Membership

Categories of Membership

For more information and an application, please click on the appropriate membership category above.

Renew Your Membership

You may renew your membership online or you may remit your dues to the address below.

3505 Vernon Woods Drive
Summerfield, NC  27358
Tel: 336-365-4640
Fax: 336-644-6205

Contact Person:
Rhenda Davis, Membership Director 
E-mail Address: [email protected]

 

How to Join SOFE: Joining Membership Categories and Benefits

General Membership
General Membership is open to individuals who are or have been financial examiners, assigned to work in the field and offices of government agencies. General members may be eligible to proceed to designated membership levels, such as Accredited Financial Examiner (AFE®), Certified Financial Examiner (CFE®), and Automated Examiner Specialist (AES®). For more information, view certifications here.

Membership Benefits include:

  • Access to our publications:
    • The quarterly journal, The Examiner
    • The quarterly newsletter, InSight
  • Education specifically designed for financial examiners and regulators
    • At the national level through the annual Career Development Seminar, seminars at NAIC meetings, and information about training by related organizations
    • At the regional level through regional seminars
    • At the state chapter level, through state chapter meetings
  • Peer contact with all the examiner disciplines — an important benefit now that the various regulated financial services tend to blend together.

For more information, please email our membership director.

General Membership Application  |  Online Application  |  Back to Top

Regulatory Membership
This category was established for professional regulators, attorneys, actuaries, market conduct examiners, financial institution professionals, and other positions which assist in the regulatory process, but have never been financial examiners. Regulatory Membership gives regulators who support the Society’s objectives, and whose membership is approved by the Executive Committee, the opportunity to become active participants in the Society of Financial Examiners. Regulatory Members are entitled to the benefits of General Membership (listed above) except those related to voting.
If you are an examiner or analyst, please apply as a General Member.
Regulatory Membership Application  |  Online Application  |  Back to Top

Associate Membership
This category is for those business executives or community leaders who have never been financial examiners, but show support of professional regulation and the Society, its programs and objectives, deserves a meaningful status in the Society. Associate Membership gives leading executives in the fields of insurance, banking, credit unions, as well as legal, actuarial, and accounting services, the opportunity to affiliate with and become active participants in the Society of Financial Examiners. Associate Members whose membership is approved by the Executive Committee are entitled to the benefits of General Membership (listed above) except those related to voting .
Associate Membership Application  |  Online Application  |  Back to Top

Institution Membership
This program allows firms in the insurance community who support the programs and objectives of the Society, the opportunity to become members. Institution membership gives leading professional insurance firms the opportunity to be affiliated with and to become active participants in the Society of Financial Examiners. Institution members (up to 10 applicants) whose membership is approved by the Executive Committee are entitled to the benefits of General Membership (listed above) except those related to voting.
Institution Member Application  |  Online Application  |  Back to Top

Student Membership
The Society of Financial Examiners (SOFE) offers students whose membership is approved by the Executive Committee, free membership while they are enrolled in college full-time, for a maximum of four years. College students majoring in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Pre-Law or other related fields are encouraged to explore the professional opportunities offered in SOFE accreditation and certification programs. Student Members are entitled to the benefits of General Membership (listed above) except those related to voting.
Application for Student Membership (Full Time College Students Only)  |  Online Application  |  Back to Top

Retired Status

To be considered for Retired membership status, an individual must complete an Application for Retirement Status certifying that he/she is retired and is no longer gainfully employed either directly or indirectly in the regulation or business of insurance, and that he/she has either worked for twenty-five years or more in insurance regulatory service or is age 55 or older.

Once the application is approved, the headquarters staff makes the individual’s membership “Retired” and notes this in the member’s files. The Retired individual pays a reduced amount of dues (currently $50), is not required to report CRE credit, and may continue to use the designation in an honorary manner after his/her name. As a member of the Society, the Retired status individual will continue to receive Society publications and mailings, and may attend the CDS at a reduced registration fee.

If, within five years from the date Retired Status was awarded, the Retired individual wishes to return to work in the regulation or business of insurance and reactivate his/her designated membership with SOFE, the individual must notify the Society of Financial Examiners of his/her change in status and apply for reactivation of his/her active designation by completing the Reactivation From Retirement Application.

If more than five years has elapsed from the date Retired Status was approved, in order to reactivate a designated membership status (AFE/CFE/AES), the Membership Committee will also require the completion of  40 credit hours of continuing regulatory education (CRE) earned within the last 1 year prior to reactivation of the designation. The CRE courses must meet the current designation requirements, must include the most recent NAIC Financial Condition Examiners Handbook or Financial Analysis Handbook training, and must include Ethics training.

Regardless of the time in Retired Status, to reactivate membership status and/or a designation from a Retired status, the individual must complete the Reactivation From Retirement Application, pay the pro-rated dues differential between the Retired and General/AFE/CFE/AES membership dues at the current rate for the current year, pay a processing fee in the amount of $200.00 and comply with SOFE's Continuing Regulatory Education (CRE) credit hours requirements on a pro-rated basis beginning with the calendar year of reactivation.

For more information, please email our membership director.


Inactive Status

A member who no longer wishes to maintain the continuing educational requirements or pay renewal dues may apply for Inactive Status by completing the Application For Inactive Status form. Once the application is approved, the headquarters staff makes the membership inactive and notes such in the individual’s files. The individual is then no longer a SOFE member, so there are no dues, no mailings, no continuing education requirements, and no right to use the SOFE designations (AFE, CFE, AES).

If, within five years from the date Inactive Status was awarded, the individual wishes to reactivate his/her designated membership with SOFE, the individual may apply for Reactivation of Membership by completing the Application for Reactivation of Membership. 

If more than five years has elapsed from the date Inactive Status was approved, in order to reactivate a designated membership status (AFE/CFE/AES), the Membership Committee will also require the completion of  40 credit hours of continuing regulatory education (CRE) earned within the last 1 year prior to reactivation of the designation. The CRE courses must meet the current designation requirements, must include the most recent NAIC Financial Condition Examiners Handbook or Financial Analysis Handbook training, and must include Ethics training.

Applying for Reactivation requires the payment of all dues at current rates in arrears since inactivation of membership, and payment of a processing fee in the amount of $200.00. To apply for Reactivation, please complete the Application For Reactivation of Membership form online or print and mail or fax it to SOFE Headquarters.

For more information, please email our membership director.

Canceled Status

If an individual’s membership is canceled or terminated for non-payment of dues or non-compliance with continuing educational requirements, the individual must complete the Application for Reinstatement to be reconsidered for designated membership in the Society.

Applying for Reinstatement of membership and designation requires the payment of all dues at current rates in arrears since cancelation of membership, the payment of an application processing fee in the amount of $200.00, and documentation of continuing education since the designation was canceled. Before membership can be reinstated, the member in Canceled status must meet the annual and triennial CRE minimum requirements for the applicable designation for each year since the last active year of membership, just as if the member’s status had never been canceled. To apply for Reinstatement, please complete the Application for Reinstatement form online or print and mail or fax it to SOFE Headquarters.  

The SOFE Bylaws require the Board of Governors’ approval to reinstate AFE/CFE/AES members whose membership was canceled for non-payment of dues. As a practical matter, the Board of Governors has delegated approval of Membership Status to the Executive Committee.

Pursuant to the SOFE Bylaws, Article III, Section 3, “Reinstatement: The Board of Governors may reinstate any Accredited or Certified Member who has been terminated for non-payment of dues if such person pays the dues in arrears together with current dues and any applicable application processing fee. Persons seeking reinstatement must be in compliance with the current reinstatement requirements as established by the Executive Committee.”

For more information, please email our membership director

Certification
SOFE offers three professional designations, which may be earned by completing extensive requirements including the successful completion of a series of examinations administered by the Society. The designations are Accredited Financial Examiner, Certified Financial Examiner, and Automated Examination Specialist.

Designation Requirements:

Accredited Financial Examiner
Certified Financial Examiner
Certified Financial Examiner — Financial/Rating Analyst
Automated Examination Specialist

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