Commun ty Matters Clay Center Presbyterian Manor
COMING UP IN COMMUNITY MATTERS:
Everyone has a story to tell
You can hardly turn on the television without being reminded that we are in a presidential election year. We’re looking for residents with a story to tell about a memorable election or voting experience. What motivates you to go to the polls? Did you ever hold public office? What was that like? Did you work on a famous politician’s campaign or meet a famous politician? Tell us your story. If you’ve got a story to share about living out your civic responsibility, contact Heather Germann, marketing director, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
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January 2016
Residents recall winter memories The snowstorm I played the hero By Russell James
It was NewYear’s Eve back in the 1970s, the wind was blowing the snow, and it had re-closed the country road by the farm. I kept the grader in my yard, so I jumped on it and took off to clean the road. I had just went a little way, and then I saw two young men without coats, gloves or hats walking toward me.The young men had driven their car into the ditch and decided to start walking to their house about a mile away. They were not dressed for the bitterly cold weather, and they would have frozen to death if I hadn’t come along to find them. From time to time, I see one of those young men, who is of course middle aged, and he still thanks me for saving his life.
My most memorable snow storm By Marie Cain
The most memorable snow storm of my life was when my husband and I were living in Santa Monica, Calif., and were traveling home to Clay Center for Christmas. Our baby daughter was 5 months old, and she rode in a bed that hooked on the back of the front seat.We also picked up the wife of a coworker of my husband, who needed to get to her parents. Neither of us had met her before.
All went well until we arrived the first night after dark in Albuquerque, N.M., where the highway patrol told us we could go no further because of snow falling and a bad blizzard ahead.We soon found out we were not the first people they had stopped at the motel.There was one room left, which had a full bed, dresser and chair for three adults and a baby. Believe it or not, we worked it out. I pulled a drawer out of the dresser and lined it with blankets, and put our daughter in it and she went right to sleep. It was not too warm in the room, so we adults crowded into bed with our clothes on. My husband woke up early, went to the restaurant, and found out they were running and told us girls to wake up and eat, which we did, as soon as we felt we looked halfway presentable! My husband had saved places for us at the counter, where we had cooked oatmeal and coffee. There were plenty “oh, my, they have a baby!”We were able to continue on our way after breakfast and arrived in Kansas safe and sound. Winter memories continued on page 2
Winter memories cont. from page 1
My husband’s Thanksgiving snowstorm By CatherineWilkens
My husband Emil drove the Washington County Creamery truck. He was on his usual route picking up cream and eggs when he was caught in a snowstorm. His truck was stuck in the snow, and it was the day before Thanksgiving. He was
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Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Clay Center Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org.
Mike Derousseau, executive director Heather Germann, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Heather Germann, hgermann@pmma.org.
Telephone: 785-632-5646 Fax: 785-632-5874 Address: 924 Eighth St., Clay Center, KS 67432-2620
Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. ClayCenterPresbyterianManor.org
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lucky enough to walk to a nearby farmhouse.The family there took him in, and he stayed the night.
He didn’t make it home until Thanksgiving afternoon. Boy, was I ever thankful to have him home. Even to this day I hate to go far in the winter for fear of getting caught in a snowstorm.
Family friendly snow storm By Ruth Proctor
My Uncle Earl, Aunt Nellie, me and my cousin Donald were going from Clay Center home to Oakhill.When we got to Butler Hills we could go no further
because the snow was coming down fast, and it was too deep to drive on home.We got out of the car and walked to a nearby farmhouse,The Mitchells, whose son had just gotten married. They had given the newlyweds all of their extra bedding, so the adults set up all night and let us kids have the beds. We had to wait until the snow plows went through before we could go home. Snowstorms were also fun for us kids, because back then the snow stayed on the ground longer.We had this big hill in our pasture and people from all over brought their sleds (all different shapes and sizes) and loved to go sledding down the hill.There was a hedger all down at the bottom of the hill, so we had to roll off the sled, but we hit the bottom.
4 rules for giving your heirs money while you're alive
Before making a gift, be sure you know these tax implications
By Nick Clements, Next Avenue Leaving money to heirs upon your death, by contrast, is a lot less taxing than you might expect. For inheritances, the 2015 federal estate tax exemption is $5.43 million per person. That means 99. 8 percent of people never have to pay an estate tax, because so few people have assets that exceed $5.43 million. If you want to give money to your children or grandchildren while you are still alive, you have options. The goods news is that the estate tax exemption is a lifetime exemption that can also be used for gifts. Every dollar that you give as a gift today will just reduce the amount that you can transfer tax-free at the time of your death.
Tax planning is complicated and tax laws change frequently, so if you do want to give your kids or grandkids money soon, meet with your tax adviser to come up with a workable plan.You don’t want to overestimate your retirement income and become excessively generous with gifts you’ll later regret.
4 tax rules for gifts to your heirs
If you do decide to provide gifts to your children or grandchildren while you’re still alive, you even have opportunities beyond the $5.43 lifetime exemption. Here are four considerations that you can discuss with your estate planner: Heirs continued on page 4
Clay Center Presbyterian Manor honored for achievements
Clay Center Presbyterian Manor received a certificate of recognition from Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America for reaching goals in fiscal year 2015, July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015. The recognition came through PMMA’s new Emerald Awards Program, designed to encourage its 18 locations to achieve high levels of resident and employee satisfaction, meet financial goals, build philanthropic support for the organization’s mission and meet marketing goals. There are 11 areas measured for the Emerald Awards. To receive an emerald, a community has to meet its goals in all 11 areas. Certificates of recognition were given out to communities that reached their goals in one or more category. Clay Center was recognized for achieving a 5-star rating Mike Derousseau, executive director, center, accepts an Emerald Certificate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, meeting from Bruce Shogren, chief executive officer, left, and Bill Taylor, chief marketing and occupancy goals, meeting net operation operations officer, right, of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. Clay income goals, and building philanthropic support for the Center Presbyterian Manor was recognized for achieving a 5-star rating organization’s mission to provide quality senior services from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, meeting marketing and guided by Christian values. occupancy goals, meeting net operation income goals, and building philanthropic support for the organization’s mission to provide quality “This recognition is a visible sign of Clay Center senior services guided by Christian values. Presbyterian Manor’s commitment to the mission of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America has been providing PMMA of providing quality senior services guided by quality senior services in Kansas and Missouri for more than Christian values,” said Bruce Shogren, chief executive 65 years. officer for PMMA.
Clay Center Presbyterian Manor’s Art is Ageless Clay Center Presbyterian Manor has issued a call for entries for the Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held Feb. 27, 2016. Entries of artistic works will be accepted from any area artist who is 65 years of age or older to exhibit and/or compete for an opportunity to be featured in the 2017 Art is Ageless calendar.
The Art is Ageless® Program encourages Clay Center Presbyterian Manor residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as
well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year.
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judged at the systemwide level.
Entry forms and information can be picked up at Clay Center Presbyterian Manor, 924 Eighth St., Clay Center, or by contacting Germann at 785-632Having a creative outlet benefits 5646 or hgermann@pmma.org. Or go online to ArtIsAgeless.org to view the mind, body and spirit. rules, download an entry form or enter “The exhibit and competition always online. draw a wide array of impressive Artists may choose to enter the exhibit artwork from talented seniors,” said Heather Germann, marketing director. only. For the competition, works are to have been completed in the past five “We’re expecting this to be another years (since January 2011). There are great year for creativity and variety of nine categories, as well as designations works on exhibit.” of amateur or professional. Works to be Local competition winners will join winners 17 other Presbyterian Manors entered for judging need to be at Presbyterian Manor by Feb. 23, 2016. of Mid-America communities to be
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Heirs continued from page 2
1.The amount of tax-free gifts is capped each year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sets a maximum gift-tax exclusion annually. For 2015, it’s $14,000 per person.You can give that amount to as many people as you like, and each spouse has his or her own annual $14,000 limit. So if you and your spouse have two grandchildren, both of you can gift $14,000 to each child for a total amount in tax-free gifts of $56,000. And remember, these are tax-free gifts above
and beyond the $5.43 million exemption limit. 2. Medical, dental and tuition expenses can be excluded from that cap. If the reason you want to make a gift is for your child’s or grandchild’s medical or dental bills or tuition, this money can be exempt from the annual gift limitations. However, in order to ensure these gifts are taxexempt, you have to pay the doctor, dentist or school directly. Although tuition expenses are exempt, there’s no educational exclusion for books, supplies or housing.The medical
exclusion doesn’t apply to amounts paid for medical care that are reimbursed by your insurance. Be careful about making your grandchild’s tuition payments directly to a college. A direct payment by anyone other than the parent will be counted as cash support, which will could reduce the amount of aid for the child. 3.You can give away more through a 529 college savings plan. Contributions to statesponsored 529 plans are not exempt
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Clay Center Presbyterian Manor 924 Eighth St. Clay Center, KS 67432-2620
LEAVE LEA AVE US A C COMPLIMENT. OMPLIMENT IMENT T. GO ONLINE and SHARE YOUR GREA REA AT T EXPERIENCE EXPERIENC CE WITH US
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Heirs continued from above
One tip for grandparents: If you open a 529 for for your grandchild, he or she from the gift tax limit, but you can could end up losing a lot of financial aid. make five years of contributions at one There is a workaround, though. Have time without triggering a gift tax. your son or daughter open the 529 and Most states let you deduct your then you can contribute to it. donation from your state income tax 4. Beware the “kiddie tax.” This law return, up to their limit. was created to make sure that parents Once your money is in a 529, the didn’t give stocks to children under 24 earnings will be deferred on federal in an attempt to avoid paying taxes and most state tax returns. And there is themselves. If the amount of interest or no tax due when taking the money out dividends from the gifted shares for qualified education expenses.The exceeds $2,000, it will be taxable at the donation limits are high, and typically parents’ highest rate. range between $300,000 and © Twin Cities Public Television - 2015. All rights reserved. $400,000 per beneficiary.
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Careful planning helps you share assets with your heirs.