Membership FAQs
1. What memberships are offered at CFA Society Los Angeles?
- CFA Society Los Angeles offers 5 main types of membership: Charterholder, Professional, Affiliate, Associate, and Student. Charterholder, Professional, and Affiliate memberships are joint memberships with CFA Institute and CFALA. Associate and Student Memberships are a local only membership so members only have a membership with CFA Society Los Angeles.
2. How much are membership dues?
- This depends on the membership category. Dues for CFA Society Los Angeles are $200. Associate with Active Candidate Discount, as well as Student Membership have a reduced price of $50. Charterholder, Professional, and Affiliate Members must also pay CFA Institute dues which are currently priced at $299.
3. How long does it take for my membership to process?
- Per the bylaws, applications are pulled at the start of each month, approved by the Membership Chair, and then the entire board votes to approve. Applicants are notified 10 to 15 days after the start of the following month (i.e. Applied on 9/15, Notified on 10/10). Charterholder/Professional members who have been approved by CFA Institute are provided temporary membership access typically in 1-2 business days. Membership changes from Temporary to Full membership typically around the 10th of the following month.
4. I just applied for membership but there is an event I want to attend before I will hear back. What can I do?
- Charterholder/Professional members automatically (within 1 business day of you joining the society) provide you with temporary member credentials so that you can register for any event at the member rate. If you have just applied for Associate or Student Membership, please email info@cfala.org and request temporary membership. Someone from the office will review your application to ensure it is complete and then provide you temporary member credentials so that you may attend the event. At this time, Affiliate applicants are not eligible for temporary membership credentials.
5. What is Professional Leave?
- Professional leave (also known as retired status) is for current members who are retired/unemployed/student/out of industry/etc. Members can get a reduced dues rate by filling out a form on CFA Institute’s Website. This option is only available for joint membership with CFA Institute. More details can be found here.
6. I am over 70 years old, do I still need to renew my membership?
- Yes, if you are over 70 years old and are a Charterholder, Professional, or Affiliate Member, you still need to renew your membership annually. Once you hit 70, you no longer have to pay for membership, but you still must sign your code of conduct annually.
7. I am an active CFA Candidate (i.e. currently registered for a CFA Exam), what is the best membership type for me?
- If you are a Level I or II CFA Candidate, please apply for Associate Membership with Active Candidate Discount. This will get you full local member benefits at a significantly reduced dues rate. If you have passed Level II, you will need to apply for Professional or Affiliate Membership. They are priced the exact same, so you would apply for Professional if you meet the work experience requirements and Affiliate if you do not.
8. I am a current student but I am also an active CFA Candidate, which membership should I pick?
- Associate Membership with Active Candidate Discount is your best option. You have full local member benefits at the same price as the student membership. Student Members are restricted from certain signature events like the Annual Meeting, Summer Social, and Holiday Social.
9. What is the difference between Affiliate and Associate Membership?
- Affiliate Membership is a joint membership with CFA Institute and CFA Society Los Angeles. Associate Membership is a local membership, just with CFA Society Los Angeles.
10. I am an Associate or Student Member, can I access CFA Institute’s Job Board?
- As an Associate or Student member, your membership is only with CFA Society Los Angeles. CFA Institute’s website would only consider you as a non-member. Non-members may view the Job Board, but members have early access to all job postings as well as other added benefits.
11. I have seen marketing material for CFA Institute’s new membership class, Associate Membership, is that the same as CFA Society Los Angeles’s Associate Membership?
- At this time, CFA Society Los Angeles is not one of the societies participating in CFA Institute’s Associate Membership. Our current Associate membership is a separate membership for just CFA Society Los Angeles. You may choose to join If you would like benefits from both CFA Society Los Angeles and CFA Institute, you may have both Associate memberships; however, you will need to complete the process separately with each organization and pay dues separately. You can view the details on CFA Society Los Angeles Associate Membership HERE and the details on CFA Institute's Associate Membership HERE.
12. Can I be a member of more than one local CFA Society?
- Yes. As long as you meet the requirements and pay your membership dues for each society, you can be a member of as many societies as you would like.
13. I saw CFA Institute mention “Professional” Membership, what is that?
- CFA Institute has rebranded “Regular” Members to “Professional” Members. At this time, there is no difference except the name change.
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CFA Society Los Angeles is recognized as a nonprofit business league under IRS Section 501(c)(6). Please note that membership dues and sponsorship payments are not considered charitable contributions and therefore are not tax-deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes. However, such payments may be deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses. We recommend consulting your tax advisor to determine the extent to which your payment may be deductible under applicable tax laws.
