Announcing The Retirement Course^™

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. — March 5, 2025 - The American College of Financial Services is proud to announce the launch of The Retirement Course™.

The course aims to address the significant knowledge gap that research, such as The College’s Retirement Income Literacy Study, consistently finds among American consumers when it comes to financial literacy related to retirement planning. The Retirement Course™ is available to learners free of charge and focuses on key retirement topics, such as income strategies, goal-setting, health care, housing options, and the psychological aspects of retirement. The course was unveiled at Horizons, The College’s sold-out retirement planning conference taking place this week in Coronado, California.

“The more we can empower individuals with knowledge, the better prepared they’ll be to achieve positive retirement outcomes, including the ability to ask the right questions when engaging with financial professionals,” said President and CEO George Nichols III, CAP®. “At The American College of Financial Services, we have a long-standing tradition of providing unbiased, high-quality education. With The Retirement Course™, we are offering a unique opportunity for individuals who are planning to retire within the next 10 to 15 years or are already retired to gain the critical knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their retirement.”

The Retirement Course™ is designed specifically for “mass affluent” individuals, ages 50 to 67, with a household annual income of over $75,000 and investable assets of at least $100,000. These individuals tend to have complex retirement income sources and needs. They are typically within a few years of retirement, yet still have enough time to adjust their strategies for optimal retirement outcomes. The course provides unbiased, non-commercial educational content, ensuring that learners receive accurate, reliable information without a sales pitch.

The course is divided into 14 modules, covering a range of retirement topics, such as:

• Retirement psychology and finding purpose
• Income sourcing and distribution sequencing
• Long-term care, health insurance, and Medicare considerations
• Legacy planning

Each module is designed for completion in about 30 minutes or less.

“The integrity of The Retirement Course^TM lies in its unbiased content. Unlike other retirement education programs that may be linked to specific products, our course is entirely focused on helping people make better-informed decisions based on their unique needs,” said Sandy Herzlich, vice president of retirement strategy at The American College of Financial Services.

In addition to the benefits for pre- and current retirees, The Retirement Course™ offers financial advisors an invaluable tool to build and strengthen relationships with their clients and prospects. Advisors can leverage the course’s educational content to provide value to those considering their retirement options or seeking to adjust their current plans.

The course is delivered through The American College of Financial Services’ robust online platform, which ensures ease of use and access to professional, high-quality production. Those who enroll can expect an engaging and informative learning experience that is both accessible and actionable.

“By improving retirement literacy on a large scale, we aim to increase awareness around retirement planning and the pivotal decisions consumers must make as they approach or are squarely in this phase of their lives,” Nichols said. “Ultimately, our goal is twofold: to help financial professionals perform the ever-important task of educating their clients and to foster a better retirement experience for individuals, no matter how they choose to manage their retirement finances.”

For more information about The Retirement Course™, visit our course page or contact:

Sarah Tremallo
908-967-0381 / Stremallo@jconnelly.com

Jared Trexler
610-526-1268 / jared.trexler@theamericancollege.edu

ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.