New Certified Exit Planning Advisor Membership Tiers
The Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) community has grown tremendously since 2020, and in 2026, we’re excited to announce a revolutionary new way to stay involved. This year, we’re expanding CEPA from a credential into a long-term growth system for advisors, with defined paths based on how they want to engage, learn, and build their practice.
These new offerings were created based on feedback from CEPAs and give you the chance you choose the membership tier that aligns with your goals, whether it's to grow your network, land more clients, or cement your status as a master-level CEPA.
To learn more about the Exit Planning Institute’s® (EPI) new CEPA tiers, read on below.
CEPA - $495 annually
Our entry-level membership tier, CEPA, is designed for advisors who want to maintain their credential and stay connected to the exit planning community. This tier includes your CEPA credential, positioning you as an exit-planning expert.
CEPA Plus - $3,600 annually
The new CEPA Plus tier is a revamp of our previous Credential Plus offering, providing the tools, insights, and relationships needed to attract business-owner clients, deepen engagements, and generate real return on investment from the credential.
In addition to access to the CEPA credential, CEPA Plus members will get a general admission ticket to the next year’s Exit Planning Summit. The Exit Planning Summit is a three-day event filled with networking opportunities with other advisors and EPI’s partners, which also offers a way to grow your Value Acceleration knowledge. This is not applicable to first-year CEPAs, who will automatically receive CEPA-Plus benefits after completing the CEPA exam.
Also new to this tier, and CEPA Plus, is a profile on EPI’s brand-new CEPA Connect platform, designed to be a place for advisors to build meaningful connections and referral relationships, share insights, and find new career opportunities.
Also included in CEPA Plus are:
- Access to CEPA Mastermind Groups
- Three continuing education (CE) - approved EPI Academy courses every year to help complete your required CE hours.
- Access to the new Methods to Mastery podcast featuring Senior Member Experience Representative Ryan Beltz
- The Business Owner Prospecting Toolkit
- 60-Minute Business Owner Meeting
CEPA Mastery - $23,000 annually, or $1,917 per month (with a yearlong commitment)
Designed for the best-in-class CEPA, our new CEPA Mastery membership tier offers exclusive access to our brand-new CEPA Winter Mastery Retreat, set to debut in 2027. This new event will bring top CEPAs together to dive deep into the Value Acceleration Methodology™, share their best practices, and offer unique experiences.
CEPA Mastery positions you in front of peers, business owners, and referral partners who recognize and reward excellence. This new membership tier also includes an expert profile on DriveValue.com™, a business-owner-facing website that positions you as a master-level CEPA that owners can trust.
This limited, application-only membership includes everything in the CEPA Plus tier (excluding registration for the Exit Planning Summit).
Ready to Pick Your CEPA Path?
Whether you’re a newly-certified CEPA or have been a member of the community for years, these new membership tiers give you a clear path to stay connected and keep growing your exit planning prowess. From foundational support to advanced, application-only benefits, there’s something for every CEPA, designed to match how you want to show up for business owners and your fellow advisors.
If you are ready to get more involved in the CEPA community or explore what it means to reach mastery, connect with your EPI Member Experience representative, or click here to review your options.
About the Certified Exit Planning Advisor Credential
A Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) is a professional credential for advisors who wish to engage with business owner clients through the exit planning process using the Value Acceleration Methodology™. Through the CEPA credential, advisors can provide new offerings for clients and stand out from their non-CEPA peers, all while gaining access to education, resources, and a vast network of like-minded professionals.
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