Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the benefits of membership in ELFA?

Please visit the membership information page to learn about the value of your ELFA membership.

2. My company is a member. How can I gain member benefits?

You may create your individual profile by following these instructions:

1. Click on "Create Account" in the upper right-hand corner.
2. Click on the "User Search" link at the bottom of the page.
3. Enter your name and click the "Search" button
   1. If you see your name in the search results, click on the "Send Login Info" button next to your name and your login information will be emailed to you as long as the email address you entered is in the database.
   2. If you don't see your name in the search results, click the "Create an Account Form" link.
4. Type your company name into the Company field and click "Search".A new window will open listing the search results.Companies identified as ELFA members will have an ELFA logo to the left of their listing.
5. Click on the name of the company from the search results.This will populate the profile form with the company name and other info.
   1. If your company name DOES NOT appear in the results, close the search results window and click the "Create Company Record" button.This opens a new window where you can create a profile for your company.
6. Fill out or update fields as required.Please note, anything marked with a * is a required field and must be filled out.
7. Click "Submit" and you will receive an email containing your ELFA username and password.You can change the username and password you receive by logging into the site and clicking "Account Tools" in the upper right-hand corner and then click on "Update My Information" and scroll down to Login Information.

Please note that Associate Membership (Service Providers) is based on the number of people in your company and any changes may immediately affect membership dues. Dues for Regular, International, Arranger and Investor memberships are not based on the number of employees in the company, but rather on new business volume or total assets, whichever is larger.

3. When are ELFA 2013 dues payments due?

ELFA Membership dues are due by January 1, 2013. There isn't a penalty for late payment; however, the full amount is due for the membership year. Subsequently all member benefits are suspended until membership dues are paid in full or a payment plan has been established.

4. What is the dues schedule/rate for my company's membership type for 2013?

Regular Membership Dues

Associate Member Dues

Other Member Types

5. Why are the membership dues different from last year?

In 2009 - 2010 the association completed a major restructuring of programs and a significant staff reduction, while also evaluating member services and future resource requirements. While ELFA has taken important steps to reduce costs, the association faced financial challenges as a result of industry consolidation and the 2008-2010 economic downturn. These challenges, coupled with the fact that ELFA had not implemented a dues increase in three years, led the Board of Directors to examine the need for a dues restructuring and, ultimately, determined that a dues restructuring was needed to keep ELFA moving forward while providing the high quality benefits members had come to expect.

In May 2010, the ELFA Board of Directors commissioned a Task Force of members to assess the association's membership dues structure. After a thorough examination of both dues and non-dues supported programs, the Task Force recommended that ELFA implement a dues restructuring resulting in a modest increase. The Executive Committee debated and modified the Task Force's proposal, and unanimously forwarded it to the Board for approval. In September, the Board voted unanimously to accept the final recommendation.

The restructuring increased membership dues for the first time in three years, streamlined the membership categories, and instituted a modest annual dues increase of 2%.

6. Will there be a dues increase every year?

Yes, the ELFA Board of Directors instituted a fixed increase of 2% or the Consumer Price Index from September 30th of the previous year, whichever is greater. The Board continues to monitor the financial condition of the ELFA and has the authority to rescind the increase or otherwise adjust the dues schedule at any time.

7. What happens if I don't renew for the current year but want to renew the following year?

Membership dues are due by January 1, 2013. If dues are not paid by this date, all member benefits will be suspended. Your company's employees will not be able to register/attend any conferences, receive member discounts or copies of Equipment Leasing & Finance magazine, or use the members-only section of ELFAonline.org for the lapsed year or until dues are paid.

8. What happens if I don't renew for the current year but want to renew the following year?

If your membership lapses for one year, the dues for the lapsed year and the current year are required to renew your membership. You are unable to reapply as a new member during that time period. You may rejoin as a new member two years after your membership has lapsed. For example: if you terminate membership in 2012, you'll wait until 2012 to apply as a new member or pay 2012 and 2013 to renew your membership in 2013.

9. I'm a former member. Can I pay dues to be reinstated?

If your membership has lapsed during the previous year, you are required to pay for both the current and previous years' dues. If it has been two years or more since your membership was active, your company must rejoin as a new member.

10. What portion of the 2013 ELFA membership dues are deductible as a business expense?

Payments for membership renewals are deductible for most members of a trade association under Section 162 of the Internal Revenue Code. However, under a provision of the 1993 Federal Tax Legislation, beginning in 1994 the portion of dues used by a trade association for state and federal lobbying purposes is not deductible by members as a business expense for federal tax purposes. For 2013, the percentage of an ELFA member's dues that are deductible as a business expense is 65%.

11. Who can I contact about membership with ELFA?

Please contact:

Director of Membership Julie Benson at jbenson@elfaonline.org or 202.238.3432.