By Cassandra Zetts
While pursuing my degree in education, I never imagined I’d be using my expertise to teach my community about Medicare – but I’m grateful for the opportunity.
Congregational care takes many forms throughout life. It can include offering a meal train for new parents, contributing to the Mennonite Education Plan for families with school-aged children, or walking alongside elders as they face the financial and physical challenges that come with aging.
When Everence (then Mennonite Mutual Aid) was founded, the goal was simple: go where our community needs us. In the 1980s, as an inter-Mennonite organization, we began offering Medicare education and products to our members.
For most Americans, Medicare is two things: inevitable and bewildering. Church leaders and Everence consultants hear regularly that Medicare is a concern for our members and their families. Questions about Medicare are often shrouded in broader, deeper questions about aging: What will my health be like as I age? Will I be able to afford my medications? Will I burden my family? While Medicare itself may not always be top of mind when caring for the elderly in your congregation, it remains a significant—and often unspoken—factor in many conversations.
Transitioning from traditional pre-retirement insurance to Medicare can feel like moving to a foreign country, where the language and currency are unfamiliar. Add the overwhelming flood of advertisements and dozens of plan options, and it can leave one wondering how anyone can do it on their own.
Luckily, they don’t have to face it alone. When I first considered leaving my teaching job to come to Everence, I wasn’t sure I could give up my “noble” profession to simply provide a product. But I came to realize that perspective was limiting.
As a Senior Health Specialist, I build on the deep relationships between our organization and our congregations. I come alongside individuals and families as they move through a necessary part of aging, to provide education and help people make informed choices.
If you or a loved one is approaching Medicare age, our team of Medicare specialists is available to answer questions over the phone, meet one-on-one, or present to a group within a congregation.
We have an upcoming seminar for those approaching Medicare age/retirement at Zion (PA) Mennonite on March 25 at 6:30 pm. You can find more details and register to attend at everence.com/souderton or by calling our office at 215-703-0111.
Cassandra Zetts
Cassandra Zetts is a Certified Senior Advisor and a Financial Consultant specializing in Senior Health Insurance. She works out of the Souderton, PA Everence office.
gifts come from a special offering taken by the congregation for their pastor. Sometimes an individual member will feel the need to show their appreciation personally in a financial way, sometimes even unbeknownst to the congregation. In almost every case, the IRS will view “love gifts” as compensation for services rendered and therefore taxable. If coming from the church as the employer, the church needs to either include the love gift in the calculation of the W-2 or issue a 1099-MISC to the pastor. If coming from an individual, the pastor needs to include the gift in their taxable income. If you need further clarification, consult your tax accountant.
