AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization empowering people to choose how they live as they age.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$10.1M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.6B a year · 49% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$10.1M
to officers and key staff · 0.6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $2.89B in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 0.5 months of spending in cash, plus $2.89B in investments.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $209K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.3B
37% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 37% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.0B
+21% vs prior year
Spent
$1.6B
To programs
84%
Net assets
$2.2B
By yearFY2019–FY2024
Revenue
$2.0B
FY2021▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2019$1.8B
FY2020$1.7B
FY2021$2.0B
FY2022$1.8B
FY2023$1.7B
FY2024$11.0B
Expenses
$1.6B
FY2021▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2019$1.6B
FY2020$1.6B
FY2021$1.6B
FY2022$1.7B
FY2023$1.7B
FY2024$1.8B
Net assets
$2.2B
FY2021▲ +39%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2019$1.5B
FY2020$1.6B
FY2021$2.2B
FY2022$2.4B
FY2023$2.7B
FY2024$12.1B

From the FY2021 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 1967.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $1.4B Management & general 16% · $260.9M Fundraising 1% · $8.9M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

27 people listed on the 990; $10.1M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer
$2,575,415Pt VII · Sec A
EVP - Advocacy & Engagemen
$777,540Pt VII · Sec A
$766,417Pt VII · Sec A
EVP & Chief Comm & Mktg
$697,595Pt VII · Sec A
EVP & Chief of Staff
$555,992Pt VII · Sec A
EVP & General Counsel
$514,107Pt VII · Sec A
EVP & Public Policy Office
$509,208Pt VII · Sec A
SVP & Editorial Director
$507,059Pt VII · Sec A

Jo Ann Jenkins’s $2.7M as CEO (until 11/8/2024) is at the 100th percentile of top reported officer pay among 7 $100M+ civil rights & advocacy 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020FY2019
Jo Ann Jenkins$2,746,855$2,384,335$1,444,575$2,575,415$1,335,714$1,285,002
Scott M Frisch$1,024,073$807,731$772,971$766,417$726,827—
Nancy a Leamond$879,502$813,675$807,717$777,540$759,913$736,644
Martha Boudreau$771,916$733,582$700,535$697,595$660,969$651,679
Scott Frisch—————$696,672
Kevin Donnellan$630,155$586,254$557,326$555,992$534,124$518,113
David C Morales$587,580—————
Debra B Whitman$576,926—————

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 executive salaries →

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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

Empowers people to choose how they live as they age by providing valuable member benefits, customized information, and dedicated support services.

Questions for AARP

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.1B · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Community Engagement, Education, and Outreach provides programs, services, tools, information, and advocacy that advance the mission of AARP by helping to fulfill the wants and needs of people age 50+ and their families.

$460.1Mprogram expense
02

Publications and CommunicationsAARP is a unique source of information through multiple communication channels on topics of interest to people 50+ and their families. AARP publishes "AARP The Magazine," the world's largest circulation magazine, every other month.

$434.1Mprogram expense
03

Member Engagement is dedicated to ensuring that AARP provides a valuable member experience to members and that a relevant portfolio of information, programs, benefits, and services is readily available to all members. Members have the opportunity to receive customized information in the manner most useful to them.

$222.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
AARP FoundationFY2024$209K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$209K
Grants paid · 3,552 grants · $361.2M · 2019–2024
Wish of a LifetimeDC · FY2024$3,362,720
Legal Counsel for the ElderlyDC · FY2024$2,978,685
Creative CoalitionNY · FY2024$995,077
United Way WorldwideVA · FY2024$819,000
AARP FoundationDC · FY2024$514,383
America's CharitiesVA · FY2024$508,493
The Aspen Institute INCDC · FY2024$325,000
US Library of CongressFY2024$320,000
Links Foundation INCDC · FY2024$286,500
University of North DakotaFY2024$250,000
See all 3,552 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.0B
Ln 12
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.1B
Investment incomeLn 3$425.0M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$319.7M
Money outPt IX
$1.6B
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.4B
Managementcol C$260.9M
Fundraisingcol D$8.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$2.2B
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$70.4M
Total assetsLn 16$3.5B
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3B
PeoplePt VI, VII
27
listed · VII A
PaidVII A15
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$319.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$299K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$184.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$425.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.1B
Gains on assetsLn 7$280.5M
Total revenueLn 12$2.0B
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$36.1M
SavingsLn 2$34.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$70.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.89B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$271.5M
Other assetsLn 15$33.3M
Total assetsLn 16$3.5B
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3B
Net assetsLn 32$2.2B
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52,023
VolunteersI 620,872
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$127.4M$70.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.34B$2.89B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$288.4M$271.5M
Total assetsLn 16$3.00B$3.47B
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.42B$1.27B
Net assetsLn 32$1.58B$2.20B
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$41.9M$41.9M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$10K$10K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$290K$290K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$8.6M$2.8M$5.8M
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$248.5M$182.7M$65.4M$402K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$70.5M$48.6M$21.7M$86K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$39.1M$23.7M$15.4M$49K
Payroll taxesLn 10$15.9M$11.5M$4.4M$25K
Legal feesLn 11b$2.0M$191K$1.8M
Accounting feesLn 11c$988K$46K$942K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$944K$944K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$658K$658K
Investment management feesLn 11f$41.8M$41.8M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$253.1M$233.3M$19.8M$16K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$369.3M$359.0M$10.2M$103K
Office expensesLn 13$2.0M$1.6M$406K
Information technologyLn 14$117.3M$47.3M$69.7M$327K
OccupancyLn 16$20.4M$13.2M$7.2M
TravelLn 17$956K$829K$127K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$6.8M$6.2M$561K
InterestLn 20$9.1M$3.9M$5.2M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$63.9M$37.7M$26.1M
InsuranceLn 23$5.0M$5.0M
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$303.2M$277.9M$21.4M$3.9M
All other expensesLn 24e$21.7M$80.5M−$62.1M$3.3M
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.64B$1.37B$260.9M$8.9M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $11.0B$1.8B$9.2B$12.1B 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.7B$1.7B$15.7M$2.7B 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.8B$1.7B$91.3M$2.4B 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $2.0B$1.6B$356.9M$2.2B 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.7B$1.6B$55.3M$1.6B 990 PDF
FY2019 $1.8B$1.6B$139.8M$1.5B 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,000,787,159 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $318,990,639$319,696,538
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $169,520,355$184,462,214
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $164,398,881$425,038,219
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,002,028,937$1,071,590,188
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,654,938,812$2,000,787,159
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $97,555,654$42,246,834
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $372,391,841$382,613,652
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $652,488$658,488
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,129,045,741$1,218,369,826
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,599,645,724$1,643,888,800
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $55,293,088$356,898,359
Part VI · Governance 12 of 13 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members12
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,000,787,159 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $3,089,831 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$296,117,969
VIII-1d Related organizations$1,063,696
VIII-1e Government grants$299,438
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$22,215,435
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$319,696,538
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $4,251,318 · Unrelated business $177,121,065$181,372,383
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $337,484 · Excluded from tax $144,187,287$144,524,771
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $1,062,683,603$1,062,683,603
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsUnrelated business $2,348,245 · Excluded from tax $278,165,203$280,513,448
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business −$97,247 · Excluded from tax $9,003,832$8,906,585
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $6,026,004 · Unrelated business $181,024,692 · Excluded from tax $1,494,039,925$2,000,787,159
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,643,888,800 across 25 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $41,946,838$41,946,838
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $10,000$10,000
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $289,996$289,996
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $2,773,650 · Management $5,840,002$8,613,652
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $182,701,005 · Management $65,405,304 · Fundraising $402,438$248,508,747
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $48,649,319 · Management $21,729,308 · Fundraising $85,863$70,464,490
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $23,695,903 · Management $15,398,309 · Fundraising $49,432$39,143,644
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,473,550 · Management $4,384,636 · Fundraising $24,933$15,883,119
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $191,331 · Management $1,835,513$2,026,844
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $45,897 · Management $941,731$987,628
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $944,100$944,100
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $658,488$658,488
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $41,786,848$41,786,848
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $233,285,112 · Management $19,835,539 · Fundraising $15,511$253,136,162
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $358,952,499 · Management $10,215,185 · Fundraising $102,591$369,270,275
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,553,979 · Management $405,883$1,959,862
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $47,286,353 · Management $69,679,925 · Fundraising $326,744$117,293,022
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $13,193,497 · Management $7,205,039$20,398,536
IX-17 TravelPrograms $828,840 · Management $126,749$955,589
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $6,238,210 · Management $560,817$6,799,027
IX-20 InterestPrograms $3,889,479 · Management $5,219,973$9,109,452
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $37,747,914 · Management $26,135,941$63,883,855
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $4,991,972$4,991,972
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $277,875,424 · Management $21,395,455 · Fundraising $3,899,317$303,170,196
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $80,464,502 · Management −$62,149,073 · Fundraising $3,341,029$21,656,458
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,374,037,398 · Management $260,945,056 · Fundraising $8,906,346$1,643,888,800
Part X · Balance sheet $3,470,371,816 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $36,360,020$36,106,741
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $91,036,690$34,249,283
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $163,152,599$164,247,969
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $44,758,013$42,706,907
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $288,383,223$271,542,004
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $2,290,298,857$2,828,906,030
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $46,745,230$58,841,645
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $545,927$493,095
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $40,762,977$33,278,142
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,002,043,536$3,470,371,816
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $154,705,026$164,375,135
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $245,487,949$236,822,699
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $174,392,150$174,434,433
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $848,590,034$696,657,582
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,423,175,159$1,272,289,849
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,578,868,377$2,198,081,967
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,578,868,377$2,198,081,967
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,002,043,536$3,470,371,816
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,198,081,967 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,000,787,159
XI-2 Total expenses$1,643,888,800
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$356,898,359
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,578,868,377
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$103,201,277
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$159,113,954
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,198,081,967

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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