|
Paid Up For Life
Membership - PUFL (Click Here for
Form) Each
summer, when American Legion Posts receive their membership cards for the coming
year, there will be an increasing number of Legionnaires whose dues are already
paid for the coming year and for every year thereafter as long as they live.
They are Legionnaires who've voluntarily chosen to become Paid-Up-For-Life
members under the National plan. Most Buy At
Dues-Paying Time
The
average Legionnaire is most apt to decide to become a Paid-Up-For-Life member at
the time when dues are usually paid for the coming year. Post Commanders,
Adjutants, and membership workers are asked to make sure their members know that
with one payment they can take care of dues for all future years. PUFL is Not A
Discount Membership
The
National Constitution & By-Laws of The American Legion is very clear that
"there shall be no form or class of membership except an active membership,
and dues shall be paid annually or for life." Everyone must pay their fair
share to support the organization. The National Paid-Up-For-Life plan was
established for convenience only, giving members an alternative to paying dues
on an annual basis. Post Receives Dues Portion Annually
That
part of the total dues now being retained by the Post will be returned every
year for all Paid-Up-For-Life members. Many Posts are purchasing
Paid-Up-For-Life memberships for their long-time members, and in calculating the
cost to remit, they may leave out their share of the dues...this will reduce the
amount to submit with the application. Must Be In Good Standing
The
member must be in good standing to become a Paid-Up-For-Life member...to be in
good standing, the he/she must have a valid membership card for the current
year. The Post Adjutant will certify that member's good standing before
forwarding the application. Application Process
The
applications for Paid-Up-For-Life membership have to be completed and submitted
to the Post Adjutant or Finance Officer for verification/certification. The
member fills out the application and turns it over to the Post along with the
appropriate payment, just the same as in paying annual dues. The Post will
review and endorse the application, sends it on to the Department Headquarters,
and from there to National for final processing. The
PUFL application form can be obtained from your Post, Department Headquarters or National
Headquarters. Fill it out and take
in to your Post. Membership Card
Each
Paid-Up-For-Life member receives a permanent plastic card, as well as an annual
paper membership card, directly from National, to verify continuing membership
in The American Legion. The annual card will be mailed in June or July of each
year. Upon request, a replacement card can be provided at no charge to the
member. Cost
The
cost of a Paid-Up-For-Life membership is based on two factors - the member's age
at the time of application and the current annual dues of the Post. The total
dues of the Post include the Department and National per capita plus dues
retained by the Post. (See Paid-Up-For-Life Membership Rate Chart on Back.) Time Payment Plan
Members of The American Legion may use the
Time Payment Plan to purchase a National Paid-Up-For-Life membership.
No interest and no service charge will be added to the fee. Time Payment Plan instructions/established rules for
application: 1)
You must be a member in good standing.
This means the member must have a paid membership card for the current
Legion year. 2)
The total Paid-Up-For-Life membership fee has
to be paid within twelve (12) months from the date of application. 3)
No payment for six (6) consecutive months will
cause your account to be closed. 4)
On the application, please check you wish to use the Time Payment Plan. 5)
When you submit the application to your Post
for certification, and initial remittance must accompany the application.
The payment should be at least ten percent (10%) of the total fee. 6)
You will receive a monthly statement from
National Headquarters. The payment
due each month should be at least ten percent (10%) of the total fee. 7)
Your permanent Paid-Up-For-Life membership card will only be issued after
the total fee is paid in full.
|
|