Westworth United Church will present a series of three workshops on estate planning on February 3, February 10 and February 17, 7:00-8:30 pm. The workshops will be held on Zoom and will include informative presentations and question and answer sessions.
February 3rd part 1. Charitable giving as part of your estate planning
Presented by Norm Velnes
Wills are not just a way to divide up property upon death, but a statement of our living values. Norm will focus on tax efficient ways to support organizations and causes today which are important to you and in the future through your estate plans. This will include the use of bequests, gifts of life insurance, securities, property and other types of charitable gifts.
February 3rd part 2. Roles and responsibilities of churches and funeral homes
Presented by Rev. Loraine McKenzie Shepherd
This presentation will include what is the purpose of funerals/memorial services/celebrations of life? What the church can do and what funeral homes must do. Comparative pricing of funeral home services. Provincial laws governing funeral homes and ash dispersal. Funding support. Funeral pre-planning, including body & organ donation. Pre-paying cautions.
February 10th. Organizing for Death
Presented by Eleanor Wiebe
Make life easier for your family by understanding what to have organized in planning for a time when you are unable to make financial or health care decisions and for your death. This presentation will review legal documents (Will, power of attorney, health care directive) to have in order and information about your affairs which will be helpful to your personal representative. A checklist will be distributed electronically.
February 17th. Legal Aspects of Wills, Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives
Presented by Eleanor Wiebe
This program provides an overview of estate planning issues in Manitoba including understanding the basics of the law when making your Will, Power or Attorney or Heath Care Directive. Topics of joint property, probate fees and general tax aspects of death will be touched on.
Registration
To allow for discussion we would like to limit the number of registrations to 25 sites. More than one person can participate at each site. Please register at office@westworth.ca and put “Estate Planning” in the subject line or call 204-489-6974 ext. 20.
About our presenters
Eleanor Wiebe: Eleanor is a member of Westworth and a retired partner with Fillmore Riley LLP, having retired in 2016. For 34 years, Eleanor worked primarily in the areas of commercial law and wills and estates. In her “retirement”, Eleanor continues to teach the “Wills and Succession” course at the Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba; co-chairs the Wills and Estates Practice Group at Fillmore and presents continuing legal education programs for the Manitoba Bar Association and the Law Society of Manitoba.
Rev. Loraine McKenzie Shepherd: Loraine’s responsibilities include worship, pastoral care, adult education, outreach and administration. She has served rural and urban United Church congregations in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. She has also taught theology and biblical interpretation at the University of Winnipeg. Loraine serves on the General Council Theology and Interchurch Interfaith Committee and the Winnipeg Presbytery Education and Students Committee.
Norm Velnes: Norm is an ordained United Church Minister. Norm was a member of General Conference staff and for many years was their senior consultant for Annuities and Planned Giving. For 11 years he was the Executive Director of the MS Society in Manitoba. Currently Norm is the volunteer President of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund and a Philanthropic Consultant based in Winnipeg.
