Get your affairs in order

BAILA LAZARUS EDITOR

Have you decided which of your children is getting your beautiful, hand-crafted armoire? What about your grandchildren; how is money from your estate going to be passed on to them, if at all? Do you know what a living will is?

If any of these questions have you thinking it's time to get your affairs in order, Marjorie Groberman has a seminar for you. Groberman had been asking herself the same types of questions when she decided it was time to settle her own affairs a couple of years ago.

"I really thought I did a good job," she told the Bulletin. "I thought I was in good shape."

Then she read a book about stories in the United States where children got into huge fights over sentimental objects that belonged to their parents and grandparents but which were not specified in a will. Groberman realized she still had a lot of work to do. And the more she approached different members of the community, the more she realized that other people had the same concerns and questions that she did.

When asked about their own wills, many of her friends gave her the same answer, "I haven't really thought of it."

Groberman realized that a lot of people thought that because they weren't wealthy, they didn't have an estate to pass on.

"Everybody has an estate," said Groberman. She also added that just because someone has a will, doesn't necessarily mean everything's taken care of, as many wills can be disputed and even broken.

Setting out to do a service for the community, Groberman enlisted the help of Herb Loomer, a lawyer with expertise in estate planning. Loomer has practised in Vancouver for more than 40 years and is currently a member of the professional advisory committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Vancouver. With Loomer, Groberman will be presenting the seminar How to Put Your Affairs in Order; If You Don't, the Law Will. Loomer will speak for a short period and then take questions from the audience.

The seminar takes place in the Wosk Auditorium of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (JCC), Monday, Jan. 20, at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $4 for JCC members and $5 for non-members. They can be bought in advance at the JCC reception desk until Jan. 17. There will be some tickets available at the door. All proceeds go to the JCC Seniors group. For more information, contact Annica, 604-257-5111, ext. 208.

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