Experts in law and finance will present a free “Retirement and Supportive Care Seminar” at the Hellenic Club, Woden, on May 10. 

THE “Retirement and Supportive Care Seminar” is designed to help equip people with the legal and financial practicalities of securing a home in a retirement village, consider future care needs and the potential impact on estate planning, says KJB Law principal and senior solicitor Jo Twible. 

Hosted by KJB Law in partnership with Phillips Wealth Partners, this is the third annual seminar aimed at giving individuals and their families the information they need to navigate a move into retirement-village living. 

“When someone enters a retirement village, it is usually the residents themselves who are entering into the arrangements, however it’s still important for their children to also get their heads around it, too,” says Jo Twible. 

“The contractual arrangements for retirement villages are more complex than buying a house and, because there is an ongoing relationship that you enter into with a retirement village, there is more for people to understand.” 

As a member of the advisory group that reviewed the ACT Retirement Village legislation, Jo is well versed in the legalities of the industry. 

With several different financial and legal models that retirement villages use, Jo says it’s helpful for people to learn about each of them, so they’re prepared to compare “apples with apples” when they start looking at retirement village options. 

Jo will be joined by senior financial planner for Phillips Wealth Partners Craig Phillips and aged-care adviser Luisa Capezio. They will discuss retirement village and aged-care entry and exit and will be joined during panel discussions by Kerstin Glomb, special counsel of estate planning at KJB Law. 

“We want to make the move to a retirement village as low-stress and as least daunting as possible,” says Jo. 

They have designed the seminar to provide the basic understanding of what to look for when people go out looking at options.

“The response we have had in the past has been very positive,” Jo says. “We find that representatives from local retirement villages often attend, so there is an opportunity for people to meet with them and ask questions, too.” 

“We view this seminar as a community service and our way to give back so people aren’t starting cold as they begin their search. It is a big move for people.” 

“Retirement and Supportive Care Seminar”, Wednesday, May 10, 10am-12.30pm, at the Hellenic Club of Canberra, 1 Matilda Street, Woden. More information and to register, visit kjblaw.com.au or call Sonya or Sue on 6281 0999.