Members will be familiar with Dec. 31 as the date dues need to be received by NCRA for the membership year ahead. Renewals open in September and include a grace period through February, during which time there are no member benefits but certifications are not terminated. After February, membership is terminated, and certifications can no longer be used or referenced as earned.
To spread out the volume of renewals, NCRA encourages early renewals in September and October each year. Approximately 16 percent of members renew during that time and many others answer the call to opt out of paper invoices, saving NCRA the cost of mailing invoices. Not only does this reduce expenses for the membership budget, but it also helps us do our part for the environment and reduces the amount of mail sent to members.
NCRA now offers Automated Clearing House (ACH) online payments, another step towards improving systems and reducing Association expenses. Access is easy.
| • Log into the member portal on NCRA.org and navigate to My Membership • Renew your membership either by the existing credit/debit card method or by selecting “ACH Electronic Transfer” and entering the routing and account numbers for your checking or savings account and authorize the transfer • Your membership will update automatically when funds transfer to NCRA |
The benefits of this are huge for both members and the Association.
For members:
- Choice. Members can choose to pay from a checking account in addition to paying with a credit or debit card.
- Ease of use. You can pay directly from your checking account as though paying by check, without the hassle of writing a check, buying a stamp, and mailing it.
- Convenience. You can choose the day you want to make your payment based on your pay schedule.
- Timeliness. Last year due to mail delays, mailed check payments took up to two months from date of mailing to posting to your membership account.
For NCRA:
- Efficiency. With the mail delays last year, hundreds of members emailed multiple times, concerned their membership would be terminated, taking staff resources from answering other important emails.
- Check processing service terminated. By offering ACH online, NCRA anticipates more members will pay online and this will reduce the volume of checks mailed. As a result, NCRA has discontinued its check processing services, saving the Association money.
- Bank charges reduced. By having payments made directly between checking accounts, there will be fewer duplicate payments that result when members pay a second time by credit card just to keep membership current, fewer refunds of the check when it finally arrives, and reduced banking charges processing these payments and refunds.
NCRA hopes this new service will prove time-saving and easy for you to use. Should you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to membership@ncra.org.
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