CRPS Retirement Plans Specialist Practice Test

The CRPS Retirement Plans Specialist Practice Test is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. Practice for the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS) designation — employer retirement plan types and design, contributions, limits and nondiscrimination testing, fiduciary duties under ERISA, and distributions, administration and participant outcomes — written to IRS plan sponsor guidance, US Department of Labor (EBSA) fiduciary guidance, ERISA and SECURE 2.0, using 2026 IRS limits. US-specific; plan rules differ in other countries. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable CRPS Readiness certificate (SOA-CRPS). Every question is based on published standards and research — including 401(k) plan overview (plan sponsor) (Internal Revenue Service), Meeting your fiduciary responsibilities (US Department of Labor, EBSA), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) (U.S. Department of Labor) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Yes. Science of Apps has a free CRPS Retirement Plans Specialist Practice Test built on the current exam outline for 2026 and 2027. It covers plan types and design, contributions, limits and testing, fiduciary duties and ERISA and distributions, administration and participant outcomes, scores you instantly and issues a verifiable certificate.

Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a CRPS Readiness certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: 401(k) plan overview (plan sponsor) (Internal Revenue Service); Meeting your fiduciary responsibilities (US Department of Labor, EBSA); Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) (U.S. Department of Labor); 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500 (IR-2025-111) (Internal Revenue Service); Retirement topics: Required minimum distributions (RMDs) (Internal Revenue Service). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Plan Types and Design (DC and DB, 403(b), 457 and Features); Contributions, Limits and Testing (2026 limits, Testing and Vesting); Fiduciary Duties and ERISA (Duties, Investments and Fees); Distributions, Administration and Participant Outcomes (Distributions, RMDs and Engagement). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Retirement plan consultant or adviser, 401(k) plan administrator, HR or benefits manager, Financial adviser serving plan sponsors and Recordkeeper relationship manager. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show CRPS knowledge in 2026 and 2027, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

The Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS) is a designation for professionals who design, install and maintain employer retirement plans, such as 401(k), 403(b) and defined benefit plans, and who advise plan sponsors on fiduciary duties and participant outcomes.

CRPS focuses on the employer side: plan design, testing, fiduciary governance and administration. CRPC focuses on individual retirement planning for clients, such as income strategies, Social Security timing and distributions.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.