Q3 Recap & Q4 Roadmap: ARPI Launch, CELP Credential, CE Credit + 3 Major Announcements

As we close out Q3, I want to share some exciting developments that reflect where we’re heading as an organization. We’ve listened to your feedback, launched new partnerships, and we're preparing for one of our biggest milestones yet.

CE Credit From Recorded Sessions

One of your most consistent requests was the ability to earn CE credit from recorded member calls—for those times when life gets in the way of attending live. We’re happy to report that's now available. Starting today, you can visit your member portal and access recordings of our monthly member calls going back to February 2026.

Watch the session, answer 5 short questions to confirm you engaged with the material, pass with an 80% or better, and earn 1 CE hour toward your annual obligation—the same credit you'd receive for attending live. February, March, April, May, August, and September 2026 sessions are available now, with new sessions added each month going forward.

You can find everything here: members.nssapros.com/ce/replays

LPL Recognition

We’re excited to announce that LPL Financial has officially recognized the NSSA certification. NSSA members can now use this credential professionally and in marketing materials. If you also hold the IRMAACP credential, please reach out to LPL compliance to request recognition of that certification as well. This is a significant validation of the rigor and value our community has built.

IARFC Strategic Partnership

We've launched a strategic partnership with the IARFC that benefits both communities. IARFC members can access NSSA certification training at 25% off (use code IARFC25), plus receive a $100 application fee waiver. We're excited about what this collaboration means for the advisor community.

Part of that partnership includes access to the IARFC Virtual Financial Summit—happening next week. This is a 2-day event featuring 8 world-class MDRT-TOT speakers, including Dr. Sanjay Tolani, Dr. Wade Pfau, Dr. Maribeth Kuzmeski, Curtis Cloke, Jeremiah Desmarais, and more. Participation is free, and all members who register gain access to recorded sessions and presentation materials from IARFC's archives. This is an exceptional opportunity to deepen your expertise across a range of financial planning topics while connecting with leaders in the profession.

View more information here.

You can register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_h_SMhb3tQymC3pt_2dmoAA#/registration

When you combine NSSA and IRMAACP credentials with IARFC membership and its ethics-approved standards, you're positioned as the best-educated, most experienced, and most ethically grounded financial advisors in the industry. That's a powerful combination for your practice and your clients.

AXIOM AI Beta Launch

We’re launching AXIOM this quarter—an AI-powered planning assistant built specifically for Social Security and Medicare strategy. AXIOM is designed to help you deliver expert-level planning analysis to your clients at scale.

Here’s what matters: AXIOM isn’t a generic AI. It’s built on our proprietary CODEX knowledge base and rigorously validated by our instructors. We continue work on vetting the corpus to ensure accuracy, compliance, and alignment with best practices. This isn’t AI that hallucinates; it’s AI trained on institutional expertise.

What AXIOM does for you: It helps you explore client scenarios, model different claiming strategies, calculate IRMAA impacts, and document your planning rationale—all in real time. 

Early access starts with our beta program this quarter. NSSA and IRMAACP members will get first access, with firm-level deployment for broker-dealers and RIAs rolling out shortly after. To request access to the BETA launch complete the form here:

https://axiom.nssapros.com/join

This is the direction we’re heading: technology that augments your expertise rather than replacing it. AXIOM makes you more effective at what you already know how to do.

Looking Ahead: Q4 Roadmap

Introducing ARPI — The Advanced Retirement Planning Institute

This month we’re announcing a significant evolution in our organizational identity. We’re launching ARPI (Advanced Retirement Planning Institute) as the institutional umbrella for everything we do. ARPI will serve as the parent organization housing three distinct, stackable credentials—NSSA, IRMAACP, and CELP—each built for a different piece of the retirement puzzle.

ARPI is positioned as an education platform and professional membership institute, similar to institutions like the American College of Finance or Kaplan Financial. Our mission is simple: empower financial services professionals across multiple disciplines to serve their clients with expertise and integrity. This means rigorous, accessible education; industry-leading credentials; an active professional community; and continuously updated materials so your expertise never goes stale.

What doesn’t change: your NSSA and IRMAACP credentials retain full value and recognition. ARPI is the institutional home that connects our work and positions us for the future. You’ll see the transition roll out over the next several months, with a full public launch in later this month.

Introducing CELP — Certified End-of-Life Planner

As part of the ARPI launch, we’re introducing a third credential: CELP (Certified End-of-Life Planner). This credential addresses a gap in the financial services industry. Most advisors have deep expertise in tax and investment strategy, but very few are equipped to guide clients through end-of-life financial planning—estate settlement, beneficiary coordination, survivor protection, tax-efficient asset transfer, and legacy planning.

CELP bridges that gap. It’s built by experts in estate and end-of-life planning and offers a complete framework that complements existing NSSA and IRMAACP credentials. Early access for NSSA and IRMAACP members will be available in November. Full public launch follows in December.

How This Serves You

The ARPI platform gives you options. Earn NSSA if Social Security is your specialty. Add IRMAACP if you focus on Medicare and income planning. Stack CELP if you want to round out your end-of-life planning capabilities. Or pursue all three as an integrated learning journey. Each credential is modular, but together they position you as a comprehensive retirement and financial planning expert.

More importantly, ARPI membership means access to an active professional community, annually updated course materials, post-certification support, and continuing education opportunities. You're not just earning a badge—you’re joining a collegial network of accomplished practitioners committed to client excellence and financial integrity.

Next Steps

Watch your email and member portal for details on CELP early access, ARPI rollout, and the full December launch. As always, if you have questions, reach out to us at engage@nssapros.com.

Thank you for being part of this community. We’re excited about what's ahead.

Jason Stanley
Managing Director
National Social Security Advisors