The Society of Actuaries adjusted the Exam FAM format starting with the February 2026 administration: FAM is now 34 multiple-choice questions. Topic content is unchanged from the prior FAM blueprint, but per-item time pressure shifts and partial-credit dynamics differ. This page summarizes the format change, what stayed the same (topics, weights, prerequisites), and how to adjust cram strategy for the new question count.
Retaking on the new SOA Exam FAM? Failed before the transition, sitting after? See the cram + retaker plan.See cram planFAM is now 34 multiple-choice questions for the full sitting. SOA confirmed this in the February 2026 administration update. Pacing recalibrates against 34 items rather than the previous count.
Every FAM sitter — pacing assumptions and mock-exam calibration shift.
Re-time mocks to 34-question conditions. Per-item time budget recalibrates — drill at that pace specifically.
The 7 topic areas (Insurance Coverages and Retirement Products, Severity/Frequency/Aggregate Models, Parametric Estimation, Mortality Models, Life Insurance Pricing and Reserving, Short-Term Insurance Pricing and Reserving, Option Pricing Fundamentals) retain their published weight bands. No content was added or removed.
Nobody at the content level.
No prep-content change needed. Continue using your current FAM materials.
Fewer questions over the same exam window shifts how candidates should pace each item. Coaching Actuaries ADAPT and other timed-mock platforms have updated their FAM templates to match — verify yours.
Candidates whose mock-exam practice was tuned to the old item count.
Switch to 34-question timed mocks in the final 2 weeks of prep. Old-format mocks understate per-question pressure.
FAM is still the prerequisite for both ALTAM and ASTAM. Pass FAM, then choose advanced exam based on career direction.
Nobody.
No path change.
Side-by-side comparison of what shifted and what stayed the same. Use this for a fast sanity check on your prep materials.
| Area | Old | New |
|---|---|---|
| Question count | Prior FAM format | 34 multiple-choice questions |
| Topic areas | 7 | 7 |
| Topic weights | Per FAM blueprint | Per FAM blueprint |
| Prerequisite for ALTAM/ASTAM | Yes | Yes |
| Pass mark | SOA scaled | SOA scaled |
Advice diverges sharply depending on when you sit. The branches below cover the standard cases plus the overlap case (retakers caught between the old and new versions).
You sat the pre-change format. If you passed, no impact. If you failed, your retake is on the 34-MCQ format — recalibrate mock timing accordingly. Content gaps from your last attempt are still actionable; only the pacing model changes.
You sit the 34-MCQ format. Pull current Coaching Actuaries ADAPT templates (CA updated to match). ASM and ACTEX manuals are unchanged on content; their mock-exam supplements should be on the new format. Verify before drilling.
You failed pre-change and your retake is post-change. Concentrate retake content review on your weak topic areas (use SOA pass/fail signal + your ADAPT EL trajectory). Then add 2 weeks of strict 34-MCQ timed-mock pacing before your sitting.
Walk this list before your next study session. It is short and concrete.
Confirm your ADAPT (or other mock platform) is calibrated to 34 questions.
Re-set your per-question time budget to match the new pace.
If retaking, pull your last ADAPT EL trajectory — your weak topics are still actionable.
Verify your manual (ASM, ACTEX) supplement materials reflect the new format for mocks.
In the final 2 weeks: drill 34-MCQ timed mocks exclusively.
No. The 7 topic areas and their weight bands are unchanged. Only the question count shifted to 34 MCQs.
Yes, on content. Topic content is unchanged. Verify that any timed-mock components in your materials have been updated to 34 questions — that's the only piece that needs to track the new format.
No. FAM is still the prerequisite. ALTAM and ASTAM are unchanged.
Neither, structurally. Fewer questions means each carries more weight per item, and pacing tightens. The pass mark adjusts to maintain difficulty. Plan around discipline on individual items, not overall content volume.
All change items above are paraphrased from the public SOA Exam FAM page (public). Verify directly before committing your study plan.
SOA Exam FAM page (public)Upload your SOA Exam FAM materials and exclam.ai builds a daily plan that matches your sitting date — including the right weight calibration for the version of the exam you're taking.