November 4, 2013
Sometimes, it’s knowing what you don’t know that makes all the difference. That’s why the Office of Gift Planning at St. John’s University is committed to providing our alumni with the most up-to-date information regarding estate and financial planning.
The tax laws change every year, and it can be difficult for the average person to keep current about what they need to understand. When it comes to monetary decisions, making the wrong choices can have devastating effects for both individuals and their families.
Fortunately, the St. John’s community has access to a number of professional alumni who specialize in such matters. These men and women participate in a twice-yearly panel discussion in which they share their experience and expertise on topics that include tax and estate planning, legal matters and tips for successful financial planning now and in the future.
This year’s event was sponsored by Frank Riggio ’80CBA and his partner George Taub of the Renaissance Financial Group. Riggio serves as President of the Tobin College of Business Alumni Association (TCBAA) and is committed to sharing his financial expertise with his fellow St. John’s alumni.
Known as Meet the Experts, the program is one of the many ways in which the Office of Gift Planning helps to address the financial concerns and issues impacting the University’s alumni and friends.
“Our alumni are very committed to staying connected to St. John’s,” noted Gift Planning Director Susan Damiani ’87CBA. “and one of the ways they do that is by helping their fellow graduates. They have a talent for bringing the particulars of estate and financial planning down to its simplest terms, which is a great benefit for anyone who wants to have a safe and secure future while protecting their assets for themselves and their heirs.”
Alumni greatly appreciate the University’s commitment to guiding them along the path to intelligent resource management.
Rudolph Funke ’66CBA, ’69L is a retired attorney who attends Meet the Experts nearly every year. As a former legal practitioner he is well aware of the importance of planning for the future, not at the last minute but at a time when he can thoughtfully look into the various options available to him.
“The Office of Gift Planning always does a great job in keeping alumni current on everything from changes in the tax laws to what’s important to know when we’re planning our estates,” said Funke. “It’s really important that people be aware of everything that is involved in estate planning. The information can be confusing because there’s so much of it, and because parts of it are always changing. Making intelligent estate plans isn’t something a person can just fall into. The government is very interested in what happens with people’s estates, so informed planning is something that every person needs. I want to be sure that things go the right way when I’m not here anymore.”
For Arthur Albro ’63GEd, attending Meet the Experts was all about learning what he needed to know to make the most of his retirement. Albro spent 33 years as a Teacher and Guidance Counselor in the New York City Board of Education, and is now concerned about having the resources necessary to sustain him now that his working days are over. He acknowledges that St. John’s has always been important to him, and now that he has more free time he is reconnecting by attending many University alumni events.
“I’m here today because I want to learn from the experts how to make the best financial plans for the future and make the best use of my assets for today and tomorrow,” he said. “I’ve been retired for several years now and I want to learn how the experts suggest is the best way to handle retirement. I want to get a sense of what my financial situation will be like in the future. The information from this event will definitely be helpful to me. Of course, it all depends on whether I utilize any of it, but first I have to know about it before I can use it.”
We are grateful to Frank Riggio and the Renaissance Financial Group for their sponsorship of this event.
To learn more about the many benefits available to alumni through the Office of Gift Planning, contact Susan Damiani at (718) 990-7562 or e-mail [email protected]