If you’re facing a professionalism issue that you aren’t quite sure how to resolve—and don’t want to discuss with your colleagues or boss—you are encouraged to reach out to the Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline (ABCD) with a request for guidance (RFG). To begin an RFG, you may contact the ABCD office or an individual ABCD member. If you contact the office, your initial point of contact will be the ABCD’s legal counsel. In some cases, legal counsel may answer your question. If not, you will be connected with an ABCD member who will reach out to you promptly. Aside from a brief summary that goes to all ABCD members, your conversation is confidential.

During your conversation, the ABCD member will likely look at your issue through the lens of professionalism standards and walk you through the relevant parts of the Code of Professional Conduct, the U.S. Qualification Standards (and related FAQs), and the actuarial standards of practice (ASOPs). They may ask questions to elicit more information and raise issues you hadn’t thought of. For the requesting actuary, the conversation is an opportunity to ask questions and get advice from an experienced colleague.

So if and when you have a professionalism issue and are not sure what to do—or would like to talk it through with another experienced actuary who is not involved in the situation—feel free to contact the ABCD. They are here to help.