AARP urges continued focus on solutions that can strengthen financial security for Wisconsinites 50+

MILWAUKEE, WI – AARP Wisconsin was pleased to hear both candidates for governor focus during tonight’s debate on rising costs and the financial pressures facing Wisconsin families, issues that older voters consistently identify as top concerns. The organization encourages the candidates to continue addressing these issues in the final days of the campaign.

Wisconsinites age 50-plus are a powerful voice in determining the state’s future: more than 1.9 million Wisconsin voters age 50-plus cast ballots in the 2024 general election, accounting for nearly 60% of all ballots cast.

“We were encouraged to hear both candidates recognize what Wisconsinites are experiencing every day: rising costs are putting real pressure on household budgets,” said Raj Shukla, AARP Wisconsin State Director. “Older Wisconsinites are engaged, they vote, and they are looking for solutions that will strengthen their financial security and help them prepare for the future. Tonight’s discussion showed that the candidates are hearing those concerns, and we hope affordability remains a priority throughout this campaign.”

Recent AARP polling reinforces those concerns. Among voters age 50-plus surveyed across 43 battleground congressional districts, including Wisconsin’s 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts, rising prices and affordability rank as the top issue heading into the election, with groceries and gasoline their biggest price concerns.

For AARP Wisconsin, addressing affordability means advancing practical policies that help Wisconsinites remain financially secure and independent as they age. Priorities include:

  • Expanding access to retirement savings. More than one in three Wisconsin private-sector employees lack access to an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. AARP Wisconsin supports a public-private retirement savings option that would help more workers save for their future.
  • Supporting family caregivers. Wisconsin’s approximately one million family caregivers provide an estimated $11.1 billion in unpaid care annually and spend an average of $7,200 of their own money each year on caregiving expenses.
  • Protecting Wisconsinites from fraud and financial exploitation. Wisconsinites lost more than $194 million to scams in 2025. AARP Wisconsin has identified policies including Report and Hold and a Fraud Restitution Fund among its priorities for combating financial exploitation.

“These are practical issues that affect families in every corner of Wisconsin,” Shukla said. “We appreciate seeing affordability receive attention in this campaign, and we look forward to continuing the conversation about solutions that can help people save for retirement, support the loved ones they care for and protect the financial security they’ve worked hard to build.”