AARP
| AARP | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | New York, N.Y. |
| Type: | 501(c)(4) |
| Top official: | Robert G. Romasco |
| Website: | Official website |
AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that plays a major role in ballot initiative campaigns around the country.
Mission
AARP defines itself as follows:
| “ |
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment security and retirement planning. We advocate for consumers in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services.[1][2] |
” |
Background
AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.[1]
AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors.[1]
Work
AARP is widely known for addressing issues affecting older Americans through a multitude of initiatives, including lobbying efforts at the state and national governmental level, an activity permitted by its 501(c)(4) status.
Member services
AARP Services, Inc., founded in 1999, is a wholly owned subsidiary of AARP. AARP Services manages the wide range of products and services that are offered as benefits to AARP’s 38+ million members. The offers span health products, travel and leisure products, and life event services. Specific products include Medicare supplemental insurance; member discounts on rental cars, cruises, vacation packages and lodging; special offers on technology and gifts; pharmacy services; legal services; and long-term care insurance. AARP Services founded AARP Financial Incorporated, a subsidiary that manages AARP-endorsed financial products including AARP Funds. AARP Services develops new products, manages and markets products and services, creates and maintains partnership and sponsorship relationships, and develops and manages AARP’s Web site, AARP.org.
AARP Services founded AARP Financial Incorporated, a subsidiary that manages AARP-endorsed financial products including AARP Funds.
Lobbying
The organization claims that it is nonpartisan and does not support, oppose or give money to any candidates or political parties. AARP's total revenue for 2006 was approximately $1 billion and it spent $23 million on lobbying.[3]
Elections
2014 elections
According to OpenSecrets.org, AARP spent $23,138 in the 2014 election cycle. Open Secrets analyzed the success of 2014 general election cycle spending.[4]
Expenditures
| Top 10 largest AARP expenditures in 2012[4] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | State | Office | For | Against | Total | Desired Result |
| Mike Honda |  |
CA | House | $3,500 | $0 | $3,500 |  |
| Rob Portman |  |
OH | Senate | $1,600 | $0 | $1,600 | |
| Adriano Espaillat | |
NY | State Senate | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 |  |
| Nydia Velazquez | |
NY | House | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 | |
| Natalie Tennant | |
WV | Sec. of State | $750 | $0 | $750 | |
| Bob Barr | |
GA | House | $500 | $0 | $500 | |
| Shelley Capito | |
WV | Senate | $500 | $0 | $500 | |
| Barbara Comstock | |
VA | House | $500 | $0 | $500 | |
| Elizabeth Esty | |
CT | House | $500 | $0 | $500 | |
| John Foust | |
VA | House | $500 | $0 | $500 | |
| Ruben Gallego | |
AZ | House | $500 | $0 | $500 | |
2012 elections
According to OpenSecrets.org, AARP spent $29,826 in the 2012 election cycle. Open Secrets analyzed the success of 2012 general election cycle spending.[5]
Expenditures
| Top 10 largest AARP expenditures in 2012[5] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | State | Office | For | Against | Total | Desired Result |
| Barack Obama | |
N/A | President | $9,500 | $0 | $9,500 | |
| James Clyburn | |
SC | House | $1,500 | $0 | $1,500 | |
| Heather Wilson | |
NM | Senate | $1,500 | $0 | $1,500 | |
| Mitt Romney | |
N/A | President | $1,4000 | $0 | $1,400 | |
| Robert Menendez | |
NJ | Senate | $1,250 | $0 | $1,250 | |
| Richard Carmona | |
AZ | Senate | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 | |
| Kirsten Gillibrand | |
NY | Senate | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 | |
| Toi Hutchinson | |
IL | State Senate | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 | |
| Tim Kaine | |
VA | Senate | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 | |
| Rob Portman | |
OH | Senate | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 | |
| Elizabeth Warren | |
MA | Senate | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 | |
Ballot measures
- Opposed California Proposition 15, Biennial Lobbyist Fee and Public Campaign Funding Measure (June 2010)
- Supported California Proposition 20, Congressional Redistricting Initiative (2010)
Amicus brief activity
AARP, through the AARP Foundation Litigation department files amicus curiae briefs in courts throughout the country. This litigation aims to "advocate in courts nationwide for the rights of people 50 and older, addressing diverse legal issues that affect their daily lives and assuring that they have a voice in the judicial system."[6]
The following are the U.S. Supreme Court cases for which AARP has filed amicus briefs from 2010 to 2016, according to the AARP website.[7]
| Amicus briefs filed by AARP in the U.S. Supreme Court, 2010-2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
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| 2011 | ||
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| 2012 | ||
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| 2013 | ||
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| 2014 | ||
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| 2015 | ||
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| 2016 | ||
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Opposition
In an editorial column in the Los Angeles Times, critic Dale Van Atta says AARP does unauthorized lobbying for its membership, and lobbies against the best interests of its membership. Van Atta says that by lobbying for the above-mentioned Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, AARP leaders betrayed the membership.[8]
BusinessWeek magazine says that in the past questions have arisen about whether AARP's commercial interests may conflict with those of its membership, and characterizes many of the funds and insurance policies that AARP markets as providing considerably less benefit than seniors could get on their own.[9]
Tax status
AARP is a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Its 501(c) status refers to a section of the U.S. federal income tax code concerning social welfare organizations.[10] Organizations that have been granted 501(c)(4) status by the Internal Revenue Service are exempt from federal income tax.[11] Section 501(c) of the U.S. tax code has 29 sections listing specific conditions particular organizations must meet in order to be considered tax-exempt under the section. Unlike 501(c)(3) organizations, however, donations to 501(c)(4) organizations are not tax-deductible for the individual or corporation making the contribution. 501(c)(4) organizations may engage in political lobbying and political campaign activities. This includes donations to political committees that support or oppose ballot measures, bond issues, recalls, or referenda.
- See also: 501(c)(4) organizations on Ballotpedia
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for "AARP + American + Association + Retired + Persons"
- All stories may not be relevant to this organization due to the nature of the search engine.
Further reading
- Trust Betrayed: Inside the AARP by Dale Van Atta, Regnery Publishing, ISBN 0-89526-485-4
- The AARP: America's Most Powerful Lobby and the Clash of Generations, by Charles R. Morris, Crown, ISBN 0-8129-2753-2
- Will America Grow Up Before It Grows Old? How the Coming Social Security Crisis Threatens You, Your Family, and Your Country, by Peter G. Peterson, Random House, ISBN 0-679-45256-7
See also
- 501(c)(4)
- Federal Election Commission
- 60 Plus Association
External links
- Social media:
- Endorsements and ratings:
- Fact-checking:
- Financial:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 AARP.org, "About AARP," accessed November 27, 2013
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ On Issues From Medicare to Medication, AARP's Money Will Be There Washington Post, 24 April 2007
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 OpenSecrets, "AARP," accessed May 12, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 OpenSecrets, "AARP," accessed November 27, 2013
- ↑ AARP Foundation, "About Foundation Litigation," accessed September 28, 2016
- ↑ AARP Foundation, "Legal Advocacy," accessed September 28, 2016,
- ↑ Leaders Betray Their Members by Lobbying for Medicare Drug Bill
- ↑ BusinessWeek.com
- ↑ Internal Revenue Service, "IRC 501(c)(4) Organizations," accessed July 10, 2014
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