News and Media

Agenzee | Social Security Literacy for Insurance Agents

Published: February 9, 2026

In this article, NARSSA’s co-founder and President Martha Shedden shares her personal journey from discovering the complexity and importance of Social Security to founding NARSSA and building educational programs to improve Social Security literacy nationwide. She argues that Social Security is the foundation of retirement income planning and that true literacy—combining technical knowledge, applied judgment, communication skills, and technology—is essential for advisors and insurance enterprises to better serve clients and strengthen retirement outcomes.

ThinkAdvisor | American College Set to Distribute RSSA Social Security Designations

Published: February 9, 2026

“The American College of Financial Services announced Monday that it is partnering with the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts (NARSSA) to distribute its RSSA Social Security designation program. The college will distribute the RSSA program at a steep discount, according to the announcement, and offer single-module pricing for targeted learning.”

Press Release | The American College adds RSSA® Social Security Designation to Its Lifelong Learning Platform

Published: February 9, 2026

“Social Security planning is a critical component of retirement income planning, yet many financial professionals acknowledge uncertainty or a lack of understanding to support their clients effectively,” said Jared Trexler, senior vice president, chief marketing and strategy officer of The American College of Financial Services. “Our partnership with NARSSA allows us to expand The College’s robust lifelong learning platform with NARSSA’s specialized expertise, resources, and Social Security planning support for a significant discount to our vast community of practitioners.”

The American College of Financial Services | RSSA® vs. RICP®: Comparing Two Certifications

Published: February 9, 2026

The RSSA® certification provides financial professionals with comprehensive Social Security planning knowledge, covering both foundational topics—such as the history, benefit types, and client eligibility—and advanced areas including benefit taxation, business planning, disability benefits, and optimal claiming strategies.

The American College of Financial Services | The College Adds RSSA® Certification to its Lifelong Learning Platform

Published: February 9, 2026

The American College of Financial Services, an accredited institution with the profession’s preeminent end-to-end learning platform, announces a partnership with the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts (NARSSA) to distribute its RSSA® Social Security certification program. This program aims to address the Social Security knowledge gap among financial professionals and strengthen their retirement planning expertise.

Barron's | The Social Security Quirk That Can Boost Your Payout After 60

Published: January 31, 2026

“It can have a big effect—no matter what age you are,” says Martha Shedden, president of the National Association of Social Security Analysts. Shedden, who took time off from her career to raise children and worked part time for years, is seeing it in her own benefits. She continues to work at age 71. The Social Security Administration just raised her monthly benefit by $425 to $3,983 to account for the past four years of increased earnings. Working longer “does really have an impact—especially for women,” she says…