The Fred and Ginny McGill Society

The Fred and Ginny McGill Society honors those who, like the McGills, have a bright vision for the future of the Shoals, are committed to the preservation of the islands for future generations, and have shown that commitment by including Star Island in their estate plans. While so many Shoalers are generous during their lifetime, for some, a larger gift comes as a bequest.

All estate gifts go to the Star Island Permanent Trust to help insure the island’s future. Income from the trust is used to help offset operating expenses. In 2007 and 2008, the trust made the significant gift of nearly $1 million to the Star Island Corporation to pay for necessary safety work and to help offset revenue lost to our late opening summer 2007. We are all working to replenish these funds as soon as possible; future gifts will help the endowment grow so that it offers increasing support to Star over future years.

There are many ways you can join the McGill Society. These include:

• Naming Star in your will or adding a codicil to your existing will.
• Designating Star Island the beneficiary of a certificate of deposit, life insurance policy, commercial annuity or retirement plan.
• Opening a bank account in trust for Star Island.
• Giving a remainder interest in a residence or farm.
• Creating a Charitable Remainder Trust.
• Establishing a Chariatble Gift Annuity (Note: Star Island Corporation CGAs are held by the Unitarian Univeralist Association until maturity).

Do consider including Star Island in your estate plan. Your gift will help ensure that Star Island will be here for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.

If you have already done so, please let us know. We would like to include you in the Society and present you with a commemorative pin in appreciation of your generosity.

If you would like more information about ways to become part of the McGill Society, please contact Angela Matthews, Director of Development, at
or (603) 430-6272.

Naming Star in Your Will

Naming Star Island in your will is the easiest and most profound way to ensure its future. The bequest language we recommend is this:

ìI (or we) (name(s)) of (city, state, and zip) give, devise and bequeath to the Star Island Corporation (amount, or percentage of estate, or description of property), a nonprofit organization (Tax ID #046000828), for its unrestricted use and purpose.î

Charitable Gift Annuities

A Star Island Gift Annuity can provide you with the opportunity to make a smart financial investment in your own future during these times of low interest rates, while supporting Star Island.

Recently, an individual, age 80, called to inquire if a Star Island Gift Annuity could help in her financial planning. She owned stocks paying very low dividends along with money market accounts and bank CDs earning too little interest. She was considering annuities to try to get higher lifetime fixed rates of return to help her deal with her increasing costs of living.

In this example, here is what purchasing a $10,000 gift annuity through Star Island would provide this Shoaler at 80 years of age:

• A fixed annuity rate of 8.0% = approximately $800 per year for life.
• A current income tax charitable deduction of approximately $4,525.
• A tax-free portion equal to 72.8% of each annual amount throughout her normal life expectancy.

The rates for a Star Island Gift Annuity are based on ages of the annuitants. There are single-life rates and joint and survivor rates for two individuals. Older annuitants receive the highest rates. And if cash is used to purchase a Star Island Gift Annuity, a considerable portion of each annuity payment is tax-free.

Our annuities, administered through the UUA, use rates recommended by the American Council on Gift Annuities, which currently range from 4.8% for age 55 to 9.5% for age 90 or above:

Charitable Gift Annuity rates vary as well for two-lives and for deferred gift annuities (payments begin at age 65 for contributors between age 55 and 65).

The Planned Giving program at Star Island Corporation is supported by the Unitarian Universalist Association, which manages our Charitable Gift Annuities. The minimum age is 55 and the minimum gift is $5,000. This program is open to anyone who would like to support Star in this way ñ regardless of religious affiliation. And when you make a gift through this program you will automatically become a member of the McGill Society.

For more information or to receive an illustration of how you can help Star Island and receive a lifetime income and tax benefits through a UUA charitable gift annuity, contact Angela Matthews, Director of Development at (603) 430-6272 or via email at
.