What does AARP stand for? The letters began as the American Association of Retired Persons. In 1999 the group dropped the long version and made the four letters its official name, so today AARP does not formally stand for anything. It is simply what the organization is called.
The reason for the change is in the old wording. Many of the people the group serves are 50 and older but still working, and the word "retired" no longer fit them. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership group that focuses on issues people face as they age, such as health care, work, money and caregiving. It is not a government agency, even though it often comes up next to Social Security and Medicare.
Quick facts
Originally stood for
American Association of Retired PersonsToday
AARP is the official name on its ownType
Initialism, said A A R PStarted
1958What it is
A nonprofit, nonpartisan membership groupWho joins
Aimed at people 50 and older, open to adults of any ageNot to be confused with
Social Security, Medicare or other government programs
What does AARP stand for, letter by letter?
| Letter | Original word |
|---|---|
| A | American |
| A | Association (of) |
| R | Retired |
| P | Persons |
The small word "of" is skipped, as it usually is when short forms are built. The group was founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired educator who had already started a group for retired teachers. Her aim was to help older Americans find affordable health insurance and stay active in their communities.
Why AARP stands for nothing now
When an organization keeps the letters but retires the long form, the letters become the name. This happens with several well known groups: the full form becomes history, and the initials carry on. That is the case here.
In a mailer: "You are invited to join AARP." A person who turns 50 and is still working full time may wonder whether they qualify. They do. Retirement is not a requirement, which is exactly why the old full name was dropped.
Membership is aimed at people 50 and older. Younger adults can also join as associate members, though some benefits are limited by age.
What AARP does
- Advocacy: it speaks for older adults to lawmakers on topics like Social Security, Medicare, prescription drug costs and protections against age discrimination at work.
- Information: it publishes a magazine and a bulletin with news and guides for people over 50.
- Member services: it offers member discounts and access to insurance and other services through partner companies.
- Community work: its foundation and volunteers run programs such as free tax help and fraud prevention.
Because it lobbies on public policy, people hold different views of its positions. The group describes itself as nonpartisan, meaning it does not endorse candidates or parties.
AARP and government programs
AARP is often mentioned in the same breath as federal programs, but it is a private group. It does not pay benefits, run Medicare or issue Social Security cards. For those programs you deal with the government agencies themselves. Other agencies and groups that come up around these topics are listed in our government acronyms section, including SSI and the IRS.
How to say and write AARP
Most people say each letter, "A A R P." A few say it as a word, "arp," but that is unusual. Since the letters are read one by one, it counts as an initialism. Our basics guide to acronyms sorts out the two labels.
- Capital letters, no periods: AARP.
- Use an before it: "an AARP card," because the first sound is "ay."
- No need to spell out the old name when you write about the group today.
Example sentences:
- "My dad got an AARP letter the week he turned 50."
- "The AARP chapter in our town runs a free tax help day."
- "She joined AARP even though she is still working."
Similar letters, different groups
Questions people ask
What does AARP stand for today?
Officially, nothing. The letters once meant American Association of Retired Persons, but since 1999 the organization's name is just AARP.
Do you have to be retired to join AARP?
No. Many members still work. Dropping the word retired from the name was meant to make that clear.
Is AARP part of the government?
No. It is a private nonprofit membership group. It speaks to lawmakers about policy but does not run Social Security, Medicare or any other public program.
What is AARP stand for in plain English?
In plain terms, it is a large group for Americans over 50. The original long name was American Association of Retired Persons.
How old do you have to be to join AARP?
It is aimed at people 50 and older. Younger adults can join as associate members, but some benefits are limited by age.