How AARP is Working for You

AARP wrote to U.S. senators this week endorsing the Women’s Retirement Protection Act, which aims to help women prepare for retirement and protect their savings.

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Patty Murray, would prevent the withdrawal of retirement funds by one spouse without the consent of the other. It also would establish grants to boost financial literacy among working and retired women and require sellers of retirement financial products to provide buyers with consumer protection information.

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AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins joined U.S. senators on Capitol Hill Thursday to mark the first anniversary of last year’s historic prescription drug law, which lowers drug prices for millions of Americans on Medicare.

Calling the law’s passage “a monumental achievement,” Jenkins vowed to continue AARP’s decades-long fight to lower drug prices for seniors who are struggling to pay for their medications.

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We applaud lawmakers in Rhode Island for passing AARP-backed legislation that aims to warn consumers about the rising danger of gift card scams.

The legislation, which Gov. Daniel McKee signed into law on June 20, requires retailers that sell gift cards to post prominent warnings about related scams wherever the cards are displayed.

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For many years, AARP has fought at the federal and state levels to help America’s 48 million family caregivers save time and money. These unsung heroes are the backbone of our country’s broken long-term care system providing $600 billion in unpaid labor annually.

For all we’ve achieved, a great deal of work remains to be done. More and better options to provide caregivers with information, training, financial support, community services, and leave policies in the workplace are high on our agenda — and needed more than ever.

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We applaud state lawmakers in Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada and Vermont for passing AARP-supported legislation to help private-sector workers save for retirement.

State-facilitated retirement savings programs in Minnesota, Vermont and Nevada would begin in 2025. Missouri's governor signed a bill into law July 6 that creates a voluntary public-private retirement option for small businesses.

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AARP Foundation is supporting an age discrimination lawsuit filed against a Connecticut hospital over its policy to require cognitive and vision testing for older medical staff to keep their hospital privileges.

The foundation, which litigates on behalf of older adults, filed an amicus brief supporting the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in its case against Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). The hospital’s “Late Career Practitioner Policy” requires neuropsychological and eye exams for physicians and other medical staff who are 70 and older.

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For years, we’ve been fighting for laws to reduce or eliminate state taxes on Social Security income, and we notched a major win in Missouri this month.

Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation July 6 that would allow all Missourians to deduct Social Security income on their state tax returns starting in 2024. Previously, state tax on Social Security was only exempt for those 62 or older with taxable income of up to $85,000, or $100,000 for a couple filing jointly.

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Older adults in New Jersey will soon see lower property tax bills thanks to AARP-backed legislation signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

Garden State residents pay the highest property taxes in the nation, with an average tax bill of $9,500. The legislation, which Murphy signed into law June 30, will give residents 65 and older a 50 percent credit on their property taxes, up to $6,500, starting in 2026. Homeowners with incomes less than $500,000 are eligible.

The law also immediately expands two property tax relief programs for older, lower-income homeowners and renters.

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