William and Phyllis Rosser Make Tax-Wise Planned Gift with CGA

To say that Northfield Mount Hermon altered the life of William Rosser ’52 is an understatement. He credits the school with expanding his horizons and preparing him to make many of his life’s best choices. Now he and his wife, Phyllis, are making another great decision by using appreciated stock to establish a charitable gift annuity (CGA) to support NMH.

When Bill came to NMH “it was a shock to have to study so hard,” he recalls. Yet the academic skills he gained helped him later earn degrees from Princeton and Harvard. He also benefited from non-academic activities, including working as social secretary, managing the wrestling team, playing on the 1951 undefeated football squad, and serving as houseboy for Chaplain Whyte.

“Bottom line: NMH changed my life in a positive way — character, responsibility, humanity,” he says.

Now the time was right for him and Phyllis, an accomplished sculptor who works with driftwood, to make a substantial gift to NMH. A CGA was a perfect option.

“We wanted a gift that would support faculty and student scholarships,” Bill says. “An annuity appealed to my wife because we were able to use highly appreciated stock and avoid capital-gain tax. Getting an income from the CGA allayed her fears of giving away an asset we might need.”

Bill encourages his fellow alumni to reflect on how much NMH has affected their lives and join him in making a gift.

“The school put me into a whole different world,” Bill says. “I always wanted to give back.”