topic Re: AMF hike rolled back? in Member Support

AMF hike rolled back?

Shannon — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:07:40 GMT

I received an email from management@isc2.org yesterday, confirming that my CISSP has been renewed for another 3 years.

When I made the payment, the due amount was stated as 85 USD --- with regards to paying @ 85 USD for all 3 years in advance, I was given the impression that this wasn't an option since mine was a renewal, and not for a certification earned the last year. I'll quote an email and a post on this site: -

Members who are due for renewal (members in the final year of their three-year membership cycles) between January 23, 2019 and June 30, 2019 must pay any outstanding AMFs and their 2019 AMF at the current rate before June 30.

Shown below is the email I received, which states it's 85 USD per year. Does this mean I'll get to pay 85 USD in 2020 and 2021, or is this a notification that (ISC)2 forgot to update? @amandavanceISC2, please clarify...

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

Early_Adopter — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 07:06:18 GMT

My understanding(I could be wrong) is that you have the option to pay to the end of you certification cycle at your current rate. So if you had three years then this would seem to fit.

Because of the flip over from arrears to advance, I had to pay 370 USD for the two years till it goes down to 125 - if I had of had the option to pay a third year, for the cert cycle I wouldn’t have taken it.

I’ve just picked up another 100 USD for CSSLP, but that’s not factored in as it was after the change.

Expensive year to hold multiple certs, but it you do it makes sense assuming you’ll be working for more than 10 years.

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

Shannon — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 08:55:00 GMT

@Early_Adopter wrote:
My understanding(I could be wrong) is that you have the option to pay to the end of you certification cycle at your current rate. So if you had three years then this would seem to fit.

It says that members who have to renew their certification between January 23, 2019 and June 30, 2019 can avail of the earlier rate for the 2019 AMF --- which I suppose means the AMF will be 125 USD for the rest of the cycle. (At least that's how I understood it.)

I had to renew mine before the end of February 2019, so I would fall into that category. Anyway, @amandavanceISC2 will enlighten us on this...

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

AlecTrevelyan — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 09:37:39 GMT

That's the standard renewal email. I suspect the template they use for it just hasn't been updated.

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

Early_Adopter — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 09:50:18 GMT

When I renewed I had an option to select each year individually, so in my certification cycle (about 18 months to go) I needed to select two years - if you had more years at 85 USD, and assuming you wanted to renew it would make good sense to max it.

Amanda however can give us the cannon lore...

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

denbesten — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 14:40:46 GMT

Count your blessings. Since your certification cycle starts Mar 2019, you have the option of loaning (ISC)² money in exchange for delaying the impact to you. The unfortunate members who's cycle starts August 2019 have no such opportunity. I do believe that (ISC)² could have played this better if everyone had been allowed to pay up to two years in advance, not just those lucky enough to have their cycle start at the right time.

Keep in mind that the only thing today is that they have announced a rate increase effective July 1st. The rate has not yet changed.

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

amandavanceISC2 — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 20:03:45 GMT

@Shannon It technically depends on when a cycle starts/ends for each individual member. If you are in a current three-year cycle that expires after June 30, 2019, you can pay the current rate up until June 30, 2019. If you recently renewed or started a new three-year cycle, members will have up until June 30, 2019 to pay all three years at the current rate. Technically, only the first year would be due at the start of the three-year cycle, but to save a little money, they have the option to pay at current rate, up until June 30, 2019.

Best Regards,

Amanda Vance

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

Shannon — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 16:01:10 GMT

@amandavanceISC2 wrote:
It technically depends on when a cycle starts/ends for each individual member. If you are in a current three-year cycle that expires after June 30, 2019, you can pay the current rate up until June 30, 2019. If you recently renewed or started a new three-year cycle, members will have up until June 30, 2019 to pay all three years at the current rate. Technically, only the first year would be due at the start of the three-year cycle, but to save a little money, they have the option to pay at current rate, up until June 30, 2019.

@amandavanceISC2, in my case, with my certification having to be renewed by 28 February 2019 would it have been an option for me to pay for all 3 years (2019, 2020, & 2021) at 85 USD, for a total of 255 USD..? (I've already made the payment for a single year, but I want to know if I'd understood it correctly)

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

amandavanceISC2 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 19:49:08 GMT

@Shannon Yes, since your cycle start date would be March 1, 2019, you will have the option to pay $85.00 for the next three-year cycle as long as you make the payment prior to June 30, 2019. If you wait, your second year AMF will be due March 1, 2020 for $125.00. If you pay all three years now, you will save around $120.00 for the three-year cycle.

Best Regards,

Amanda

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

csjohnng — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 05:39:41 GMT

I have called up the representative from local ISC2.

The so called "option to pay at the end of 3 year certification" is gone.

So "forget" it, regardless of which year your are in , their descriptions or text on the "last" year of certification cycle is actually not a good example.

For me, I am holding CISSP (cycle start in late April) and CCSP (cycle start in late Oct).

After discussing with the representative, she gives me tips and information and so I will pay up (before June)

2018-2019 CISSP - US$85

2018-2019 CCSP - US$100

2019-2020 CISSP - US$85

and likely prepaid

2020-2021 CISSP - US$85

which make both my certification current till 2021.

John

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ng/

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

Shannon — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 07:36:25 GMT

@csjohnng wrote:

So "forget" it, regardless of which year your are in , their descriptions or text on the "last" year of certification cycle is actually not a good example.

Yes, the way it was worded caused confusion --- at least for me. Anyways, I've forgotten about it, having paid the complete cycle fees at the current rate...

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

AlecTrevelyan — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 08:17:51 GMT

@csjohnng wrote:
I have called up the representative from local ISC2.
The so called "option to pay at the end of 3 year certification" is gone.

So "forget" it, regardless of which year your are in , their descriptions or text on the "last" year of certification cycle is actually not a good example.

For me, I am holding CISSP (cycle start in late April) and CCSP (cycle start in late Oct).
After discussing with the representative, she gives me tips and information and so I will pay up (before June)
2018-2019 CISSP - US$85
2018-2019 CCSP - US$100
2019-2020 CISSP - US$85
and likely prepaid
2020-2021 CISSP - US$85
which make both my certification current till 2021.

John

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ng/

I was under the impression that the offer to pay all years of your current certification cycle at the current rate applicable to the certification only applied to members that hold a single certification.

As someone who holds more than one certification you're already benefiting from the move to a flat rate of $125 per year regardless of the number of certifications held.

Effectively, you're saying they're writing off your entire CCSP fees for the next two years and discounting your CISSP fees - I'm not sure that's correct, but would love to be proved wrong as I would benefit from this myself!

@amandavanceISC2 - Hi Amanda, please can you clarify if @csjohnng has been advised correctly?

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

csjohnng — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 09:35:51 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan

Please excuse i am not a native speaker ( a bit lengthy message).

I will try to explain from what i have been told from the locally call with ISC2 rep ( which she was glad i did call and it was also difficult for themselves to understand this change initially).

Of course i think it's would be better for you to call up ISC2 to clarify (don't just trust me) where i find verbal communication is more effective.(where writing provides a more official "audit trail").

Yes. Because i have to pay the outstanding AMF for CISSP and CCSP for 2018-2019 which requires me to settle this the first 2 payment, US$85 and US$100.

Because the AMF policy change, mean I have to pay the CISSP (at the beginning the cycle) , ie before June 2019, to cover the AMF 2019 April - 2020 April, and by Oct 2019 because the new AMF policy is already in effect (July 1,2019), this means my "membership" or CCSP certification is already secured/current.

Clearly ISC2 allow members to "prepaid" up to 3rd year (before June 31 2019), where i can prepaid 1 year for my CISSP April 2020- April 2021 for my situation. Assuming there is no further change in AMF policy , then i will be paying my AMF $125 @ April 2021 for the period of 2021-2022.

Of course you can choose to prepaid a more "expensive" AMF like CCSP (or both) as well instead just of CISSP (if you hold more than 2 cert). With knowing what's the new AMF, you won't do this for sure.

Yes, i am taking even more benefit US$85 (not us$125, not $85+$100) instead of the flat rate to cover AMF in 2020-2021. Like what you've said, I am "writing off" the CCSP by just paying single CISSP AMF in advance ((you also need to be cautious which AMF matures first).), which i have never though about before my calling to the local isc2 and i have the same though like you, paying us$125 next year.

I can even go to 1 further extreme:

What i did not ask is if i go for concentration like CISSP-ISSAP (say taking exam in May or June for safe), take another 6-8 weeks for ISC2 to review my self "endorsement" , the certification granted say after July 1, i should be virtually paying no additional AMF for this.

Hope this will help.

John

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ng/

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

csjohnng — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 09:48:43 GMT

@Shannon

I would agree what they put in parentheses "(members in the final year of their three-year certification cycles) " are not just meaningless but mis-leading as well creating un-necessary confusion.

And I am reminding my friend who are ISC2 members as well.

You need to settle the outstanding AMF regardless of which year of certification cycles you are in if you want to stay in the game.

John

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ng/

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

AlecTrevelyan — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 10:03:30 GMT

Yes, the rules are very confusing when you have multiple certifications which all have different cycle dates. As such, I would be wary of what you're being told on the phone, but I guess this could come down to the nuances of the new policy and how cycle start dates play into this.

If what you're being told is correct in your instance then that's great, but I don't think it applies to me. (Which is silly if true as things should be consistent for everyone!)

I have already paid the $185 for my CISSP and CCSP to bring me in line with the new AMF policy, and the website tells me my next payment will be $125 when my longest held certification annual cycle date is due in August.

In terms of the point you raised about a new CISSP concentration, I was endorsed as an ISSEP in Feb but was not required to pay the $35 for this year, and of course this will be covered by the $125 going forwards.

It would be very good value for you if any further certifications are covered by your $85 prepayments!

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

amandavanceISC2 — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 15:33:34 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan Thank you for your message. At first glance, the information does look correct; however, everyone's account is different and so I would have to give guidance individually. This is also a privacy issue, so I would need the individual to email me directly from their primary email on file and include their member ID number.

Best Regards,

Amanda

Re: AMF hike rolled back?

AlecTrevelyan — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 19:49:24 GMT

Thanks Amanda,

I was really asking for myself - I'll send you an email with the requested details. 🙂