CIS I Certification Exam Guidelines

Online Exam Guidelines

The knowledge areas below are the basis for the Certified IRA Specialist I (CIS I) examination.

IRA Fundamentals (29%)

• Opening an IRA
• Benefits to IRA owners
• Using the IRA application
• IRA disclosures

Distributions (23%) 

• Early distribution penalty tax
• Federal withholding
• Processing a distribution
• Qualified Roth distributions
• RMD rules
• Death claim process

Rollovers and Transfers (19%)

• Rules for transactions
• Treatment of incoming transactions
• QRP transactions
• Processing a rollover or transfer

Contributions (16%)

• Types of contributions
• Contribution limits
• Contribution deadlines

Reporting (13%)

• General reporting guidelines
• Reporting contributions
• Reporting distributions

Exam Process

Upon conclusion of Virtual Compliance and Education Summit or IRA University, you will receive an email with the following information.

1. Website link to the certification exam for which you are registered
2. Username and password that will allow you to access the exam

The exam will give you one question at a time. At any time during the exam, you may return to a question and change your answer.

The exam is scored immediately upon completion of the exam.

Specific Exam Guidelines

You have 30 days from the Monday following your attendance of Virtual Compliance and Education Summit or IRA University to complete the exam.

The exam consists of a pool of 105 questions. Your exam will have 76 questions from the pool to answer and you will have 3 hours to complete the exam.

Passing Score
A passing score is 80 percent or greater. If a passing score is not achieved, you will be eligible to retake the exam 30 days from the date of the original exam date. The exam retake fee is $299.