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Notice of Annual Meeting
Our Special Guest: Josh Slocum
Securing Your Family's Future
Four-Step Funeral Planning
Latest Price Survey

Spring 2007

NOTICE OF FCAI ANNUAL MEETING

Saturday, MAY 12, 2007, 10:00 am
at the BOISE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
6200 N. Garrett St. in Garden City

Our principal order of business is the election of Board and Nominating Committee members. There are two Board positions (one vacancy and the expiring 3-year term of Tom von Alten), and two Nominating Committee positions to fill, with the 3rd member of the Nominating Committee chosen from the Board.

Our Board of Directors nominee for a 3-year term is Rita Nielsen, and Tom von Alten has agreed to stand for (re)election to serve out the remainder of Donna Carino’s term, ending in 2008. Nominating Committee nominees for a 1-year term are Jeanette Ross von Alten and Kerry Cooke. (Note: Kerry Cooke agreed to serve after the original press time of the newsletter.)

Continuing Board Members are: Mary Lou Brownson (term ends 2008), Sheryce Davis, and Bryan Jennings (terms end 2009).

Do You Know Your Last Rights?

With your generous contributions, we’re pleased to host the Executive Director of the national Funeral Consumers Alliance, Joshua Slocum, as our guest speaker, following our annual meeting. All are welcome to join us for his presentation.

Did you know you don't have to buy a casket for cremation? Did you know embalming isn't usually required by law? Did you know you can care for your own dead in the traditional way, within the family, without hiring a funeral home?

Don't worry if all this is news to you—surveys show most adults don't know their rights when it comes to funeral arrangements. Slocum, a nationally recognized expert on consumer rights and funeral law, will discuss:

Bring your questions and be prepared for a lively discussion.

SAFEGUARD YOUR FAMILY'S FUTURE

Many Idahoans don’t make plans to protect, distribute or transfer their assets because they mistakenly believe that their property will automatically transfer to their heirs without complications. Or, they figure they’re still too young to develop estate plans for their children or don’t realize how assets in even a relatively small estate can be preserved through good planning.

Plan now to attend one of the two-session workshops offered by University of Idaho Extension, and cosponsored by the Canyon/Owyhee Financial Literacy Coalition, on May 1 & 8, or Sept. 17 & 24 at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, or Oct. 16 & 23 at the Nampa Civic Center. (It’s last minute for the May workshop, but if you act immediately you may still be able to sign up. These popular and inexpensive workshops usually fill up fast.)

Participants will learn which legal documents are essential and why family communication about legal issues is crucial. They’ll build their understanding of wills, probate, trusts and property titling and will find out how to gather, organize and store personal information so that family members can easily access it. They’ll find out about recent legislative changes regarding health-care directives, and they’ll develop a detailed plan to address estate planning and end-of-life issues.

Workshops will be taught by Beverly Healy of UI Extension, Cheryl Simpson-Whitaker of A Better Way Coalition, and attorneys Peter Sisson and Reese Verner. Registration forms can be downloaded from UI Extension. For more information, call Beverly Healy at 377-2107.

Four-Step Funeral Planning

The Spring newsletter included a slightly edited version of a new publication from the national FCA, Four-Step Funeral Planning: Where to Start When you Don't Know How to Start. Follow the link for the HTML version, or download the original PDF from the FCA site. The edited version is included in our printer-friendly (PDF) version of this newsletter.

Step 1: Funeral Planning is a Family Matter

Step 2: What Are My Options?

Step 3: Shopping Around

Step 4: Putting it all Together