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AARP’s Mission: Empower People to Choose How They Live as They Age
What Is AARP?
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization serving the 125 million Americans age 50-plus and their families by strengthening communities and advocating for health care stability, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP has a nationwide presence and was founded in 1958.
What AARP Does
AARP’s mission is to empower people to choose how they live as they age. With offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP advocates at the federal and state levels on behalf of the 125 million Americans 50 and older on issues including Social Security, Medicare, prescription drug prices, caregiving and financial security. AARP also provides trusted information, tools and programs that help people navigate health, money and aging, while strengthening communities nationwide.
Is AARP Nonpartisan?
Yes. AARP is a nonpartisan organization that does not endorse or oppose political candidates, parties or political action committees, nor contribute to campaigns. Instead, AARP advocates on issues affecting people age 50 and older by working with elected officials across the political spectrum. It also provides voters with nonpartisan information on candidates’ positions on health, financial security and quality of life.
What AARP Membership Includes
AARP membership extends our mission by providing older adults with practical tools, expert guidance and exclusive benefits. Members gain access to savings on everyday expenses and resources that support their health, financial decisions, caregiving responsibilities and daily life. These benefits help people navigate aging with confidence, independence and greater peace of mind.
How AARP Advocates for Older Americans
AARP focuses on key issues that affect the health, financial security and independence of adults age 50-plus.
Affordable health care
AARP advocates for policies that make health care and prescription drugs more affordable and accessible for older Americans, including protections that lower out‑of‑pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. For many 50 and older, the cost of care can create financial strain and make it harder to access treatment. AARP helps lower costs, bolster benefits and expand access to high-quality care, enabling people to maintain their health and financial security.
Landmark win: AARP helped advance Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drug prices, a reform projected to deliver significant long-term savings and marks the most substantial change to drug pricing since Medicare Part D. In May 2026, the Supreme Court refused to hear challenges from drug manufacturers, effectively cementing the price negotiation program into law.
Recent action: AARP advocated for the $35 monthly insulin cap for Medicare beneficiaries, which took effect in 2023; drug price negotiations, now in their third round; and Part D out-of-pocket limits, $2,100 in 2026 — all part of the Inflation Reduction Act. AARP has also fought against waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare; ensured continued access to telehealth services; and continued to improve coverage in original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
Social Security
AARP supports policies that protect and strengthen Social Security, ensuring Americans receive the payments they have earned and rely on. For many people age 50-plus, Social Security is a primary source of income and a foundation of financial security in retirement. AARP advocates to safeguard payments, strengthen long-term stability and ensure the program remains strong for current and future generations.
Landmark win: Over decades, AARP has helped block efforts to reduce benefits or privatize Social Security, preserving it as a guaranteed, inflation-adjusted benefit.
Recent action: AARP endorsed bipartisan legislation designed to help Americans make more informed decisions about when to claim Social Security and led the fight against proposals to limit Social Security phone services.
Retirement security
AARP believes in policies and programs that help people plan for and achieve a secure retirement, including access to savings opportunities and financial education. For many older Americans, preparing for retirement can be complex amid rising costs and longer life expectancies. AARP advocates to expand access to retirement savings options, provide guidance and tools and help people build long-term financial security.
Landmark win: AARP has long supported pension protections that preserve earned benefits and improve plan transparency for workers and retirees.
Recent actions: AARP supported passage and implementation of the federal SECURE 2.0 Act which helps more Americans build retirement savings through automatic enrollment, catch-up contributions and incentives for savers. AARP has also advocated for state-based savings solutions such as auto IRAs.
Scams and fraud against older adults
AARP supports efforts that protect older Americans from fraud, scams and other financial exploitation that can result in the loss of hard-earned savings and threaten long-term financial stability. AARP helps raise awareness, strengthen consumer protections and provide tools and resources that help people detect, avoid and report fraud.
Landmark win: AARP created the Fraud Watch Network in 2013. It’s now one of the nation’s largest fraud education, prevention and victim support initiatives.
Recent action: AARP has expanded nationwide fraud training for financial professionals and advocated for state and federal legislation addressing problems such as impersonation scams and cryptocurrency kiosk fraud.
Family caregivers
AARP supports policies that recognize and assist family caregivers, including access to financial support, workplace flexibility and paid leave and resources that ease the demands of caregiving.
Caregiving responsibilities can be both emotionally and financially challenging, and many caregivers also have to balance working outside the home. AARP strives to expand support, increase access to resources and strengthen protections for caregivers, helping them care for others while maintaining their own health and financial security.
Landmark win: AARP has helped drive significant state-level caregiving policy wins across the country, including caregiver tax credits and other types of support for family caregivers, as well as support for caregivers nationwide, including through Medicare.
Recent action: AARP is fighting in states across the country and in Washington, D.C., to save family caregivers time and money with common-sense solutions, including paid leave and workplace protections.
Frequently Asked Questions
AARP was founded in 1958 as the American Association of Retired Persons. Today, the organization simply goes by “AARP” to reflect its broader membership and mission. AARP serves people age 50-plus — including those who are working, caregiving or preparing for the next phase of their lives.
Anyone 18 or older can join AARP, although the organization’s programs and services are designed primarily for adults 50 and older. Members receive access to benefits such as savings on everyday expenses, daily online news, monthly publications and tools and resources to support health, finances and major life decisions. AARP membership is also geared to help those at any age who need help supporting family members.
An AARP membership offers affordable access to a range of benefits, resources and savings designed to support older adults. Members can take advantage of discounts on travel, dining, entertainment and everyday expenses, along with access to publications and tools that support health and financial decisions. For many, the value of membership depends on how often these benefits and resources are used.
No. AARP is not an insurance company, nor does it sell insurance policies. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides advocacy, information and services for older adults. AARP also makes certain products and services available to members, including insurance options offered from third-party providers.
AARP is a nonprofit organization that generates revenue through a combination of membership dues, fees from products and services made available to members, and advertising and sponsorships on its website and in its publications. Revenue from these sources supports AARP’s advocacy, educational programs and resources for people 50-plus. As a nonprofit, AARP reinvests its revenue into its mission rather than distributing profits to shareholders.
Key AARP Statistics
100,000 callers helped by Fraud Watch Network volunteers per year
The Fraud Watch Network™ Helpline (877-908-3360) offers free support and advice for scam victims and their families. Trained volunteers assist more than 100,000 callers every year.
300,000 Americans eligible for Medicare each month
More than 300,000 Americans turn 65 every month, and Medicare helps cover their health care. AARP works to keep Medicare strong so its benefits will be there for the people who have earned them over a lifetime of work, now and in the future.
63 million caregivers provide over $1 trillion in unpaid care
America’s 63 million family caregivers provide more than $1 trillion in unpaid care each year, delivering 49.5 billion hours of support that make them one of the largest workforces in the United States. AARP is the nation’s leading advocate for family caregivers — driving research, policy solutions and support programs that help them manage the financial, emotional and practical demands of caregiving.
$12.5 trillion contributed to U.S. economy by adults 50 and older
Adults 50 and older drive $12.5 trillion in annual economic activity in the United States, according to a recent AARP report. AARP is the nation’s leading authority on the longevity economy — the research, the advocacy and the policy agenda that keeps older Americans economically secure and engaged.