Starratt Promoted to Manager, Earns ERPA Designation

4/12/2011 - By Zachary Farrington

Heather M. Starratt, ERPA, QKA at Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund, has been promoted to Manager in the Retirement and Medical Plans Department. Heather is a Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA), a credential awarded by the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) and has now added the Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent (ERPA) designation to her title.

ERPA is a federally sanctioned designation that allows enrolled practitioners to practice before the IRS on pension and 401(k) plan matters.This includes determination letters, plan audits and negotiating on behalf of clients regarding compliance matters. The IRS created the ERPA designation to provide a credentialing process for third party administrators and benefit consultants of tax-exempt retirement plans. To qualify for the ERPA designation, Starratt had to demonstrate special competence in retirement plan matters by passing written examinations. The IRS has contracted with the American Institute of Retirement Education, LLC (AIRE) to administer the ERPA-Special Enrollment Examination (ERPA-SEE).