We are excited to share that Grace Kvantas recently earned the Retirement Management Advisor (RMA®) certification through the Investments & Wealth Institute (s). It’s an accomplishment that will directly benefit the families that our team works with every day.
What Is the RMA® Certification?
The RMA® is a specialized credential focused entirely on retirement planning. Unlike broader financial planning designations that touch on retirement as one piece of a larger puzzle, the RMA® program goes deep on the specific challenges people face once they shift from saving for retirement to spending in retirement.
That distinction matters more than it might sound. Building wealth and drawing it down safely are two very different life stages with different risks, different math, and different emotional states. The RMA® curriculum covers things like:
- Planning for retirement-specific risks before and during retirement (longevity, sequence-of-return risk, inflation, healthcare costs, cognitive decline, grey divorce, and many more)
- Sustainable withdrawal strategies
- Social Security claiming optimization
- Tax-efficient distribution planning
- Healthcare and long-term care cost planning
- Behavioral aspects of retirement decision-making
- Preparing for physical and mental decline
- Longevity risk and how to plan for a retirement that could last 30+ years
Earning the certification requires a background check, three years of work experience in the industry, completing an executive education program, and passing a rigorous certification exam. There are also ongoing continuing education standards set by IWI, one of the most respected credentialing bodies in the financial services industry. RMA® professionals must adhere to the IWI’s Code of Professional Responsibility.
Why the RMA®?
Retirement planning isn’t a “set it and forget it” exercise, and it isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every household has a different mix of goals, income sources, health considerations, and risk tolerance. The RMA® provides a deeper, more structured toolkit for helping people navigate the retirement transition with confidence.
Whether you are five years out from retirement or five years into it, questions like “How much can I safely spend?” or “When should I claim Social Security?” or “What happens to my plan if the market drops right after I retire?” deserve more than a rule of thumb or an online calculator. The RMA® training sharpens the ability to answer those questions.
Retirement planning is where a lot of the biggest financial decisions of your life converge, many of which are irreversible. Having an advisor with focused expertise in that specific season of life can bring peace of mind.
If you have questions about your retirement income strategy, reach out and set up a time to talk.
Here’s to planning well and living even better in retirement.
