Berton and Barbara Kirshner were focused on retirement planning when they first approached The Foundation in 1997. Already charitably inclined, Bert and Barbara made regular contributions to the United Jewish Fund and other charities. They knew about The Foundation's reputation for top-notch investment management and its expertise in sophisticated estate planning techniques.

Looking ahead to their retirement, the couple was interested in making a charitable investment that would provide them a consistent income stream for life while also supporting their favorite charities. Together they set up a Charitable Remainder Trust whose remainder interest will establish the Berton M. and Barbara R. Kirshner Endowment Fund. Bert and Barbara designated the United Jewish Fund as the primary beneficiary of their Endowment Fund, with additional annual support going to Vista del Mar Child and Family Services, Cedars-Sinai and Jewish Big Brothers. They chose The Foundation to serve as trustee of their Charitable Remainder Trust.

Working with The Foundation was a very positive experience for my wife and me. We had a substantial amount of appreciated securities at the time, which we wanted to use for a charitable investment. The Foundation's staff guided us through all the different options. In the end, we decided a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust made the most sense. It would provide a reliable source of income for us, significant savings on capital gains and income taxes and, ultimately, a perpetual source of support for our favorite charities.

The remainder of our Charitable Trust is earmarked to fund an endowment in our name, which will primarily support the Jewish Federation's annual campaign through the United Jewish Fund.

When my wife passed away in 2003, it meant even more to me that we had jointly created this Endowment Fund, as it will now stand as a permanent memorial to Barbara and the commitment we shared to giving back to our community."

Berton M. Kirshner