Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 1963.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
24 people listed on the 990; $3.6M paid to officers and key staff.
Patricia D Shannon’s $493K as CFO & Senior Vice President is at the 64th percentile of top reported officer pay among 249 $100M+ human services nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Whitehead | — | $642,908 | $380,743 | $371,194 | $354,425 |
| Lisa Marsh Ryerson | — | — | $334,750 | $508,822 | $483,801 |
| Patricia D Shannon | $492,831 | $463,762 | $450,062 | $439,532 | $420,568 |
| Claire Casey | $490,291 | $428,575 | — | — | — |
| Emily S Allen - SVP Programs | — | $390,855 | $362,139 | — | — |
| Emily S Allen | $386,451 | — | — | $358,542 | $336,388 |
| William a Rivera | $363,132 | $335,746 | $317,573 | $315,472 | $296,907 |
| Brittany Feinson | $338,169 | — | — | — | — |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
See AARP Foundation executive salaries →Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Helps vulnerable adults over 50 overcome poverty by securing essential needs, reducing employment barriers, and fighting for their rights through legal advocacy and litigation.
Questions for AARP Foundation
Your first name shows with your question. AARP Foundation answers here, for everyone.
Workforce Programs provide direct services nationwide to adults seeking training and employment. This includes the AARP Foundation Senior Community Service Employment Program ("SCSEP") which matches unemployed adults over 55 with local non-profits and public agencies (host agencies) so they can increase skills and build self-confidence…
Tax and Credits programs provide free income tax preparation and property tax assistance to low and moderate income persons throughout the country. This includes AARP Foundation Tax Aide ("Tax-Aide") which delivers in-person and virtual tax preparation assistance to anyone, free of charge, with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 and…
The AARP Foundation Legal Advocacy program ensures that older adults have a voice and proper representation in the legal system. The Foundation's attorneys file and support lawsuits that have a significant impact on senior poverty by reducing barriers to employment; increasing access to public and private benefits; protecting consumers…
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
Federal money
Plus 1 smaller program.
The auditor reported no findings.
Plus 1 smaller program.
The auditor reported no findings.
Plus 1 smaller program.
The auditor reported 1 finding: a weakness in money controls, questioned costs.
Plus 1 smaller program.
The auditor reported no findings.
By the numbers
The FY2023 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | FY23 | FY22 | FY21 | FY20 | FY19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of yearLn 1g | $499.3M | $476.1M | $519.0M | $469.7M | $442.8M |
| Given inLn 1b | $368K | $1.9M | $304K | $378K | $81.0M |
| SpentLn 1d–1f | $23.0M | $20.6M | $17.5M | $13.7M | $952K |
| Line | Start FY23 | End FY23 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $9.6M | $10.1M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $628.2M | $659.5M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $10.5M | $9.2M |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $662.7M | $693.2M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $60.2M | $57.6M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $602.4M | $635.6M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $11.7M | $11.7M | ||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $65.5M | $65.5M | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $2.4M | $765K | $944K | $671K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $34.9M | $24.7M | $5.9M | $4.2M |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $1.2M | $827K | $222K | $165K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $4.1M | $2.9M | $826K | $364K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $2.5M | $1.7M | $483K | $346K |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $553K | $553K | ||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $173K | $173K | ||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $1.9M | $1.9M | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $3.3M | $3.3M | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $14.6M | $10.1M | $3.6M | $929K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $4.0M | $1.6M | $1.6M | $834K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $1.5M | $1.4M | $23K | $16K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $7.0M | $6.0M | $523K | $450K |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $3.4M | $3.0M | $213K | $187K |
| TravelLn 17 | $2.0M | $1.7M | $168K | $182K |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $410K | $436K | −$26K | |
| InterestLn 20 | $837K | $456K | $203K | $178K |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $1.3M | $715K | $317K | $279K |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $27.8M | $13.2M | $201K | $14.4M |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $953K | $713K | $118K | $122K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $191.9M | $147.9M | $18.7M | $25.3M |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 7, 2025 | $202.9M | $194.4M | $8.5M | $673.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 7, 2024 | $175.2M | $191.9M | −$16.7M | $635.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 3, 2023 | $203.2M | $195.4M | $7.8M | $602.4M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 9, 2022 | $254.2M | $181.6M | $72.6M | $648.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2021 | $186.5M | $173.3M | $13.3M | $581.9M | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $175,249,637 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 12 of 13 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $175,249,637 across 10 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $191,925,498 across 22 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $693,172,214 assets, 19 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $635,593,093 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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