Topeka Community Matters January 2016

Commun ty Matters Topeka Presbyterian Manor

Art is Ageless® call for entries underway Topeka Presbyterian Manor has issued a call for entries for the Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held March 17, 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 Topeka 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.

Having a creative outlet benefits the mind, body and spirit.

ART IS AGELESS, continued on page 2

January 2016

Tom Bechtel, executive director, center, accepts an Emerald Certificate from Bruce Shogren, chief executive officer, left, and Bill Taylor, chief operations officer, right, of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. Topeka Presbyterian Manor was recognized for outstanding independent living resident satisfaction survey results and reaching safety goals.

Emerald Awards

Topeka Presbyterian Manor honored for achievements Topeka 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.

EMERALD, continued on page 3

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ART IS AGELESS, continued from page 1

“The exhibit and competition always draw a wide array of impressive artwork from talented seniors,” said Lawrence Presbyterian ManorJami Colson, marketing director.

Lawrence PresbyterianManor Manor “We’re expecting this to be another Topeka Presbyterian Lawrence Presbyterian Manor great year for creativity and variety ON ON of works on exhibit.”

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Local competition winners will join winners 17 other Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America communities to be judged at the systemwide level.

Entry forms and information can be picked up at Topeka Presbyterian Manor, 4712 Southwest Sixth,

Topeka, KS 66606, or by contacting Colson at 785-262-6510, or jcolson@pmma.org. Or go online to ArtIsAgeless.org to view rules, download an entry form or enter online.

Artists may choose to enter the exhibit only. For the competition, works are to have been completed in the past five years (since January 2011). There are nine categories, as well as designations of amateur or professional. Works to be entered for judging need to be at Presbyterian Manor by March 11, 2016.

To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Amber Lopez, activity director, at alopez@pmma.org.

Partnership links residents, animals Topeka Presbyterian Manor has formed a partnership with Helping Hands Humane Society, which is proving to be a win-win for all involved. At the Senior Walking Program, residents are invited to go to the Humane Society and walk on the indoor track twice a month. Volunteers bring in trained dogs, and residents can get some pet therapy, walk the dogs, and play fetch with them. We have visited twice so far and have had several residents attend and they really enjoy it. At the end of their visit they get to go in and visit the cat colonies. It has been a great program and the residents are really enjoying it. Here, resident Duane Kerschner bonds with a furry friend at Helping Hands Humane Society.

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Community Matters January 2016

3 rules for giving your heirs money while you’re alive 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.

However, 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.

3 tax rules for gifts to 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 three considerations that you can discuss with your estate planner:

1. The amount of taxfree gifts is capped each year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sets a maximum gifttax 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 tax-exempt, you have to pay the doctor, dentist or school directly.

Although tuition expenses are exempt, there’s no educational exclusion for books, supplies or room and board. And the medical exclusion doesn’t apply to amounts paid for medical care that are EMERALD, continued from page 1

Topeka was recognized for outstanding independent living resident satisfaction survey results and reaching safety goals. “This recognition is a visible sign of Topeka Presbyterian Manor’s commitment to the mission of PMMA of providing quality senior

Credit: Thinkstock

reimbursed by your insurance.

Be careful about making your grandchild’s tuition payments directly to a college if he or she has financial aid. 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 state-sponsored 529 plans are not exempt from the gift tax limit, but you can make five years of contributions at one time without triggering a gift tax. That means you could give $70,000 in one year without triggering the gift tax. Most states let you deduct your donation from your state income tax return, up to their limit. (There is no federal tax deduction.) © Twin Cities Public Television­—2015.

All rights reserved. services guided by Christian values,” said Bruce Shogren, chief executive officer for PMMA. Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica has been providing quality senior services guided by Christian values in Kansas and Missouri for more than 65 years.

Topeka Presbyterian Manor

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Topeka Presbyterian Manor 4712 S.W. Sixth Ave. Topeka, KS 66606-2284 Return Service Requested

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Share your election experience!

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 Activity Director Amber Lopez, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.

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Community Matters January 2016

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