The largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in the US with the goal of giving adults 50 and older the power to decide how they want to age is the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
We can give you the facts on the advantages of membership if you’re considering it.
The various AARP discounts and resources will be discussed in detail in this article, along with membership costs, requirements, and instructions on how to sign up.
Sit back and enjoy your reading!
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Table of contents
- What Is AARP?
- About AARP
- How Old Must You Be to Join the AARP?
- So Can You Join AARP If You’re Under 50?
- How Much Does AARP Membership Cost?
- What Benefits Does AARP Provide?
- What Is the AARP Telephone Number?
- Should You Enroll in AARP?
- How To Become AARP Member
- How to Add A Free Household Member To Your AARP Membership
- Is an AARP Membership Worth It?
- Drawbacks of Joining AARP
- FAQs
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
What Is AARP?
AARP, also known as the American Association of Retired Persons, describes its mission: “We fight for and empower each individual to live their best life.” The group, which has approximately 38 million members as of now, accomplishes that objective by:
- Speaking out for people over 50 on local, state, and federal political issues like housing, Social Security, and health care;
- Offering its members medical, financial, and social support;
- Disseminating policy reports via its research teams; and
- Providing access to hundreds of discounts on restaurants, shopping, and other expenses (additional details below).
One benefit of joining this club early is that as you get closer to retirement age, the benefits of your membership contributions will continue to grow. Don’t dismiss AARP because of your age; it’s an investment in you and your future.
About AARP
In 1958, AARP was established by retired California educator Ethel Percy Andrus. Andrus developed market solutions like inexpensive group health insurance, a scheme for obtaining prescription drugs at a discount, and a travel service to help older Americans stretch their money and improve the quality of their lives.
Present-day AARP membership stands at just under 38 million. The mission of AARP, which has offices in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands, is to help improve senior citizens’ quality of life.
How Old Must You Be to Join the AARP?
The average retirement age is 65, but there is no minimum age to join AARP. Before recently, AARP had a separate membership category for people under 50 (called Associate Memberships). But now, irrespective of age, anyone can easily sign up for a membership online.
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So Can You Join AARP If You’re Under 50?
You can, indeed! Sign up on AARP’s membership page. You will pay the same amount as everyone else.
You might only be eligible for some of the advantages offered to people over 50. For instance, you must be over 50 to qualify for some retailer discounts that have age restrictions.
All people can still enjoy a lot of advantages, nevertheless. These include price cuts on medical equipment, prescription drugs, and many travel-related items.
How Much Does AARP Membership Cost?
Three membership tiers are available from AARP, and each is automatically renewed at the end of the term (you can cancel at any time). You can also sign up a spouse or partner with a full membership at no additional cost. The tier pricing (current as of 2024) is reduced in the first year and when paying for several years at once.
- The first year costs $12, and each succeeding year costs $16. If you consent to have your membership renewed automatically, you will apply the discounted first year
- Three years for a single $43 payment
- Five years for a single $63 payment
What Benefits Does AARP Provide?
A comprehensive list of member benefits is available from AARP, including special offers that can make membership worthwhile the first time you use them. They include:
AARP Health and Wellness programs
- Programs for health insurance are available.
- AARP dental insurance plan from Delta Dental Insurance Company
- AARP long-term care options from New York Life
- AARP short-term care insurance from Medico
- Discounts on prescription drugs at several pharmacies (Walgreens, Walmart, and Kroger) and other medical items like eyeglasses (LensCrafters, Target Optical).
- Health tools
- AARP Staying Sharp brain health assessment
- BMI calculator
- WW (formerly Weight Watchers) discount
- Benefits from UnitedHealthcare (insurance plans, supplemental insurance, RX plans) that are eligible for Medicare.
- Family caregiving services and resources
- Long-term care calculator
- In-home caregiving discounts
AARP Travel Benefits
Your options for car rentals, packages, and discounts related to travel are displayed on the AARP benefits page. For instance, if you book a Grand European Travel package for one of more than 30 river cruises in Europe, Asia, or Egypt, you can receive $100 off each person. With the $100 savings, you can also get 50% off a few river cruises, and 10% off stays at various hotels and resorts.
Members also get the following travel benefits:
- 5% off Vacations by Rail cruise tours
- With luggage assistance and an airport shuttle, Park Ride Fly USA sites are offering 12% off reservations.
- $65 to $200 off British Airways flights
AARP Shopping Discounts
Your AARP membership qualifies you to save at several retailers. For instance, members receive a coupon book from Tanger Outlets worth up to $1,000, 20% off gourmet gifts from Harry & David, and discounts of 5% to 15% at The UPS Store on goods and services.
Other shopping discounts include:
- Free printable grocery coupons
- 20% off of your first $50 in Schwan’s Home Delivery purchases
- 20% off a Freshly meal delivery subscription
Additional AARP Member Benefits
In addition to travel benefits and retail discounts, AARP membership offers savings, services, and tools that will enable you to maximize your retirement benefits.
- AARP Resume Advisor and further business and career assistance
- AARP Rewards for utilizing the features of its website
- Apps, books, podcasts, TV and video, and AARP The Magazine
- Discounts on prescriptions
- Resources for financial planning and free tax and financial counseling
- Games, quizzes, sweepstakes, and other entertainment
- Legal counsel and advocacy
- Life, property, and vehicle insurance options
- Special rates on banking and investment services
- Technology and wireless perks
What Is the AARP Telephone Number?
If you can’t find what you’re searching for on the website, call AARP at 888-OUR-AARP or 888-687-2277.
On Monday through Friday, the organization opens from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. EST.
- For Spanish: 877-342-2277
- International: 1-202-434-3525
Dial 711 if you have a hearing impairment:
- English: 877-434-7598
- Spanish: 866-238-9488
Should You Enroll in AARP?
If you’re okay with the group’s lobbying activities and can put up with the junk mail, it’s a fantastic value for most people aged 50 and older. The membership cost can be more than covered by spending just one night in a hotel or a few nights out for supper each year.
Additionally outstanding are the financial and healthcare discounts and tools, which are helpful as you approach retirement. If you’re still not convinced, think about signing up for a one-year membership that automatically renews to see what kind of discounts you get and how frequently you use the other perks. You have considerably more to gain than lose when you take into account what you get for your money.
How To Become AARP Member
Using the AARP website, joining the organization is simple. This is how you do it:
1. Go to the signup portal.
2. Complete the form by entering your name, birthday, address, and, if relevant, the details of your spouse.
3. Use an email address to register for an online AARP account.
4. Decide on membership duration.
5. Click the box to imply your acceptance of the terms and conditions.
6. Continue with the payment.
7. Complete and submit your billing details.
Installing the AARP Now app for member access on your smartphone after submitting your online application allows you to take advantage of your member benefits immediately. Your AARP membership card should be in the mail in two to three weeks.
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How to Add A Free Household Member To Your AARP Membership
If you are already an AARP member, you can as well add your spouse or another adult living in your home for free as a secondary member to your account. They can have full membership status even if they are under 50 as long as you, the primary member, is.
Additionally, they can get their own membership card, which they will mail once you join them to your account.
By following these instructions, you can add a second user to your account online whenever you want:
1. In the red bar at the top of the screen, click the Login button. (Skip to step 3 if you are already logged in.)
2. Enter your login detail and click Log In.
3. To access a dropdown list, locate your name in the red bar at the top of the screen and click on it.
4. From the dropdown, click My Account.
5. Select the Tab for Account Details. Here, you can change any aspect of your account, including adding a second user.
6. Locate the Spouse/Partner section at the bottom and click the Edit button.
7. Fill in the fields for your secondary member and click Save.
8. Your spouse or partner must log in or register with aarp.org to update this information.
Don’t hesitate to contact a representative at 866-684-9291 (8 a.m. till 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday) if you want to edit or delete this member from your account.
Is an AARP Membership Worth It?
Absolutely. All the benefits mentioned above are available with an AARP membership for the price of a good lunch. This is an obvious choice.
The AARP Prescription Discount card provides an additional benefit. Although non-members can also use this card, members receive even greater discounts on prescription drugs.
The only necessary thing is that you pay the membership fee. You can become more engaged with the organization through local AARP chapters and by donating your time to AARP programs.
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Drawbacks of Joining AARP
As an advocacy organization, AARP works with state and federal governments to advocate for policies that affect senior citizens. That might be a good thing if you share AARP’s viewpoints on the problems it works to influence, but it’s not so wonderful if your membership dues go toward projects you disagree with.
The quantity of junk mail that will undoubtedly result from your membership, including from AARP itself, is another potential issue to consider. The frequent cause of complaints from current members is the early and persistent renewal solicitations, which may lead people to misbelieve that their membership is about to expire.
FAQs
50
Anyone who wants to join and is under 50 years old can become an AARP member. The membership advantages that aren’t governed by a contract or legislation, like age-restricted insurance products, are available to members between the ages of 18 and 50. You can always sign up at any time!
Please create an account on AARP.org to take care of it online. If you’d rather talk on the phone, you can reach the AARP customer service line at 1-888-OUR-AARP for assistance (1-888-687-2277 Monday- Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. EST).
Your AARP membership card could take three weeks to get in the mail. Nevertheless, three simple methods exist to use your online account to access your card instantly. It’s free and straightforward to open an internet account if you don’t already have one.
You may view and change all your account information on the My AARP and Account Details tabs, including the Membership number.
According to the group, birthdates are gathered from “businesses that specialize in giving information to direct marketers.” People supply personal information to these businesses on forms like product warranties and sweepstakes entries, the article claims, and they obtain information from several sources.
AARP offers healthcare insurance coverage through United Healthcare, even though it is not an insurance provider. The policies guarantee both Medigap and Medicare Part D prescription medication coverage. A national health insurance provider, United Healthcare, reported $242.2 billion in revenue for 2019.
Conclusion
AARP is a desirable alternative for those aged 50 and over because of its wide array of benefits, free second membership, and an affordable subscription. Others below this age range can now also join.
The 38 million members of AARP tell a story all by themselves! AARP is a great option all around because it provides benefits for almost every facet of life.
References
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