What is an enrolled actuary? An Enrolled Actuary is any individual who has satisfied the standards and qualifications as set forth in the regulations PDF of the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries and who has been approved by the Joint Board to perform actuarial services required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). How to become an enrolled actuary A candidate for enrollment must fulfill certain knowledge and experience requirements, which are set forth in the Joint Board Regulations. In addition, a candidate must submit a completed Form 5434, Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries – Application for Enrollment PDF and an application fee. Schedule A (Employment Record) to Form 5434 asks an applicant to provide the name, position title, address and telephone number of his/her immediate supervisor(s) who can certify the applicant's work experience (such as responsible pension actuarial experience). If the applicant's immediate supervisor is not an enrolled actuary, the applicant will also be asked to provide information allowing us to contact an enrolled actuary who is familiar with the applicant's work and can certify to his/her experience. The applicant is requested to account for his employment record for the entire period within the last 10 years. To expedite the Joint Board's review of an application, we suggest that prior to submitting a Form 5434, an applicant should inform his/her current and former supervisors (and other persons who are enrolled actuaries, if applicable) that they can expect an e-mail and written correspondence from the Joint Board requesting input in connection with the applicant's education, employment experience and qualifications as an actuary. Those asked to certify the applicant's work experience will be asked to answer the following questions: Did the applicant work under your direct supervision? The applicant stated that he/she worked under your direction during a specified period of time. Are the dates correct? In how many months of the period in question did a substantial part of the applicant's work during such month involve Responsible Actuarial Experience? NOTE: months need not be consecutive. In how many months of the Responsible Actuarial Experience did a substantial part of the applicant's work during such month include Responsible Pension Actuarial Experience? By the end of the period of employment in question do you feel the applicant was/is able to take on the responsibilities of an enrolled actuary, including the determination that the methods and assumptions adopted and the procedures followed are reasonable in the light of all pertinent circumstances? Provide any other information that you believe would be helpful to the Joint Board in determining whether the applicant is qualified to be an enrolled Actuary. In completing Schedule A to Form 5434, we recommend that the applicant provide the current e-mail address (in addition to other information requested on Form 5434) of his/her current and former supervisors and any others named on Form 5434 as being able to certify to his/her work experience, in order to expedite the application process. We will send those individuals the request for certification (reflecting the questions described above) both by e-mail and through the U.S. mail. Applications for enrollment may be completed and paid electronically at Pay.gov. Alternatively, applications may be completed manually and mailed to the Internal Revenue Service (see address on the form), along with a check or money order for the application fee. Please note that there are slightly longer processing times for manual applications. The Executive Director's office makes every effort to present to the Joint Board a completed application as soon as possible. However, we have no control over when each individual asked to certify the applicant's work experience will complete and return the certification to us. We hope that the review process will be expedited if an applicant provides advance notice to these individuals that the Joint Board will be contacting them for certification of the applicant's work experience and if the applicant provides a current e-mail address for each of these individuals so that we can contact them more quickly. Administration of the Enrolled Actuary Program The Joint Board, which was established pursuant to section 3041 of ERISA, is responsible for the enrollment of individuals who wish to perform actuarial services under ERISA. The Joint Board is composed of five members, three appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury and two appointed by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has one representative with no voting power. The Executive Director of the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries is responsible for administering the Enrolled Actuary program and conducting disciplinary proceedings. Regulations governing enrolled actuaries Enrolled Actuaries are subject to the Joint Board Regulations and Treasury Department Circular Number 230. View the Joint Board Regulations PDF. Enrolled Actuary – Frequently Asked Questions
