Helping Children, Veterans and Himself

Jim Burke is a lifelong baseball fan who feels like he hit a grand slam after establishing two Easterseals Gift Annuities.

"I thought it was a very good arrangement. I could help children, vets and myself," the 87-year-old retired plumber says.

For more than 30 years, Jim has been giving steadily to Easterseals, in keeping with the priority he places on tithing—voluntarily giving away 10 percent of his annual income. "I've tried to stay right on course with that," he says. 

Easterseals' mission has long had personal meaning for Jim, a Navy veteran of World War II. He was his mother's caregiver after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and he later cared for his father, as well. 

"Easterseals is a very good organization that helps veterans and other people with disabilities," he says. 

Last year, Jim contacted Easterseals about making a different kind of gift: two charitable gift annuities, one funded with cash and another with savings bonds.

"Jim and I worked with Jim's bank to value the bonds," says Mary Mucci, senior planned gift officer. "Since they had matured, much of the value would be subject to tax. So understanding the tax implications was important before Jim made the gift. In the end, income received from the first year's annuity payment, along with the charitable deduction, completely offset all taxes due."

"Mary was great," Jim says, noting that the whole process was easy. "There was nothing to it really … 1, 2, 3."

Now Jim is enjoying guaranteed regular income payments for life, plus the satisfaction of knowing his gift will support Easterseals beyond his lifetime. "It's a win-win situation," he says.