THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF TRUST AND ESTATE COUNSEL
CRITERIA FOR RETIRED FELLOW STATUS
APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS ON FEBRUARY 28, 2005
A Retired Fellow must be a Fellow or Academic Fellow in good standing or a former Fellow or Academic Fellow whose membership was terminated before January 1, 2006 by resignation or nonpayment of dues and who was in good standing (other than in the payment of dues, if membership was terminated for nonpayment of dues) at the time of termination.
A Retired Fellow must be at least 68 years old or unable to practice law by reason of disability.
A Retired Fellow must have been a Fellow and/or Academic Fellow in good standing for a period totaling at least ten years.
A Retired Fellow must not be engaged in the practice of law or in service to the public as a fiduciary, arbitrator, or mediator or in any similar role and must not serve as a judge or member of a faculty (in a teaching position related to the law), except on a part-time adjunct or honorary basis. A Retired Fellow must not hold himself or herself out to the public as engaged in any activity forbidden by the preceding sentence.
A Retired Fellow must not regularly receive earned income from services currently rendered exceeding $25,000 per year. A Retired Fellow may receive income without limit related to services in past years, including residual receivables, income from any qualified retirement plan or arrangement (including an IRA), and income from any nonqualified plan or arrangement denominated by the payor as a retirement or deferred compensation payment and not dependent on the current performance of services.
A Retired Fellow must prospectively elect Retired Fellow status and must annually certify continued satisfaction of the criteria for Retired Fellow status. A Retired Fellow who ceases to meet the criteria of Retired Fellow status shall revert to Fellow or Academic Fellow status (and may again elect Retired Fellow status if the criteria are again met). A Retired Fellow who continues to meet the criteria of Retired Fellow status may not, without approval of the Board of Regents for good cause, elect to return to Fellow or Academic Fellow status.
A Retired Fellow must pay annual dues in an amount set from time to time by the Board of Regents, which, for 2024, is set at $350.
A Retired Fellow is entitled to all the rights and privileges of a Fellow or Academic Fellow, except that a Retired Fellow is not eligible to vote, to serve as a Regent or officer, or to be appointed to committees. Thus, by way of illustration and not limitation, a Retired Fellow may attend meetings, seminars, and other events on the same basis as Fellows and Academic Fellows (including payment of the same fees and costs), is welcome to attend committee meetings as a guest to the same extent as Fellows and Academic Fellows, will receive the ACTEC Journal and all other publications and mailings that are sent to Fellows and Academic Fellows, and will have access to the private side of the ACTEC website.