Payment
Refunds
Category Changes
Certification/Professional Development
NSSLHA Students
Member Benefit Publications
Special Interest Divisions
ASHA Political Action Committee
American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation
Payments
How can I obtain a dues/fees invoice?
Go to the Dues Renewal section of our Web site and enter your ASHA number and last name. A dues/fees invoice will appear on the screen; however, the amount due will be omitted when you print it out. Please be sure to complete the amount being paid before mailing.
If you do not have Internet access, please contact the Action Center at 800-498-2071 to request an invoice. Please allow 7 business days for your request to be fulfilled.
How can I obtain a receipt?
Go to the Dues Renewal section of our Web site and enter your ASHA number and last name. If your payment was posted, a receipt will appear on the screen. Click the Printer Friendly Receipt link, which will bring your receipt up on the screen for you to print. If you do not have Internet access, please contact the Action Center at 800-498-2071 to request a receipt.
What do I do if I have a payment claim?
If our records indicate that we have not received your payment, we need to identify your account and obtain the following information:
- When the payment was sent.
- Where the payment was sent.
- Specify to what the payment was to be applied.
- Was the payment made by check? If so, please submit the check number, amount, check date, and the name of the payer who issued the check. (Third parties frequently send payments on behalf of someone else.)
- Check with your bank to determine if the check has been cashed. If it was, you will need to fax legible copies of the front and back of the canceled check to our Accounts Receivable department at 301-296-8582.
- If the payment was made by credit card, fax a copy of the credit card statement showing the line item for the ASHA charge and the last four digits of the credit card number to our Accounts Receivable department at 301-296-8582.
My receipt shows that my dues renewal was applied to something else! What should I do?
If your receipt shows your payment was not applied correctly, please contact the Action Center at 800-498-2071.
Can my employer (or some other third party) pay my dues/fees?
We are pleased to accept payment from any source on behalf of our members/ affiliates. However, we do not accept purchase orders to bill third parties. Nor do we bill third parties directly. Members/affiliates may provide their invoices to third parties for payment on their behalf if the parties agree.
It is the responsibility of ASHA members/affiliates (1) to ensure that their dues/fees, when paid by a third party, are received in time to avoid late fees, (2) to make certain that their ASHA number is on the check, and that the check is made payable to ASHA in U.S. funds, and (3), to make certain that their dues invoice is provided to the payer and submitted with the check
Third party payments should be mailed to:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
P.O. Box 79952
Baltimore, MD 21279-0952
Written inquiries should be directed to:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Boulevard, #435
Rockville, MD 20850
Can I arrange with my bank to have my ASHA Dues paid through electronic bill payment?
Yes. Your bank may submit your payment to ASHA, P.O. Box 79952, Baltimore, MD 21279-0952. In order to expedite processing of your renewal payment, you must provide your bank with your ASHA ID number and the invoice number printed on the renewal invoice that you receive in the mail each October.
Where can I find the list of codes used on ASHA and NSSLHA dues/fees invoices?
The code sheet is included in the envelope containing the dues invoice mailed to members/affiliates in October. You may also download and print the ASHA code sheet [PDF] and/or the NSSLHA code sheet [PDF].
Can I deduct my membership dues/fees on my income tax return?
Dues payments to ASHA, classified by the IRS as a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization, are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. However, they may be deductible under other provisions of the Internal Revenue Code subject to restrictions imposed as a result of lobbying activities. In those situations where dues may be deductible, ASHA estimates that the nondeductible portion of your 2010 dues ($225) is 5%. The nondeductible amount (5%) is calculated by dividing total ASHA lobbying expenditures by total dues income (excluding all other income).
If you have further questions, we recommend that you consult with your tax advisor.
Refunds
Can I cancel my membership/affiliation and receive a refund?
Members/affiliates desiring cancellation of paid membership dues/fees are advised to call ASHA's Action Center at 800-498-2071. Refunds are not permitted after January 1 for the year in which fees are due.
Two payments were mistakenly made for my annual dues/fees. How and when can I expect to receive a refund?
We issue refunds of duplicate dues/fees payments based on the method of payment used for the second payment received. For example, if the first payment was by check and the second payment was by credit card, the refund is made to the credit card. If the first payment was made by credit card and the second payment was made by check, the refund is made by check. Please allow 6 weeks for a check refund to be issued and 2 weeks for a credit to be issued to your credit card.
I made out the check for my dues/fee payment for too much money. How and when can I expect a refund of my overpayment?
If payment was made by check, we automatically issue overpayment refunds 4 weeks after your payment was deposited. This is to ensure that checks are not recharged to our bank after the refund occurs.
When overpayments have been made by credit card, refunds are credited within 3 business days to the same credit card account that was charged. It may take up to an additional 3 business days for the credit to appear on your credit card account.
Category Changes
How do I become a Life Member?
If you have been an ASHA member for 25 consecutive years and have now reached the age of 65, please contact the Action Center's toll free number, 800-498-2071, to request Life Member status. Your Life Member status will become effective at the beginning of the next year after you made your request. You may be asked to provide verification of your age in the form of a copy of your driver's license, birth certificate, or passport.
What is the difference between Life Member status and Retired Certification?
In accordance with the ASHA Bylaws, Life Member status recognizes ASHA members who have been members for at least 25 consecutive years immediately prior to reaching age 65. Retired Certification is an exemption from the professional development requirements to maintain certification. It is granted through the Council For Clinical Certification to recognize certificate holders who have held certification for 25 consecutive years, and who have reached the age of 65, but who are no longer providing clinical services. Many Life Members continue to provide clinical services, and so they would not qualify for the exemption to the certification maintenance requirement. Both Life Member status and Retired Certification offer a discounted annual dues/fee of $64 per year.
My doctor has declared me physically unable to work. Do you have a Medical Inactive status?
Members and certificate holders who have been declared medically unable to work by a physician may be eligible for Life Disability status or Inactive Certification status with ASHA. To be eligible for this benefit you must:
- Have 5 years of consecutive membership or certification with the Association
- Provide a letter from your physician or proof of disability payments from the state or Social Security Administration
- Members who provide the above-mentioned documentation receive a waiver from paying membership dues until they return to work. Certificate holders who provide the above-mentioned documentation will not be required to accumulate 30 contact hours of professional development every 3 years. In addition, evidence of your inability to work will be required on a periodic basis.
I am a graduate student—is there a dues reduction available?
Yes, Certified members who are enrolled part/full time in any accredited graduate program may pay reduced dues of $135.00. You must provide a form confirming your student status [PDF]. The requested documentation must be signed and validated by the institution's Office of the Registrar. Members who return to school may receive this benefit for a maximum of 7 years.
If you are not currently certified by ASHA, and are not in the process of becoming certified, and you are enrolled in an eligible doctorate program in the area of communication sciences and disorders, you may apply for membership in NSSLHA (National Student Speech-Language- Hearing Association) for which annual dues are $60.00. Please visit NSSLHA's Web site for more information.
Certification/Professional Development
Do I have to be an ASHA member to be certified?
No, you do not have to be a member of ASHA to be certified. However, to maintain your Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCCs), your certification fee of $199 must be paid annually. Certified nonmembers must also comply with the Certification Maintenance standard that requires participation in 30 contact hours of professional development during each 3-year maintenance interval.
Do my annual ASHA dues include the Continuing Education (CE) Registry fee?
No. There is an additional fee to use the ASHA CE Registry. This fee can be found on your dues/fees invoice directly below the dues/fees amount. The annual CE Registry fee for ASHA/NSSLHA members is $25 ($35 for certificate holders and nonmembers).
Am I required to participate in continued professional development to maintain my certification?
Yes. All certificate holders are required to accumulate 30 certification maintenance hours every 3 years to maintain the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence. The Guidelines for Maintaining Certification are available on the ASHA Web site.
Members who do not hold certification are not subject to the professional development requirements for certification maintenance.
If you have additional questions, contact the Action Center at 800-498-2071 or send and e-mail inquiry to cccmaintenance@asha.org.
NSSLHA Students
Can NSSLHA members renew online?
Yes. NSSLHA members can renew their dues online. You will find a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding renewal for NSSLHA members on the NSSLHA Web site.
I am a NSSLHA member who graduated from a master's program in 2009. Do I need to renew my NSSLHA membership, or should I apply for conversion to ASHA membership and certification?
NSSLHA members who have graduated from a master's or doctoral program should refer to the information for 2009/2010 master's and doctoral graduates on the NSSLHA Web site, or contact the Action Center at 800-498-2071 to determine their status.
Member Benefit Publications
I understand that in addition to The ASHA Leader, I now have online access to all four ASHA journals and their archives. How do I access the online journal content?
All four ASHA scholarly journals—including the complete archive back to 1936—are online, with full-text access available to all members directly through the ASHA Web site. If you have not yet registered with our Web site, please do so. You will need your ASHA number to register, and your login will then be the e-mail address and password you use during the registration process.
Once registered on the ASHA Web site, you will have immediate access to the online journals. You will also then be able to "activate" your online subscriptions at the journals' dedicated site. This will make it easy for you to access the full text of journal articles outside of the ASHA Web site, such as when you are doing a Web search and finding journal articles that way.
ASHA members will continue to receive The ASHA Leader in print format, with online access to selected articles and features from each Leader issue.
Does the conversion to online journals mean that ASHA is now decreasing my journals member benefit?
No. As a member with unlimited online access to all four ASHA journals and the 70+ years of past issues, you are now getting much more content than you were with a print version of only one journal selection. In addition, print journals were limited by their format. Articles could not contain the audio, video, expanded data sets, and other types of content that researchers need to include and that readers can greatly benefit from.
The introduction to online journals, and the full transition to publishing the journals exclusively online, has taken place over a 4-year period. During the transition period from 2006 to the present, ASHA continued to provide a single print journal as a member benefit. Additional print journal subscriptions had to be purchased separately. This introduction has given members the opportunity to experience full access to all four journals and their archives online, and to explore the many features and enhancements now available through the exclusively online content.
If you have additional questions regarding the conversion of ASHA journals to online content, please refer to the ASHA Journals Online 2010 FAQ's on the ASHA Web site.
Special Interest Divisions
Am I eligible for membership in the Special Interest Divisions?
ASHA members are eligible to join one or more of 16 Special Interest Divisions. Special Interest Division Affiliates are eligible to vote for Division leadership positions and to hold Division office. International Affiliates and NSSLHA members are eligible to join as Associate Affiliates. They enjoy all Affiliate benefits with the exception of voting and holding office. Affiliate fees are $35.00 for ASHA members, $45.00 for International Affiliates, and $10.00 per calendar year for NSSLHA members and full-time graduate students.
ASHA Political Action Committee
If my employer pays my membership dues and I choose to contribute to the ASHA-PAC, can my employer pay for my ASHA-PAC contribution as well?
No. ASHA-PAC cannot accept corporate contributions, only personal checks made payable to ASHA-PAC, or payment with a Visa or MasterCard. The only lawful exception is a check or Visa or MasterCard payment received from the private practice of an ASHA member who is contributing to the PAC on behalf of him or herself. To find out more information, you may send an e-mail to PAC@asha.org.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation
Can I send my annual Foundation renewal gift with my dues payment?
Yes. Please update the amount indicated on the invoice to reflect your annual renewal gift.
How do I contact the Foundation?
To learn more about the Foundation and its work or details about your contribution, call 301-296-8703 or go to the Foundation Web site.
Do I have to pay the Foundation and ASHA-PAC contributions?
No. These contributions are voluntary. The amount is a suggested amount. You can give more or less than the indicated amount.
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