AARP

[braumeister]

If it was still what it set out to be, the American Association of Retired Persons, it might be very different from what it is today. In 1999, it changed its name to simply AARP, no longer an acronym and standing for nothing.

AARP has a lot of critics, and its Wikipedia article points out some things that are troubling to me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AARP

I joined when I turned 50, but throughout my years of membership I barely broke even between membership cost and discounts used. I also got rather annoyed at their increasingly strident tone in political issues, so I dropped my membership a number of years ago.

 

[athena53]

If it was still what it set out to be, the American Association of Retired Persons, it might be very different from what it is today. In 1999, it changed its name to simply AARP, no longer an acronym and standing for nothing.

They keep referring to "Real Possibilities", but no indication of what the AA part might mean anymore.

I'm 63 and have been throwing out their mailings for years. DH had to join to get the United Healthcare Medicare supplement. I have to admit I do read their interviews with baby-boomer rock Stars and other celebrities.

 

[OldPro]

AARP and the equivalent here in Canada, CARP are in business to earn a paycheque for themselves. It's as simple as that as far as I am concerned. They may profess to use the money they generate to further the 'interests of those over age X' but really, they are just a bunch of people looking to earn a living like anyone else. What tells me that is their age limit for membership. It's certainly not limited to Senior Citizens is it. They give themselves as big a market to draw membership fees from as they can get away with.

As for supposed 'discount benefits', I find that a joke. Anywhere that offers a discount if you have a AARP membership card will most likely offer you that same discount if you have a Drivers License that shows your birthdate on it. Check any hotel website for example and you will see where you can tick a box for 'AARP, AAA, or Senior. The discount is the same for all.

One thing I have learned since becoming a 'senior citizen' is that you have to learn to ask for a discount. I just love saying to a hotel desk clerk, 'what's the lowest price you can offer to an old geezer like me on a fixed pension?'

So what do I think of AARP/CARP? Well it's a good way to make a living for those who work there. But for me, it's a joke. I can do as well or better negotiating prices on my own.

And as for the political aspects, I can write to my government representative myself if something annoys me enough and I have an idea that it would take less constituents writing directly to get their attention than the weight AARP/CARP could ever throw around.

 

[audreyh1]

We have an AAA card to get hotel discounts, etc.

Doesn't AARP sell Medicare supplement insurance? Is it a good deal?

 

[athena53]

We have an AAA card to get hotel discounts, etc.

Doesn't AARP sell Medicare supplement insurance? Is it a good deal?

Yes, they do, and we've been happy with DH's supplement through United Healthcare. I agree with you on the AAA card, though. We use ours to get hotel discounts and they're the same as what you'd get with an AARP card.

 

[RetireBy90]

My DW joined about 12 years ago, and we use when we can get a discount. However we often get a military discount and there are lots of AAA discounts. I wonder how many places will give you one but not the others. Home Depot used to make you sign up for a loyalty card to get a military discount, but they have stopped that, now I just show ID card and get the discount. I don't like the politics either but I also don't want to get DW mad by asking her to cancel due to my politics.

 

[W2R]

My (dear, departed) mother thought it would be a great joke to sign me up for AARP in the summer of 1998, as a 50th birthday present.

I never renewed but have been getting mailings from them every few weeks since then. The only time I tried to use one of their discounts was at a motel, and it turned out that I was eligible for another discount that was better.

I am retired but I don't feel the represent me or my interests.

 

[JoeWras]

I'll give AARP credit for one thing: they do respect the Direct Marketer's Association junk mail opt out (dmachoice).

I signed up with dma choice to reduce junk mail. It helped, but doesn't stop it all. Interestingly, AARP completely avoids me and DW. Zero mailings from them.

I won't join AARP because I didn't like the interactions I saw between them and my parents.

 

[Gotadimple]

We have an AAA card to get hotel discounts, etc.

Doesn't AARP sell Medicare supplement insurance? Is it a good deal?

AARP doesn't sell anything but their mailing list. They are paid a fee to "license" their logo. Whether the United Health Ins is a good deal depends on the rates in your state.

AARP does three things: acts as lobbyist, licenses the use of their name, siphons 'profits' to a foundation that supports seniors in need of financial assistance or other low-income programs.

-- Rita

 

[mickeyd]

Here's a bit more on AARPs commercial side...I wonder where all of that cash goes?

AARP Financial Services Corporation, a for-profit corporation that holds AARP's
real estate; and AARP Services Inc, a for-profit corporation that provides
quality control and research.[1][5] According
to AARP's 2008 Consolidated financial statements, AARP Services Inc. was paid
$652,000,000 in royalties from insurance companies that sold products referred
by AARP. AARP also received an additional $120,000,000 for the advertisements
placed in its publications.[6]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AARP

 

[Bikechuck]

We have an AAA card to get hotel discounts, etc.

Doesn't AARP sell Medicare supplement insurance? Is it a good deal?

My father purchased his medicare supplement insurance through AARP and was always very happy with it. My parents were divorced but maintained a civil relationship and he talked my mother into purchasing their insurance as well.

My mother is now in a nursing home and I pay all of her bills. Her AARP supplemental insurance is well managed and I think competitive with other offerings.

I plan to consider this insurance in a few years when I need it and I will join AARP if necessary to take advantage of it.

 

[REWahoo]

My father purchased his medicare supplement insurance through AARP and was always very happy with it. My parents were divorced but maintained a civil relationship and he talked my mother into purchasing their insurance as well.

My mother is now in a nursing home and I pay all of her bills. Her AARP supplemental insurance is well managed and I think competitive with other offerings.

I plan to consider this insurance in a few years when I need it and I will join AARP if necessary to take advantage of it.

My experience is many other insurance companies (BC/BS, USAA, etc.) offer competitive, well -managed Medicare supplemental policies. No need to join AARP just to get insurance.

 

[OldPro]

Here's a bit more on AARPs commercial side...I wonder where all of that cash goes?



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AARP

Seems pretty clear from that that members are a captive audience who PAY them for the privilege of being a captive audience for products to be marketed to. That's hilarious.

 

[Ally]

I wasn't too crazy about joining, but discovered that Walgreens gave me a membership with their rewards programs. They gave me a form to fill out and mail in to AARP and it worked. We just got our cards.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[athena53]

I wasn't too crazy about joining, but discovered that Walgreens gave me a membership with their rewards programs. They gave me a form to fill out and mail in to AARP and it worked.

Ooh, we'll have to try that for DH. Anything to save a few bucks!

 

[OldPro]

Is that a lifetime membership Ally or a 'first year free' membership and you pay after that? Either way, you are now on their marketing database and subject to what that means.

 

[mickeyd]

I thought that they just felt sorry for old people.

Those old people are just moving targets. Slow moving targets, but with cash in hand.

 

[fishndad42]

I just turned 50 in October but I don't get any of it. I also haven't joined; I have some philosophical and political issues with them that I won't get into here. I guess you have to join to get a lot of it. I sort mail in the mornings so I know there is a LOT of it going out a lot of the time.

Also the reason I never joined. I recently heard of AMAC as an alternative. Anyone a member of that?

 

[Big_Hitter]

I dig my AARP membership

 

[meleana]

I joined AMAC instead- it's the conservative version of AARP.

All you need to get most senior discounts on things is your ID with your date of birth on it.

 

[Ally]

It was a one year deal and was from a form I got at the counter near the register. I have gotten some good hotel deals with it, slightly lower than AAA.



Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[dirt_dobber]

My complaint with AARP is with respect to taxing social security benefits, they haven't lobbied, and don't appear to be pushing, to get a couple's, or individual's for the matter, combined income (SS plus other income) indexed for inflation.
Here is a direct quote from Social Security's official website.

"No one pays federal income tax on more than 85 percent of his or her Social Security benefits based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules. If you file a joint return, and you and your spouse have a combined income* that is
between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits
more than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable.
*Your adjusted gross income
+ Nontaxable interest
+ ½ of your Social Security benefits
= Your "combined income"

 

[travelover]

My complaint with AARP is with respect to taxing social security benefits, they haven't lobbied, and don't appear to be pushing, to get a couple's, or individual's for the matter, combined income (SS plus other income) indexed for inflation.

Inflation is the easiest way to increase taxes with no political backlash.

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

Old story & new story. Back in 1997, I was 48 and AARP sent me a membership application. Sent them the check for $10 (I think), and laughingly told the wife they'll have to send my check back because I'm not 50 yet. They kept the check and I became a member at age 48. Kept it about 10 years, but like others, didn't like their politics and the yearly membership increases, do I dropped it.

Fast forward to this year: wife's (she retired in 2003) mega-corp and Anthem (the insurance we've had through her mega-corp for 43 years), sent us a letter kicking us to the curb and said we've have to get new insurance. Mega-corp is paying $2850 to each person for insurance premium reimbursement--but we have to go through a middle-man called One-Exchange (Towers-Watson). The best deals they had for supplemental insurance and Part D were through AARP / United Health,so I had to become an AARP member again. Have to admit that with the signing up and everything, was pretty impressed how fast they answered the phone and the fact that you got to talk to a real person and they were pretty knowledgable. Right before 2016, we hit the dentist, did checkups, and loaded up on all our prescription medicine, so time will tell when we start using the new insurance how things are working out.

 

[gretah]

I get lots of savings by getting my car and dental insurances through companies requiring AARP membership.