Looking back on my 35-year career in the financial services industry, both as a Wall Street executive and as president of my independent investment advisory firm, I have recently been contemplating future aspirations and goals. Our firm has a long track record of successfully helping clients manage their investments in a tax-efficient manner. We operate as a fee-based investment adviser with no conflicts of interest such as attaining sales targets or selling commission-based products.
Last year was the 20th anniversary of the establishment of our firm, Caplan Capital Management, Inc. During the next 20 years, we are laser focused on continuing our pursuit of generating healthy and tax-efficient returns for our clients. But as many clients enter their retirement years, we plan to help them not only transition to, God willing, a long and fulfilling retirement, but we also hope to help them plan for their charitable giving and perhaps creating a charitable legacy.
On Sunday, May 7, Caplan Capital Management, Inc. will be hosting its first annual “Living Charitably” event in conjunction with the Highland Park “Run-in-the-Park” 5K run. We have enlisted a motivated group of all ages who will be running on “Team Caplan Capital.” Each participant will have a non-profit charitable organization on whose behalf they will be running. After the race, we will be hosting a “Breakfast of Charitable Champions” at which I will be discussing innovative ways for ordinary folks to step up their charitable giving without costing a penny.
Some of the topics will include the option of donating appreciated assets to reduce one’s taxes and how to avoid the tax hit when taking required minimum distributions from qualified retirement plans.
The main focus will be setting up one’s own charitable foundation and using it as a tax-efficient vehicle for charitable giving. My wife, Lori, and I have started our own foundation named the Caplan Capital Charitable Foundation. We plan to use this vehicle not only for increasing our own charitable giving but also to help raise thousands of dollars by sponsoring charitable events. Our goal this year is to raise “5K” or $5,000. In future years, we will increase our financial commitment to this and other innovative charitable events. Our goal is to raise and give away over $100,000 over the next 10 years.
Caplan Capital Management will be making donations in honor of all our runners. Our runners are mainly from the Teaneck and Highland Park Jewish communities. One of our runners, Ezra Chefitz, will be running to support Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). Ezra won the Highland Park 5K in 2015 with a time of 17:37 and is hoping for a repeat performance. Other participants will be running on behalf of a diverse group of charities including Magen David Adom, Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva and the Highland Park Mikvah. As a staunch supporter of our armed services I will be running on behalf of Wounded Warriors Project.
At Caplan Capital Management, Inc., our top priority is client experience and satisfaction. But we are now endeavoring to encourage our clients and our community members to help make a difference in their communities and the world at large. Living Charitably is not just a slogan. It is a way of life.
For more information on how you can participate please visit www.caplancapital.com/event.
By Jonathan D. Caplan
Jonathan D. Caplan is the founder and president of Caplan Capital Management, Inc. He earned his B.A from Yeshiva University and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.
