Members Only FAQ – Whether it's your first year as an International Foundation member, or you're a current or past member, your membership team is here to answer these and any other questions you may have.
Questions About Becoming a Member
Questions About my Membership
Questions about being a Primary Contact section
Questions About the Foundation, and ISCEBS
Q: Who are members of the International Foundation?
A: The International Foundation's 32,000 members include:
- 17,000 multiemployer (Taft-Hartley) management and labor trustees
- 6,000 corporate benefits professionals
- 5,000 service providers (includes administrators, attorneys, actuaries, consultants and others who service benefit plans)
- 3,000 public employee plan representatives
- 3,000 Canadian multiemployer trustees, service providers, corporate benefits professionals, and public plan representatives.
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Q: Why should I become a member?
A: The International Foundation delivers flexible education to members who rely on us for objective, accurate and timely information. We work hard to provide the employee benefits industry with the latest solutions to ensure the health and financial security of plan participants worldwide. Members receive a daily e-mail with industry headlines, discounts on educational events, free webcasts, survey results, personalized research, access to Foundation Community and more. Only members of the International Foundation can take advantage of the information and services found in the "padlocked" areas of this Web site.
For a complete description of our member benefits, see the
Member Services page.
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Q. What are the different membership types I can choose from?
A.The International Foundation offers two different types of membership, Individual and Organizational. An Individual Membership allows one individual full membership privileges; while an Organizational Membership provides four individuals from your organization full membership privileges. Additional individuals can be added for a nominal amount. Trust funds receive full membership privileges for up to six individuals, including regular trustees and one salaried administrator. Funds wishing to list more than six individuals will be assessed dues based on a tiered structure. An Organizational Membership also allows for nonmembers of the organization to attend educational programs at the member rate as a substitute for a paid member who cannot attend.
Dues Page
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Q. How do I know if I'm already a member, or if the company I work for is a member?
A. Contact our membership department—We'd be happy to check for you.
Phone: (262) 786-6710, option 1
Toll Free: (888) 334-3327, option 1
E-Mail:
membership@ifebp.org
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Q. If my company is a member, am I?
A. Not necessarily. There are two types of International Foundation membership - Organizational and Individual. An Organizational membership allows four individuals from your organization full membership privileges. An Individual membership allows one individual from your organization full membership privileges.
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Q. How can I pay for my membership?
A.You can pay for your membership by check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express).
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Q. How many times can I request information from the Benefits Knowledge Center?
A. There is unlimited access to the Benefits Knowledge Center when you are a member of the International Foundation.
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Q. If my organization purchased the individual membership for me and I leave the company, will I be able to take the membership with me?
A. When an organization pays for a membership, they are entitled to replace you, if they wish. Please call the Membership Department toll free at (888) 334-3327, option 1, to discuss your options for remaining a member.
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Q. Are we able to add colleagues to our membership who work with our company or fund but are not employed by us?
A. No, they will need to take out a separate membership through their own organization.
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Q. If we have a trust fund membership, can we add a trustee from another fund that is not an active member to our membership?
A. Often funds do not have an identical board of trustees for their various plans. If this is the case, a separate membership would need to be taken out for each fund.
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Q. If my organization has an individual membership, can it be upgraded?
A. Absolutely. Contact the Membership Department toll free at (888) 334-3327, option 1, and any membership assistant will be happy to instruct you on upgrading your membership.
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Q: Can I cancel my membership?
A: Membership dues are nonrefundable. Cancellations must be requested by emailing
membership@ifebp.org or calling 888-334-3327 option 1.
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Q: What are my responsibilities as the primary contact for my organization's membership?
A: As the primary contact, you will receive annually the dues renewal invoice for the next calendar year. Included with the dues renewal will be the membership roster. The roster is a listing that shows your organization and contact information, followed by names of the active individuals. The roster will need to be updated as changes occur throughout the year.
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Q: Should an active member or current primary contact not want the responsibility of the primary contact's role, can we designate another employee to handle only the role of the primary contact?
A: Yes. It is not required that he or she be an active member. You can designate any employee from your organization to handle your membership.
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Q: If the membership is a multiemployer or public employee trust fund and is administered by a third-party administrator, can the representative from that organization be listed as an active member on the fund's membership?
A: For trust fund memberships, the administrator must work solely for the fund. The third-party administrator will need to take out a separate membership for their own organization.
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Q: How do I update my organization's membership roster?
A: To ensure that your roster is updated promptly, please make your changes directly on your roster or send us a written request with only the necessary changes.
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Q: How can I get the updated rosters or written requests to the Membership Department?
A: You have a few options. If you are updating a roster, you can email your changes to
membership@ifebp.org or mail the roster to: International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Attn: Membership Department, P.O. Box 69, Brookfield, WI 53008-0069.
Please be sure to include your organization's membership number on all correspondence.
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Q: Are we able to add colleagues to our membership who work with our company or fund but are not employed by us?
A: Unless your colleagues' organization is a parent company or subsidiary, they will need to take out a separate membership through their own organization.
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Q: If we have a trust fund membership, can we add a trustee from another fund that is not an active member to our membership?
A: Often funds do not have an identical board of trustees for their various plans. If this is the case, a separate membership would need to be taken out for each fund.
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Q: When I make a change to the roster and I am removing an individual and replacing him or her with another person, does the new person adopt the removed person's individual membership number?
A: No. The new person will receive his or her own individual number and this number will travel with him or her when moving on to another company and becoming a member again in the future.
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Q: What is the difference between the International Foundation and the ISCEBS?
A: Membership in the International Foundation is open to anyone interested in or representing employees in employee benefit plans. Membership in the ISCEBS (International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists) is limited to individuals who have earned the CEBS designation. It also is open to students who have earned the CMS, GBA or RPA designations. It is possible to be a member of both organizations at the same time.
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Q: Am I able to cancel my membership and receive a refund?
A: Membership dues are nonrefundable. Cancellations must be requested by emailing
membership@ifebp.org or calling 888-334-3327 option 1.
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