Certification
Anyone working for an accredited Seventh-day Adventist yearbook organization in the North American Division and performing fiduciary or discretionary Planned Giving & Trust Services duties must be Actively Certified, (NAD WP S40 25).
Once someone starts working in a position that requires them to perform fiduciary and/or discretionary PGTS duties they have twelve months to begin the process of becoming Actively Certified, and must complete the process within twenty-four months (PGTS Standard 1).
If an administrative assistant is performing discretionary or fiduciary PGTS duties they must be certified. If the administrative assistant is only performing ministerial duties, such as data entry or mailing notices that are prepared by another, they are not required to be certified. If an administrative assistant is not certified, then any PGTS ministerial work they perform must be under the direction and supervision of someone who is Actively Certified (NAD WP S40 25)..
If a treasure performs discretionary or fiduciary PGTS duties they must be PGTS Certified. If the treasurer only performs ministerial duties, such as writing checks or data entry, they are not required to be certified. If a treasurer is not certified, any PGTS ministerial work they perform must be under the direction and supervision of someone who is Actively PGTS Certified (NAD WP S40 25).
Actions and responsibilities performed by an individual for the benefit of another when the latter has placed in the former the utmost trust and confidence to manage and protect property or money. The duties are performed as the result of a relationship wherein one person has an obligation to act for another’s benefit.
Actions and responsibilities performed by an individual based on the individual’s own judgment when they are given the latitude to complete, or not complete, a task at their discretion, and may decide how to complete the task.
Ministerial Duties refer to the official duty of an employee wherein the employee has no room for the exercise of discretion, and the performance is required by direct and positive command of a qualified individual. Filling out a form under the direction of a lawyer is a ministerial task performed by a legal secretary when the lawyer takes full responsibility for the completed form.
If you completed the PGTS Certification Course but did not complete the remaining requirements within three years and become Actively Certified by the NAD PGTS Certification & Accreditation Committee you will need to retake the PGTS Certification Course (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 2).
If you no longer work in a PGTS position, or no longer work for an accredited SDA organization, and continue to report your completed CPE annually along with attending all required NAD PGTS Conferences your certification will remain Inactive. If in the future you go back to working for an accredited SDA organization in a role that performs PGTS duties then your certification will go back to being Active (PGTS Manual, Chp 2 p 6).
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Continuing Professional Education (PGTS Manual, Chp 2, p 3).
To maintain an Active or Inactive Certification you must complete and report through the PGTS Portal 16 CPE credits annually (PGTS Manual, Chp 2, p 3).
The CPE must be relevant to work conducted in PGTS, including, but not limited to, planned giving, fiduciary duties, trust administration, trust investments, accounting/auditing planned gifts, trusts, and estates. Examples of what qualifies can be found in the PGTS Manual, Chapter 2. Union PGTS Directors approve CPE and any questions about what qualifies should be directed to them. (PGTS Manual, Chp 2, p 4).
CPE may be reported at any time during the year it is completed, up through January 31st of the following year. CPE is to be reported through the PGTS Portal. Union PGTS Directors approve the final CPE report for all individual’s within their territory in the month of February for the previous year. Any questions about what qualifies as CPE should be directed to the Union PGTS Director.
All CPE must be reported through the PGTS Portal no later than January 31st for the previous year.
Report your CPE through the portal. Your Union PGTS Director will be able to review your CPE as soon as you report it.
Yes, you may carry forward up to eight (8) CPE credits. If an individual completes in excess of the required CPE hours in any calendar year, along with any hours that may be deficient from the previous year, they may carry forward to the next calendar year up to eight (8) hours of CPE. This carry forward will automatically be calculated through the PGTS Portal (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 5).
You and your director will receive an email from the NAD PGTS department letting you know the PGTS Portal shows you have a CPE deficiency which will be carried forward to the next year. When you have a CPE deficiency you maintain an Active Certification and may continue to perform discretionary and fiduciary PGTS duties. To clear your CPE deficiency, you must first complete the 16 CPE credits for the current year, then make up the deficiency from the previous year. If you do not complete the 16 CPE requirement for the current year plus your deficiency from the previous year during the current calendar year your Active Certification will become a Lapsed Certification (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 5 – 7).
If the NAD PGTS Certification & Accreditation Committee (C&A Committee) awards you Active Certification in the first six months of the year you must complete the annual CPE requirement for that year. If the C&A Committee awards you Active Certification in the last six months of the year you are not required to complete the annual CPE requirement until the following year (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 3).
No, the PGTS Certification Course and the 30 hours of internship are requirements to become certified, they do not satisfy the requirements for Continuing Professional Education CPE.
PGTS Portal
Your username is the email address we have on file for you.
Log into the PGTS Portal using your old email address as your username, once logged in then click on the “Edit My Details” button in the center of the screen and update your email address. Be sure to hit “Save” at the bottom of the page. The next time you log into the portal you will use your updated email address as your username.
CPE Deficiencies
Yes, your certification remains Active when you have a CPE deficiency from the previous year (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 5).
If you have not reported any CPE for more than two but less than six calendar years then you will have a Lapsed Certification, if you have not reported CPE for more than six calendar years then you will have a Revoked Certification. Whether you have a Lapsed or Revoked Certification you may no longer perform fiduciary or discretionary PGTS duties (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 5 – 8).
You may only perform ministerial PGTS duties under the direction and supervision of someone who is Actively Certified. You may not engage in any discretionary or fiduciary PGTS duties (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 5 – 8).
You must make up all CPE hour deficiencies to be granted an active certification (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 6-7).
You must complete 16 CPE credits to reactivate your Certification. Once your certification becomes Active you must complete an additional 16 CPE credits to satisfy the annual CPE requirement for that year. You may carry a deficiency forward to the following year once your certification becomes Active (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 7).
You must complete the PGTS Certification Course and complete 8 hours of internship at an accredited organization other than your own. You are not required to take the Certification Course Exam or attend the 3-day live review (PGTS Manual Chp 2, p 7-8).