SIMON

Simon donates portion of fees

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2009-04-01T00:00:00

In October 2007, Mort Simon decided to come out of semi-retirement and resume his financial services business full time so he could donate more to charities.

Since then, he has donated 15 to 25 percent of all fees and commissions to his clients’ charity of choice. To date, he has donated about $20,000 to Jewish and secular charities, including $1,200 to B’nai B’rith Camp, for which he spent eight years running a golf tournament as a fundraiser. 

“I worked with charities for 30 years and I haven’t met a non-profit yet that has enough money to do all it wants to do,” said Simon in explaining why resumed working five days a week and created his donation program. 

Simon said he hopes eventually to be able to donate $100,000 a year. 

“I want to be a philanthropist,” he said. “If I can give $100,000 a year, then I feel I could talk to anybody and say, ‘Look what I’m doing, why can’t you do twice what you’re doing?’ If it doesn’t work out, then I’ll go back to working a day or two a week.”

In addition to his past fund-raising efforts for BB Camp, Simon said he also has solicited for the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland for about 15 years. He is a past president of Congregation Shaarie Torah and a past member of the board of Mittleman Jewish Community Center.

In addition to traditional financial services such as investments in stocks, bonds and mutual funds, Simon also offers a range of investments that are buffered from today’s volatile economy. Simon said investing in the market is fine for the long-term, but people nearing retirement age should consider shifting funds to recession-proof investments such as annuities, CDs and money market accounts.

“I’ve sold safety for 40 years,” he said. 

Simon also specializes in medical risk evaluation and life insurance.

“People with high risk disease often think they can’t get life insurance,” said Simon. “But two years post cancer or post heart attack, I can get them life insurance for attractive rates.”

For more information, contact Simon Financial Services at 503-516-7843 or mjsimon10@msn.com.