Academy of Life Underwriting
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
ACADEMY OF LIFE UNDERWRITING (ALU) OFFERS INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND RECOGNITION OF EDUCATIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING.
- Income
- $184,008
- Spending
- $215,261
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 80
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- EDUCATION-CURRICULUM AND EXAM PREPARATION AND ADMINISTRATION: ALU CREATES CURRICULUM AND PREPARES AND ADMINISTERS EXAMINATIONS TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS AND OTHER INTERESTED LIFE INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE. ALU CURRICULUM GROUP VOLUNTEERS, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PEERS, MEDICAL CONSULTANTS, AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS, CREATE COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WORKING IN LIFE INSURANCE RISK MANAGEMENT HAVE THE EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE TO PROVIDE VALUABLE EXPERTISE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES. LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING IS A DYNAMIC PROFESSION, AND THE ALU CURRICULUM GROUP IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING UP-TO-DATE TEXTBOOK CONTENT REGARDING MEDICAL (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)AND FINANCIAL FACTORS, ALONG WITH NEW OR CHANGED REGULATIONS/ RESTRICTIONS FOR THE LIFE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND ANNUALLY UPDATING/EDITING THE FOUR ALU TEXTBOOKS ACCORDINGLY. THE TEXTBOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ON AMAZON FOR STUDENTS TO PURCHASE. USING THIS MATERIAL, ALU EXAMINATION GROUP VOLUNTEERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING OBJECTIVE EXAMS DESIGNED TO COVER THE CURRICULUM, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON RELEVANT AND PERTINENT DETAILS AN EDUCATED AND SKILLED LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITER MUST KNOW. GUIDED BY MEDICAL AND EDUCATION CONSULTANTS AND USING STANDARDIZED QUESTION FORMATTING AND DIFFICULTY/DISCRIMINATION SCORING, ALU VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY PREPARE TEST QUESTIONS FOR THEIR PEERS THAT INCREASE IN DIFFICULTY WITH EACH EXAM. THE FOUR ALU EXAMS ARE OFFERED ELECTRONICALLY ON A PROCTORED BASIS EVERY APRIL, AND THE FIRST EXAM IS ALSO OFFERED AGAIN IN OCTOBER. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ALL FOUR EXAMS PLUS A SUPPLEMENTAL CURRICULUM OF OUTSIDE STUDIES, LEADS TO THE PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION, FELLOW, ACADEMY OF LIFE UNDERWRITING (FALU), THE GOLD STANDARD FOR LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS TO ACHIEVE.
- EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION RECOGNITION:THE ALU EDUCATION GROUP OFFERS SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND CONTINUED EDUCATION FOR LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS AND LIFE INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS. WEBINARS ARE AVAILABLE BY ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION TO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANIES AT GROUP RATES AND TO INDIVIDUALS AT INDIVIDUAL RATES. THE WEBINARS COVER EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED TOPICS IMPORTANT TO THE UNDERWRITING PROFESSION. ALU VOLUNTEERS, IN COORDINATION WITH MEDICAL CONSULTANTS AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS, OFFER SIX INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS YEARLY AND THOSE WEBINARS, IN ADDITION TO OTHER TOPIC-SPECIFIC TRAINING WEBINARS, ARE STORED IN A LIBRARY AND ARE AVAILABLE AS RESOURCES. THE ALU CONTINUING EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION GROUP (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING A DEFINED LEVEL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION TO HOLD THE CERTIFIED, FELLOW ACADEMY LIFE UNDERWRITER DESIGNATION OR TO ATTAIN THE DESIGNATION OF CERTIFIED, PROFESSIONAL LIFE UNDERWRITER AND THE ACCEPTABLE COURSEWORK OR INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE IT. THIS ASSURES THAT THOSE WHO EARNED THEIR FALU DESIGNATION IN THE PAST STAY CURRENT ON THE LATEST MEDICAL, FINANCIAL, AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING. ALU SUPPORTS LIFELONG LEARNING BY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO THE GROUPS PREVIOUSLY LISTED, THE ALU SURVEY GROUP CONDUCTS INDUSTRY SURVEYS ANNUALLY ON TOPICS OF INTEREST AND NEED, AND THE ALU FORUM GROUP HOSTS AN ANNUAL MANAGEMENT FORUM TO DISCUSS KEY EVENTS, REGULATIONS, ISSUES, AND ADVANCEMENTS IN THE LIFE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
- ON THE RISK-THE JOURNAL OF THE ACADEMY OF LIFE UNDERWRITING (OTR): OTR IS A PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY ALU. THE OTR EDITORIAL TEAM, TOGETHER WITH A GROUP OF EDITORS AND MANAGERS, SECURES TIMELY, IN-DEPTH ARTICLES WRITTEN BY PRACTITIONERS AND MEMBERS OF THE UNDERWRITING COMMUNITY. THE JOURNAL CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION NEEDS OF THE WORLDWIDE LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING INDUSTRY AND ITS READERSHIP. OTR REACHES OVER 2,000 SUBSCRIBERS AND SUPPORTS THE MISSION OF ALU BY PROVIDING CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ENCOURAGE UNDERWRITERS TO OBTAIN THE FELLOW, ACADEMY OF LIFE UNDERWRITING (FALU) DESIGNATION, AND BY PROMOTING THE ALU EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(6) business league as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2013.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.