Planning for Retirement with a Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity: It’s a Win-Win
Jan Gimar ’73 recalls the Open Semester program as one of the opportunities that led him to apply to Trinity. That program, along with a generous financial aid package and the news that Trinity had voted to become co-educational, created a “perfect storm” of circumstances, and Jan headed east to Hartford from his small town in Kansas.
Jan’s internship in the U.S. Senate complemented political sciences courses he took with Professors McKee, Jacobson, and Reilly. However, learning does not stop outside the walls of the classroom. “I was news director at WRTC my freshman and sophomore years, managing editor of the Tripod, and secretary, house manager, and president of Pi Kappa Alpha.” When asked about his strongest memories, Gimar doesn’t miss a beat: “ABC Pizza parties in Wheaton; the friendships made at Pike, and the “Faculty Night” dinners.” He also poignantly remembers covering the Kent State shootings as news director for the radio station.
Trinity prepared him well for his career as an executive with the Boy Scouts of America. “My classes gave me the background to converse with the educators, civic leaders, scientists, and religious leaders. My extracurricular experiences gave me the confidence and skills needed for sales, media relations, writing, and group leadership. A Liberal Arts education gives one flexibility, adaptability and the perspective to understand the world through the lens of science, faith, and human interaction.”
Gimar’s views on philanthropy are straightforward. “If we honestly evaluate how our Trinity education has contributed to who we have become, we should recognize that we all owe a debt to the college.” This was the impetus for Gimar to establish a deferred charitable gift annuity. It is a simple way to make a gift now, receive a current charitable income tax deduction, and receive an income stream in the future, which can supplement other retirement income. “The deferred charitable gift annuity gave me a better return during my lifetime than leaving the money in a 1% IRA. I made a wise investment on behalf of my retirement and Trinity’s future. It’s a win-win for me and for the College.