TRAU - The Retirement Advisor University

What TRAU - The Retirement Advisor University does

TRAU - The Retirement Advisor University is a privately held professional certification and education organization based in Jupiter, Florida, founded by Fred Barstein and operating with a team of 13 employees. It administers four retirement-plan credentials — the flagship C(k)P (Certified 401(k) Professional) and iC(k)P (Institutional Certified 401(k) Professional) designations delivered in collaboration with UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education, plus the SPARK Institute's ARPC (Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant) and ARPS (Accredited Retirement Plan Specialist) certifications — targeting retirement plan advisors, consultants, record-keeping staff, and institutional DC professionals.

The company runs a blended delivery model combining self-paced e-learning on a third-party Absorb LMS (trau.myabsorb.com), instructor-led virtual classrooms, regional Group Study Sessions, and multi-day in-person instruction at the UCLA Anderson campus in Los Angeles. It also operates affiliated programs including The Plan Sponsor University (TPSU) for plan fiduciary education, TRCE virtual committee training, RPA Roundtables & Think Tanks for peer dialogue among TPAs, record keepers, broker dealers, and aggregators, and 401kTV as a media distribution arm reaching 50,000+ daily newsletter subscribers.

TRAU monetizes through a mix of one-time certification program fees, recurring annual designation renewal subscriptions ($480/year for iC(k)P, $150/year for ARPC/ARPS), tiered RPA Roundtable sponsorship packages ($30,000 to $100,000), and TPSU Plus quarterly marketing memberships. GTM spans enterprise partnerships (UCLA Anderson, SPARK Institute), event-driven sponsorships, inside sales via website enrollment, and content marketing through the 401kTV affiliate channel. No external funding, M&A activity, or parent company is disclosed.

Name

TRAU - The Retirement Advisor University

Legal name

The Retirement Advisor University

Website

https://trauniversity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TRAU - The Retirement Advisor University is a Jupiter, Florida-based certification organization that issues C(k)P, iC(k)P, ARPC, and ARPS retirement plan credentials via UCLA Anderson and SPARK Institute partnerships, serving DC plan advisors, consultants, and plan sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification & Financial Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF), Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE), Retirement & Long-Term Planning (401(k), IRA, Pensions) (EDAAAJAI)

Keywords

• Retirement plan certification
• Professional financial education
• 401(k) advisor training
• Continuing education programs
• Defined contribution education

Headquarters

HQ city

Jupiter

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. C(k)P Certification Program: Fees for the Certified 401(k) Professional designation program including curriculum, UCLA campus sessions, and examination. Requires completing three levels of coursework and passing designation exam.
2. iC(k)P Annual Fee: Annual fee of $480 for iC(k)P designation holders including access to updated online courses, instructor access, registry profile hosting, and CE cross-reporting.
3. ARPC/ARPS Annual Fees: Annual certification renewal fees of $150 for ARPC and ARPS designations, with waiver available through SPARK CE course purchases.
4. RPA Roundtable Sponsorships: Sponsorship packages for RPA Roundtables & Think Tanks targeting DC plan advisory professionals. Pricing ranges from $30,000 for single event sponsorship to $100,000 for all five 2026 events, including brand recognition and attendee access.
5. TPSU Plus Marketing Membership: Quarterly membership subscription for retirement plan marketing services including ongoing digital content, weekly social media posts, business development strategy, and relationship manager support. Month-to-month after initial quarter commitment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TRAU delivers professional certification and continuing education programs for the retirement plan industry, anchored by the C(k)P (Certified 401(k) Professional) and iC(k)P (Institutional Certified 401(k) Professional) designations offered in collaboration with UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education. It also offers SPARK Institute certifications (ARPC and ARPS) and runs TPSU plan sponsor education, TPSU Plus marketing membership, and RPA Roundtables for the defined contribution ecosystem.

Product overview

TRAU offers a comprehensive portfolio of retirement planning certification programs and educational services. The core offerings include the C(k)P (Certified 401(k) Professional) designation—the primary certification requiring classroom instruction at UCLA Anderson School of Management, online coursework, and examination—and the advanced iC(k)P (Institutional Certified 401(k) Professional) for institutional professionals. Supporting these are SPARK Institute certifications ARPC and ARPS for retirement plan consultants and specialists. The TPSU (Plan Sponsor University) affiliate delivers half-day education programs to plan fiduciaries, complemented by TPSU Plus marketing membership and TRCE virtual committee training. RPA Roundtables & Think Tanks provide peer dialogue events across five annual sessions. An internal LMS (trau.myabsorb.com) delivers online coursework, while affiliate 401kTV provides media content distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• C(k)P - Certified 401(k) Professional: The flagship designation program recognizing professional Retirement Plan Advisors with demonstrated experience and completion of comprehensive education.
• iC(k)P - Institutional Certified 401(k) Professional
• ARPC - Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant
• ARPS - Accredited Retirement Plan Specialist
• TPSU - The Plan Sponsor University
• RPADD Center
• 401kTV

Products and services

• C(k)P - Certified 401(k) Professional The flagship certification program for retirement plan advisors requiring completion of three progressive curriculum levels (Fundamentals, Advanced, Expert Application), UCLA Anderson campus sessions, and passage of the C(k)P Designation Examination. Prerequisites include 10 plans under management, $30 million in assets under management, and 3 years of defined contribution industry experience.
• iC(k)P - Institutional Certified 401(k) Professional Advanced institutional-level certification delivered in collaboration with UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education. Combines online coursework with in-person classes at UCLA and a proctored 125-question exam (80% passing score). Topics include Behavioral Finance, Decision Making during Uncertainty, Technical Competence of DC Plans, Fiduciary Awareness, and Plan Optimization. Annual fee of $480 includes CE credits and registry access.
• ARPC - Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant SPARK Institute certification recognizing proficiency in retirement plan consulting for professionals who help employers establish and maintain qualified retirement plans. Covers Retirement Plan and Industry Overview, Plan Features and Design, Participant Communications, Plan Reporting and Compliance, and Retirement Plan Market and Sales Process. Designed for professionals with at least one year of financial services experience.
• ARPS - Accredited Retirement Plan Specialist SPARK Institute certification for record keeping and administrative staff covering Retirement Plan and Industry Overview, Plan Features and Design, Participant Communications, Plan Activity and Accounting, Plan Investments and Accounting, and Plan Reporting and Compliance. Requires passing 100-question exam within 12-month candidacy period. Annual renewal fee of $150 with 10 hours of CE required.
• TPSU - The Plan Sponsor University Affiliate program delivering half-day interactive education programs to Plan Fiduciaries, Plan Trustees, and Plan Sponsors at colleges and universities nationwide. Adjunct Lecturers hold the C(k)P Designation. Has conducted over 600 sessions since May 2013 with over 10,000 individuals trained.
• TPSU Plus Retirement Plan Marketing Subscription-based marketing membership for advisors offering ongoing digital content, business development strategy, weekly social media posts (5 per week), and relationship manager support. Includes compliance-friendly marketing content, newsletters, blog articles, infographics, videos, and social media cards. Initial 3-month commitment required, then month-to-month.
• TRCE - TPSU Retirement Committee Education Virtual training program for DC plan sponsors covering 3 online courses (a $395 value) available for 90 days after a 60-minute customized virtual educational session. Approved for SHRM and HRCI recertification credits. Covers retirement committee formation, functions, and fiduciary responsibilities.
• RPA Roundtables & Think Tanks Peer-driven dialogue events for DC plan advisory, investments, and innovation. Five annual roundtable events: TPA Roundtable (April, Chicago), RPA Record Keeper Roundtable (June, Washington DC), RPA Broker Dealer Roundtable (September, New York), RPA Aggregator Roundtable (November, Chicago), and Convergence Roundtable (December, Chicago). Sponsorship packages range from $30,000 to $100,000.
• RPADD Center - RPA Due Diligence RPA Due Diligence Request to Participate program for retirement plan professionals to engage in due diligence processes. Part of the broader RPA ecosystem supporting DC plan advisory.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ TPSU programs conducted since May 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for the C(k)P and iC(k)P certification programs. UCLA Anderson provides world-class professors for classroom instruction at the UCLA campus in Los Angeles, CA. Curriculum combines academic rigor with practical retirement industry expertise. Partnership established to deliver the only retirement planning certification associated with a nationally recognized institution of higher learning.
• The SPARK InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partnership offering SPARK certification programs (ARPC, ARPS) for retirement plan advisors and staff. SPARK programs established in 2004 by SPARK members to train client-facing and operational staff of record keepers. TRAU offers 40+ online courses complementing SPARK training. Programs cover plan features & design, participant communications, plan reporting & compliance, and investments.
• 401kTVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate organization providing media platform for TRAU and TPSU content distribution. 401kTV reaches 50,000+ daily newsletter subscribers and 55,000+ HR & finance executives. Supports marketing outreach for certification programs and plan sponsor education through video content and industry news.
• The Plan Sponsor University (TPSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization delivering half-day interactive education programs to Plan Fiduciaries, Plan Trustees, and Plan Sponsors at colleges and universities nationwide. TRAU provides intellectual capital and C(k)P-designated lecturers. TPSU has trained over 10,000 individuals since 2013 and continues to train approximately 1,500 plan sponsors annually.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AICPA: Professional association providing credentials (CPA, PFS), CE, and retirement-focused learning for accounting and financial professionals. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping retirement and financial-services CE content.
• CFA Institute: Global credentialing body for investment professionals offering the CFA designation and continuing education. Comparable as a scaled, brand-rich financial-services certification organization with CE requirements analogous to TRAU's annual CE model.
• National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA): Industry association serving retirement plan advisors, founded with involvement of TRAU's CEO. Comparable as the dominant community and content hub for the same advisor persona TRAU targets with C(k)P.
• CFP Board: Sets standards and administers the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification with required CE. Comparable as the benchmark professional credential in financial planning that competes with and complements TRAU's advisor credentials.

Direct peers

• Investments & Wealth Institute (IWI): Membership and credentialing organization offering the CPWA, CIMA, and RMA designations for wealth and investment advisors. Comparable as a peer designation body with CE requirements and a professional-certification model similar to C(k)P.
• fi360 (Aon): A fiduciary-focused training and designation provider (AIF, AIFA) for retirement plan advisors and investment professionals. Directly comparable as a certification/CE competitor serving the same advisor and plan-sponsor audience as TRAU's C(k)P/iC(k)P.
• Kaplan Financial Education: Major provider of licensing exam prep and continuing education for FINRA-registered representatives, CFP, and insurance professionals. Comparable as a scaled financial-services CE/credentialing competitor to TRAU's designation programs.
• The American College of Financial Services: Provider of professional financial designations (e.g., CLU, ChFC, CFP) and continuing education for financial services professionals. Comparable as a credential-granting institution with university-style programs and CE/CPE offerings similar to TRAU's curriculum.
• SPARK Institute: Retirement plan industry association whose ARPC/ARPS certifications are administered in collaboration with TRAU. Comparable as both an industry body and a co-owner of curriculum/credential standards for retirement plan professionals.
• Dalton Education: Specializes in retirement plan and tax-related professional education for CPAs, EAs, and financial advisors. Comparable niche overlap with TRAU in delivering retirement-focused CE and certification content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-retirement-advisor-university

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TRAU - The Retirement Advisor University