What is it that makes our students so enthusiastic, creative, inquisitive, smart and successful? YOU do, and we surely appreciate your support of White Mountain.

The White Mountain School, like all independent schools, relies heavily on alumnae/i, parents, neighbors and friends for support. The very foundation of independent education in America is charitable support, be it Harvard College in 1636 or thousands of pre-collegiate schools like ours established since then. Operating without tax support or profit, the independent school is sustained by the good works and charitable resources of the community it serves. Charitable support is an integral part of the tradition and culture of an independent school.

Your gifts help us continue to thrive and improve the offerings here at White Mountain and directly impact the School's immediate and long-term fiscal well-being. Our general endowment stands at less than $2,000,000, so annual gifts to White Mountain are even more critical for us than for those schools fortunate to have endowments of $10,000,000 or more. Your generous gifts are put to work the very day they are received on the campus in Bethlehem, New Hampshire.

The 2007-2008
White Mountain School
Annual Fund
Our Goal - $263,000

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT WILL YOU MAKE?

One of the deepest experiences of being human is knowing that you have made an impact on the world. Knowing that you have made a difference. That you have accomplished something that will carry on. From childhood to the ends of our lives we search for ways to make a mark on our world. Philanthropy is a powerful expression of this fundamental human longing. As adults we give because we still want to change the world in positive and lasting ways.

WHAT DOES MY GIFT TO THE WMS ANNUAL FUND SUPPORT?

• Scholarships for students with financial needs
• Enhanced academic programs
• Classroom supplies & equipment
• Special offerings in the arts, humanities and wilderness skills
• Sports equipment & uniforms
• Computer and technology upgrades
• Faculty salaries and professional development opportunities
• Student services and activities
• Campus maintenance & improvements…and much more!

Make your impact today by giving to The White Mountain School Annual Fund. Your gift, no matter how large or small, does a great deal of good at a school as small as ours. Your generosity makes it possible for students to experience the life-changing benefits of this small school with its big outdoors. Thanks to you, White Mountain School and its caring, dedicated, talented teachers help our students accomplish amazing things. Our ambitious goal for The 2007-2008 Annual Fund is $263,000.

As you know, a student can not get lost in a crowd here. Neither will your gift.

Please make a gift today at a level that is significant to you. There is no “right” amount. You will feel great knowing that your contribution is helping students in meaningful ways. Experience the joy of making an impact.

CAPITAL GIFTS TO WHITE MOUNTAIN

In addition to annual gifts, some alumnae/i, parents and friends also choose to support White Mountain with pledges and gifts for other purposes such as boosting the endowment fund, new construction efforts and campaigns, purchasing new and unplanned equipment for a program of interest or perhaps establishing new scholarship funds at the school.

Such discussions are always welcomed, and gifts like these provide White Mountain students the competitive edge, and keep our school on the cutting edge in a very competitive independent school market. YOU could truly change our school, or a program within our school, with a major or planned gift. To learn more about these transformational types of gifts, drop us an email or give us a call. Development Director Nick Zaharias can be reached at nick.zaharias@whitemountain.org or by calling at 603-444-2928, x16.

The recently completed Fred Steele Science Center is a terrific example of donors stepping forward to help us improve our great school:

THE MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT WMS

Giving can take a variety of forms, and careful planning can help maximize the advantages both to you and to The White Mountain School.

Here are some of the ways that you can give:

CASH or CREDIT CARD

Gifts of cash are the most direct and popular type of charitable gift. They are fully deductible for federal income tax purposes to the extent provided by law. Cash gifts can be made by personal or cashier’s check or credit card. If you'd like to pay by check, please make your check payable to "The White Mountain School." If you’d like to make a gift by credit card, please call the Development Office at 603.444.2928, ext. 32.

APPRECIATED SECURITIES

Gifts of stock, bonds, and other securities may offer considerable capital gains tax savings for you. You may be able to save on taxes twice - a gift of appreciated securities to WMS allows you to avoid capital gains tax on your appreciation while providing a tax deduction for the full amount of your gift. For more information on making a gift of securities, please call Director of Development Nick Zaharias at 603.444.2928 extension 16. We can fax or email an information sheet to you or your advisor which explains this popular and simple option for giving. This sheet contains all the information you will need to initiate an immediate electronic transfer to White Mountain.

PLANNED GIFTS

Planned gifts to WMS enable you to make a lasting contribution to the school you love – a contribution that will have a significant impact even beyond your lifetime. When carefully included as part of your estate planning process, planned gifts such bequests enable you to make a difference at WMS while providing first for your financial security during your lifetime and for the needs of your family. Other types of planned gifts provide lifetime income for the donor while also helping a donor realize meaningful tax savings. We suggest you consult your attorney or financial advisor before making a planned gift of any type.

If you intend to make a bequest to the school, we hope you will let us know. Informing us of your testamentary intentions helps us plan for the future of WMS accordingly. But more importantly, it gives us the opportunity to recognize you and thank you for your generosity by making you a member of The Bishop Niles Legacy Society. Plus, by letting us know, we can begin planning now for the impact your eventual gift will have on the school.

We appreciate that a bequest to a charitable institution such as WMS is an expression of your strongest convictions, and that such a commitment is deeply significant to you. Therefore, we would like the opportunity to express our sincere gratitude. But we can’t thank you if we don’t know who you are! No estate is too modest for a bequest, and no bequest is too small to be important to WMS.

Beyond thanking you for your generosity, we hope that by recognizing you and thus increasing the visibility of the Bishop Niles Legacy Society, your gift will be an inspiration to other members of the WMS community to make a similar commitment to help ensure the long-term future of the school.

For more information, or to discuss your ideas in a confidential way, please contact Nick Zaharias, Director of Development, by phone at 603.444.2928, ext. 16 or by e-mail at nick.zaharias@whitemountain.org.

BEQUESTS

Bequests to WMS are a simple way to make a lasting contribution to the school you love. As part of your estate planning process, bequests enable you to make a difference at WMS while providing first for your financial security during your lifetime and for the needs of your family. As always, we suggest you consult your attorney or financial advisor before making a planned gift of any type.

• Sample Language for a Bequest
  You have a wide range of ways to support the work of The White Mountain School through a bequest. The following examples represent the most common forms you might choose as you work with your attorney on a charitable bequest.
• General Bequest
  I give to The White Mountain School, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, (insert here the sum of money or description of property) to be used as the Board of Trustees may direct.
• Bequest for a Specific Purpose
  I give to The White Mountain School, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, (insert here the sum of money or description of property) to establish the (NAME) Fund (include fund description, e.g., for scholarship endowment, for faculty support, for building construction, etc.)
• Residual Bequest
  I give to The White Mountain School, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, all, or a portion (e.g., a stated percentage) of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal, to be used as the Board of Trustees may direct.
• Contingent Bequest
  In the event that any of the above named beneficiaries shall not survive me, or shall die during the administration of my estate, within ninety (90) days from the date of my death, or as a result of common disaster, then I give all my said estate, real and personal to The White Mountain School, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, to be used as the Board of Trustees may direct.

For more information, please contact Nick Zaharias, Director of Development, by phone at 603.444.2928, ext. 16 or by e-mail at nick.zaharias@whitemountain.org.

RETIREMENT PLAN GIVING

Retirement plans and IRAs can be the most highly taxed assets in an estate. With income tax on distributions and possible estate taxes factored in, the total tax bill for heirs can exceed 70% of the assets.

Because The White Mountain School is a tax-exempt institution, ownership of retirement assets can pass to the school without taxation. For a highly tax-effective bequest, consider naming The White Mountain School as a beneficiary of an IRA, Keogh, tax-sheltered annuity, or qualified pension or profit-sharing plan. This is an option you may want to discuss with your financial advisor.

LIFE INSURANCE GIFTS

Life insurance gifts empower you to make a generous financial contribution to The White Mountain School when you may not have many assets. In addition to providing you with the opportunity to become a member of the Bishop Niles Legacy Society, your gift will help ensure that future generations of students will have the opportunity to experience a life-changing White Mountain School Education.

There are several ways that you can structure a gift of life insurance to The White Mountain School:

• You can make The White Mountain School the owner and beneficiary of an already existing paid-up life insurance policy. By doing so, you may be able to deduct an amount equal to the approximate cash value in the year that you make the gift. Since White Mountain School becomes the owner of the policy, the proceeds will not be included in your estate for tax purposes.
• You can make The White Mountain School a beneficiary of an already existing life insurance policy. Upon your passing, the full face value amount of the policy will go to the national organization. Although the proceeds from the policy will be included in your gross estate, the full amount received by WMS may be deductible as a charitable deduction. To make White Mountain School a beneficiary of an already existing life insurance policy, you can simply request a beneficiary designation form from your employer or insurance company.
• You can make The White Mountain School owner and beneficiary of a policy on which you are still paying premiums. As with donating an already existing paid-up policy, you may be able to deduct an amount equal to the approximate cash value of the policy in the year that it is made. You may also be able to deduct any future premium payments, and the proceeds will not be included in your estate for tax purposes.
• You can purchase a new policy and make WMS the owner and beneficiary. Because WMS is the owner, you may be able to deduct premiums as charitable contributions for as long as the premiums are paid, subject to state limitations. In addition, the proceeds will not be included in your estate for tax purposes.
• You can donate your excess group-term coverage to The White Mountain School (if you participate in a group-term life insurance policy through your workplace). Excess coverage is an excellent way to make a valuable gift to WMS that not only doesn't cost you a dime in premiums, but in fact, saves you money. To make this gift, simply inform your company's benefits department.

RETAINED LIFE ESTATE

Let’s assume you like the tax advantages that a charitable gift of real estate would offer, but you want to continue living in your personal residence for your lifetime. Did you realize that you could give WMS your home, even though you continue living there?

It’s true. It’s called a retained life estate.

A gift of your home, farm, vacation home, or condominium, even with stipulations about occupancy, results in a charitable deduction on your income tax. The retained life estate may also provide you with a way to let someone other than you or your spouse (perhaps a sibling or child) have life occupancy of your home with reduced tax obligations.

Benefits for you

• Lifetime use of the residence for you and/or another person.
• Income tax savings through a charitable deduction.
• Estate tax savings for you and/or your spouse.
• Ability to gift only partial interest in property and receive tax advantages.

For more information, please contact Nick Zaharias, Director of Development, by phone at 603.444.2928, ext. 16 or by e-mail at nick.zaharias@whitemountain.org.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteering on campus, in the classroom, speaking to the students at morning meeting, or offering your home for an alumnae/i or prospective student reception are terrific ways to connect and share your expertise, skills, and talents with today's students. You'll inspire today's students for future greatness. Contact the Alumnae/i Office.

RECOMMENDING STUDENTS TO WHITE MOUNTAIN

Recommending your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and neighbors to WMS is one of the greatest shows of support.
Alumnae/i have created family legacies at WMS, entrusting the school with their children and grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Contact Admissions Office or submit an online inquiry.