Not many people think about stewardship and estate planning in the same sentence. Some of us don’t even think about them in separate sentences. Neither of them are hot discussion topics in our church or social circles, and both can leave a bad taste in our mouths.

According to Lorne Jackson, President of the Canadian National Christian Foundation, “stewardship” has taken on negative connotations because the word has become synonymous with fundraising, or a church building plan or “stewardship Sunday”.

“People see stewardship in a bad light,” Jackson says. “Stewardship has been maligned.”

However, stewardship is one of the most powerful teachings found in Scripture. Jackson has written a book called After the Faith Decision All Else is Stewardship, where he shares the importance of becoming a steward of everything God gives us.

“Stewardship is about a lot more than just money,” he says. “It’s an all life experience. As a believer, everything that happens, and everything that I am responsible for, and everything that has been entrusted to me is about stewardship.”

One part of stewardship that Jackson is passionate about is estate planning; that part of our lives that deals with the end of our lives, and the assets we leave behind. He says many people don’t plan for it because they feel it will bring disharmony to their families. But what most people don’t see is the disharmony that occurs if they don’t have a plan.

More Than Enough Financial Coach Dave van Noppen says CNCF is a key resource for giving people the tools needed to help them prepare for that part of life. However, people may think they have lots of time for planning. Van Noppen says you are never too young to start. If you have assets, you need to have an estate plan.

“Often people think they are not old enough to think about estate planning but age has nothing to do with it,” van Noppen says. “I need to consider how I am going to steward my assets after I am am gone,  and not leave those decisions to my family. Having these conversations while I’m still alive is so important.”

 

TIPS TO HELP YOU PLAN

FACE it!

One of More Than Enough’s favourite acronyms is FACE – Financial Awareness Creates Empowerment. We need to face the fact we will die someday, and we need to take care of our financial legacies. By facing our current reality and future, and by starting to talk about what we want when we die, we are empowering our lives and the lives of those who love us.

Get Educated

Find resources that will help you get started. Compass Canada.org has a great workbook called Set Your House in Order by Howard Dayton, that you and your spouse can work through to educate yourself. Estate planners at CNCF can also provide you with information about how to give to charities out of your estate, instead of giving taxes to the government upon your death.

Wills are Necessary

If you have assets, no matter how young you are, wills are a necessary part of stewarding and planning. If you don’t have a will, Jackson says, the government will have a plan for your assets and finances. Don’t leave it for the government to tell your family what will happen.

Plan your estate because the tax man is waiting to get a piece of it,” Jackson says. “People either give to their children and government, or they give to children and charity. Without a plan in place, people will give to the government because of taxation.”

Family Meeting

Since money, assets and inheritance can become a very volatile issue upon the death of a parent or relative, Jackson encourages parents to have a family meeting to let the family know how they plan to steward their assets and resources when they die. This is not a meeting to ask your family permission, it simply tells everyone what will happen.

Jackson says this family meeting is crucial to keeping family unity: “If you want your children to be hugging each other six months after you are gone, the family meeting is important.”

To start the conversation, visit www.cncf.ca or contact the More Than Enough team at morethanenough.ca.

 

Rebecca van Noppen is Communications Director at More Than Enough. She is also a teacher, home educator, writer, and woman who loves to pray. A lover of Jesus, she works alongside her husband Financial Coach Dave van Noppen, to help others find hope and freedom in Christ on their financial journeys.