Company Membership
Thank you for considering ACA International membership for your business. Company membership is open to third-party debt collectors, outsourced first-party debt collectors, billing companies, asset buyers, judgment recovery, and litigation and collection or creditor defense law firms located in the 50 United States. Each company membership is limited to a single location.
Why does your state/location matter?
For companies in the U.S., membership is a combined package of national plus unit benefits provided by 34 state and regional collectors associations (units) affiliated with ACA. U.S. unit dues vary from state to state and are paid in addition to the current U.S. national dues. If a unit exists in the geographic territory in which your primary office is located, membership in that unit and in ACA International shall be contingent one upon the other. You may also optionally support other units in geographic territories where your branch offices may be located by paying dues to those units.
Additional Applicant Information:
- State/regional units are your local source for information, education, networking, legislative advocacy and more. ACA company membership in the U.S. consists of this combined (ACA+Unit) benefits package. It is not possible to join at only one level.
- The Members’ Attorney Program is now a benefit included with membership. If you are an attorney working at a member location, complete and return a MAP participation form so we can grant you access to our attorney-specific online community on The Hub.
Membership Benefits
For businesses or law firms that perform services such as third-party debt collection, third-party debt collection litigation, billing and outsourced first-party debt collection, asset buying, or judgment recovery and are located in the 50 United States.
Give your organization the lift it needs with the wide array of member resources available from ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals.
ACA company members have open access to many free resources. Members also have the unique opportunity to purchase other products and services at rates significantly less than those charged to the public. Some items are member exclusives. Learn how to put your membership to work for you.
ACA Member Logo
Promote your membership in ACA by downloading the association’s member logo and using it in company materials and on your website.
ACA Online Member Directory
This great resource lists most ACA members. A search feature helps potential clients and fellow ACA members locate your company. Listings are complimentary and include a direct link to your website. The Member Directory also includes ACA’s Resource Guide, allowing you to search for Affiliate vendor members by specialization.
ACA Store
Stay on the cutting edge of the ARM industry using the helpful training products, compliance resources, publications, recordings and electronic subscriptions available for purchase through the ACA Store. You’ll also find discounts on business envelopes and advertising calendars to boost your company’s marketing efforts.
ACA Code of Conduct
ACA has a powerful community of members committed to doing business ethically and taking the expectations of creditor clients and the public seriously. As a condition of association membership, all members agree to abide by ACA International’s Code of Conduct. Demonstrate your ethical and professional standards by promoting your commitment to this code in your marketing materials.
Business Certification
Cut down on mistakes and improve your daily operations. ACA’s Blueprint Quality Management System helps you develop, implement and adhere to a set of industry-specific guidelines as you work to achieve company certification or just manage your business more effectively.
Strategic Relationships to Cut Costs
Members benefit from substantially discounted pricing from several reputable companies through Alliance ACA™ negotiated agreements. View the current vendor list.
Collectors Insurance Agency™ services
CIA, a subsidiary of ACA International, is here to provide members* with a full line of industry-specific risk management products and services, including commercial insurance, surety bonds and collection agency licensing assistance. Let our expert customer service reps help save you the time and frustration of navigating the risk management maze on your own.
- Insurance. Members* may apply for any or all of CIA’s insurance programs. Best known for its industry-specific Errors & Omissions liability, CIA offers a full line of commercial insurance products. Your personal CIA representative will provide friendly and professional service, including coverage reviews, reviews of contractual insurance requirements, new professional service exposure analysis, general coverage and claim questions and the daily servicing of your policies.
- Bonds. Members* may apply for CIA’s bond programs, including statutory, client contract and blanket client bonds. The bond programs are CIA’s most popular offerings due, in no small way, to the excellent service provided by the bond representatives.
- Licensing and business entity qualifications. CIA specialists can help you keep up with debt collection licensing, registration and renewal requirements in states where you do business. Along with business partner CT Corporation, CIA offers a wide variety of services to assist you with in-house and outsourced maintenance, as well as initial licensing. With outstanding service and extremely low service fees, contact CIA’s licensing unit for all of your licensing needs.
* Eligibility depends upon your business type and/or any professional service you may provide. A separate application/approval process from that of basic membership is also required.
Access Compliance Information Quickly
Save time and money by accessing the largest variety of compliance resources for the credit and collection industry. ACA’s services help you navigate changing federal and state legislation and regulations. New or updated documents are added to the online ACA SearchPoint database almost weekly. We can help you navigate the ins and outs of Regulation F, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and various state statutes. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, an ACA compliance officer is available by email to assist you.
Connect With Colleagues Through the Online Member Community
Tap into the knowledge of your peers using discussion groups on The Hub to post questions and comments on topics that concern you. Learn more at hub.acainternational.org.
Training
Take advantage of multiple training formats, including online seminars, face-to-face seminars, on-demand learning and annual conferences. Whether you’re interested in sales, management, healthcare collections or asset buying, ACA Education has the resources you need. Agency members enjoy reduced prices.
Professional Development
You and your staff can develop your careers by working toward ACA’s professional designations. Encourage your collectors to earn their PCS – Professional Collection Specialist™ designation and show your clients they have what it takes to collect efficiently and effectively, while staying in compliance with the FDCPA.
Annual Convention & Expo
As the premier industry event for more than 80 years, ACA’s Annual Convention & Expo brings together more than 1,000 individuals from companies around the world. Occurring in the June/July timeframe, this must-attend event includes comprehensive and timely educational workshops, as well as networking opportunities and an exhibit hall showcasing the latest technology and resources for the industry. Members attend at a discount.
Industry Guides
ACA publishes indispensable compliance and business manuals in printed and electronic formats. Subjects include: state collection laws and practices, the FDCPA, the FCRA, the TCPA, and many other one-of-a-kind credit, collection and asset buying topics.
Collector™ Magazine
With the latest articles on credit and collection industry operations, trends, regulations and legislation, as well as association activities and initiatives, our bimonthly Collector™ magazine keeps you current and connected. Members receive one free printed issue each year.
Government Affairs Advocacy
With its federal government affairs office and full-time staff located in Washington, D.C., ACA advocates for you on Capitol Hill every day. The association lobbies, educates and promotes the essential role played by its members. ACA keeps abreast of pending federal and state legislation and regulations affecting your ability to effectively conduct business. The Industry Advancement Fund supports activities to combat encroachments against the industry in the legal, regulatory and legislative arenas.
- Federal legislative and regulatory advocacy. ACA works tirelessly on ambitious legislative and regulatory initiatives to protect or favorably impact the way you do business. Members and staff work to educate and advise federal lawmakers and regulators on behalf of our industry. ACA sponsors targeted fly-in events to Washington, D.C., giving members the chance to advocate for the industry’s priority issues.
- ACPAC™ political action committee. To make an impact on Capitol Hill, strong grassroots communications and political influence enhanced by financial support are essential. ACPAC, ACA’s influential political action committee, pools voluntary contributions from ACA members interested in supporting those candidates for federal office who advocate for positive public policy affecting the credit and collection industry. Your individual participation gives ACA members a stronger collective voice in the legislative process. Signing up does not obligate you to contribute but it will allow you to receive information on ACPAC news and events.
- State action. Hundreds of bills are introduced in state legislatures every year that have the potential to severely impact your business. ACA, its Interstate Committee and affiliated state units work together to ensure that state policymakers understand how proposed laws and regulations affect the industry. ACA provides state legislative tracking, action alerts and advocacy materials, such as sample position papers, model laws and talking points, that can be tailored to your state’s needs.
Telling Our Shared Story
Our industry recovers billions of dollars in debt that would otherwise be lost, protecting jobs and access to credit for businesses and consumers alike. As the voice of the industry, ACA carries this message of value to business leaders, consumer advocates and policymakers. Through media interviews, presenting a positive image of the industry and responding to inaccurate or unfair media coverage, ACA strives to set the record straight and build appreciation for credit and collection professionals’ valuable contributions.
ACA International Educational Foundation™
This nonprofit, public education foundation is dedicated to operating a scholarship program and other activities of value to the credit and collection industry as a whole.
Markets
Customize your membership experience by designating the areas of most interest to you—third-party collections, attorneys, asset buying, healthcare collections or first-party collections—to receive market-specific news and participate in ACA’s members-only market-specific online communities via The Hub.
- Asset buyers. Learn about current trends in buying and selling accounts receivables, the latest regulatory changes, as well as tools for implementing professional practices in your business. Join the asset buyers’ discussion group on The Hub.
- First-party collections. CFOs, credit managers, lenders, first-party collectors, billing companies and others working on the front end of the credit cycle benefit from credit-related news, the creditors’ online community and access to creditor-specific compliance information.
- Healthcare collections. Easily locate news, education and tools directly related to medical collections. Learn the latest trends in healthcare receivables management in the specialty workshops featured at ACA’s conferences, or purchase the Pulse™ healthcare newsletter, personalize it with your agency’s contact information and send it directly to your clients’ offices in either printed or electronic form.
- Members’ Attorney Program. Access resources including current legislative and case law information so you can better represent member and industry interests. Stay current with summaries of relevant court decisions via the Daily Decision and connect with fellow attorneys through The Hub’s exclusive attorney-only community. To participate, attorneys must certify they do not represent consumers against collection agencies, asset buyers or credit grantors. Licensed attorneys at member companies and firms may download a MAP participation form.
For U.S. companies, membership is a combined package of national and state association (unit) benefits. Units, which cover one or more states, are your source for local information, education, legislative advocacy and more. Active unit participation is a great way to build business relationships and establish a personal network of people with whom you can discuss trends, ideas and concerns.
Membership Dues & Fees
| Membership Level (# of people*) | Membership Fees | Plus IAF** | Plus Unit Dues |
| 1–10 | $764 | $217 | Different per Unit |
| 11–25 | $882 | $217 | |
| 26–50 | $2,350 | $487 | |
| 51–100 | $2,938 | $487 | |
| 101–175 | $4,425 | $975 | |
| 176–250 | $5,287 | $975 | |
| 251–400 | $6,462 | $975 | |
| 401–600 | $8,812 | $975 | |
| 601+ | $11,748 | $975 |
*The current number of people as defined here are to include the number of individuals working for the company at the time of application, where “individuals” includes owners, sole proprietors, members, and partners, and all employees across all offices of the company wherever located, as well as employees outside of the United States, including both collection and non-collection staff, and including leased, joint, subcontracted, and temporary employees, as well as employees located outside of the U.S. A diversified law firm may exclude individuals working solely in practice areas unrelated to accounts receivable management.
**The Industry Advancement Fund assessment is paid by all members. The industry-favorable laws and precedent-setting court decisions ACA obtains through the IAF in the U.S. impact, in turn, global credit and collection trends and laws, and help protect the long-term viability of the industry.
