Despite its name, you do not need to be retired to join. AARP is open to anyone 18 or older, with full membership available to those 50 and up and associate membership for those under 50. Membership starts at $15 for the first year, and a second membership for any adult in your household is included at no additional cost. AARP provides members with a wide range of benefits including discounts on travel, dining, entertainment, prescriptions, and insurance products; access to free tax preparation assistance through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program; financial planning tools and educational resources; and advocacy on legislative and policy issues affecting older Americans including Social Security, Medicare, and long-term care. AARP also publishes AARP The Magazine and The Bulletin, both included with membership. The best time to join is when you turn 50, when you begin to qualify for the full range of age-restricted benefits and discounts and can start taking advantage of planning resources as retirement approaches. Given the cost relative to potential savings on travel alone, membership is widely considered a worthwhile investment for most adults over 50.

Social Security and pensions offer spousal and survivor protections—the higher earner's claiming decisions directly affect the surviving partner's income.

Can My Spouse Collect My Social Security Benefits?

A spouse may collect up to 50% of your benefit at Full Retirement Age—even with little or no work history of their own.

Spouse Retirement Benefits: Does My Spouse Get My Pension When I Die?

Whether your spouse receives pension income after your death depends on the payout option you chose at retirement.

Retirement Depression and Boredom: What Causes It and What Helps?

Leaving a career can trigger unexpected emotional challenges—structure, purpose, and social connection often matter as much as the financial plan.

Finding Purpose in Retirement: Why It Matters and How to Find It

Purpose in retirement rarely arrives on its own—it takes deliberate exploration of what genuinely energizes you beyond your former career.

What to Do in Retirement: Building a Fulfilling Life After Work

The most fulfilled retirees structure time around meaning, connection, and growth—not just passive leisure.

Retirement Lifestyle Planning: Designing the Retirement You Actually Want

Lifestyle planning covers where you live, how you spend time, and who you spend it with—the counterpart to your financial plan.

The Three Phases of Retirement: Go-Go, Slow-Go, and No-Go Years

Retirement spending and activity often shift through go-go, slow-go, and no-go phases—your income plan should match all three.

Retirement and Mental Health: What You Need to Know

Retirement can destabilize identity and social connection—preparing structure, purpose, and support reduces adjustment risk.

Staying Active and Making Friends in Retirement

Physical activity and social connection are among the strongest predictors of health and happiness once workplace structure is gone.

Loss of Identity After Retirement: Understanding and Overcoming It

When work defined your identity for decades, retirement can feel disorienting—building multiple roles before and after work helps.

Should I Move When I Retire?

Relocating can change taxes and cost of living—but proximity to family, healthcare, and established community ties matter too.

Retirement Financial Literacy: The Basics Every New Retiree Needs to Know

Retirement often brings more financial complexity than working years—Social Security, RMDs, Medicare, and tax-efficient withdrawals all interact.

What Is AARP, What Does Membership Include, and When Should You Join?

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