Tax-Free Income

Rather than selling some of his appreciated stock, Kent Christoferson gave it to the University of Oregon. Now his income from charitable gift annuities exceeds what he formerly received in stock dividends.

Kent Christoferson was looking for a way to help the University of Oregon's Museum of Natural and Cultural History when he learned about charitable gift annuities.

He says the opportunity to provide for the museum's financial future while improving on the amount of income he'd been getting from stock dividends was just too good to pass up.

"I'm also tickled because the interest rate for any additional gift annuities I might establish will go up after my half birthday this July," Christoferson grins. "It's one of the bonuses of approaching 80."

The retired eye surgeon says his satisfying career and adventurous lifestyle would not have been possible without access to higher education, starting with his bachelor's degree in science from the University of Minnesota.

"For my undergraduate work, I was lucky to get into the Naval V-12 college training program," he says.

"It was really spectacular. But the dollar now isn't the same as it was when I was in school. When I look at the fees for student housing, I don't know how they manage it."