:

1. Maintain your annual NSSA® dues, and

2. Complete four hours of Continuing Education in retirement planning or finance each year.
   This ensures you stay up to date on the strategies and rules that impact your clients.

The NSSA® program was originally created by:

• Jim Blair, 35-year veteran of the Social Security Administration

• Marc Kiner, CPA, with decades of tax and financial planning experience

Under new ownership, the program continues to evolve and expand, but Jim and Marc remain actively involved, providing expertise, updates, and instructional guidance.

As long as your certification is in good standing you get lifetime access to the self-paced training and all future updates—at no additional cost.

While we do not record our webinars, all of our students receive access to our self-paced, online version so that you can review topics in advance of the exam.

Yes. Once you complete the required modules and exam, we file and pay the CE fees for CFP, CPE, or state Insurance CE directly with the governing bodies.

Yes—you may take the course purely for education. However, to use the NSSA® designation professionally, the exam + membership subscription is required. Additionally, to qualify for CEs you must take the exam.

Yes. We offer group pricing, enterprise licensing, and private training options. Contact us for details.

Self-Paced: Learn on your schedule, with unlimited replays. 

Webinar: Live, instructor-led day with real-time Q&A and group interaction. All webinar students also receive access to the self-paced course.

You can purchase the self-paced NSSA® course for $1,195 and add IRMAACP™—our Medicare & IRMAA specialization—for just $300 (normally $1,195 by itself). This is our best-value bundle and is ideal for professionals who want to:

✔️ Understand Social Security and Medicare at a deep level
✔️ Advise on IRMAA strategies
✔️ Offer comprehensive retirement-income planning
✔️ Stand out with two credentials instead of one

You can also purchase the combined training option as a webinar or in person formats.

Yes—each certification has its own exam.
The NSSA® and IRMAACP™ exams are separate but structured similarly, with focused coverage on each program’s rules, strategies, and regulations.

NSSA® is one of the most recognized and is the longest-running Social Security education program in the country. You receive:

• Instruction created by SSA and CPA experts

• CE filing included

• Lifetime access

• Monthly live updates

• A credential backed by thousands of professionals

• An active member community

Yes. Once you pass the exam and maintain membership, you may use:
NSSA® – National Social Security Advisor™
Your directory listing also boosts SEO for your practice.

Our member surveys show that advisors who earn NSSA® report:

• Higher appointment volume
• Improved close ratios
• More retirement-income planning engagements
• Increased referrals
• Larger client lifetime value

Yes. Subscribers receive:

• Monthly update calls
• Live Q&A with experts
• An online member community
• Updated marketing materials
• Quick-reference sheets and guides
• Ongoing rule updates throughout the year

NSSA® certification is not a one-and-done course—it’s a continuing support system.

Yes. You have two attempts to pass the exam. The exam is 85 questions and a passing grade is 70% or better.

Yes. They are two separate certifications. However, instead of paying $195 each, we offer dual designation holders a combined annual certification subscription of $295.

Yes! NSSA® has partnered with Retirement Advisor Pro. NSSA® and IRMAACP™ certificate holders can subscribe to Retirement Advisor Pro for just $395 per year, compared to the $950 annual subscription offered to the public.

No, Retirement Advisor Pro is an additional service that requires an additional subscription of $395 per year.