Estate Planning

Estate Planning at no cost for the vcs community

Since 2016, VCS has partnered with an organization called Financial Planning Ministry, offering wills and trusts educational seminars to the Valley Christian community at no cost to you. Many have even taken advantage of the next step of this opportunity, completing the documentation through FPM, still at no cost.

We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to protect your family. Also, please see below for information about The 1982 Society which allows you to remember VCS in your final wishes. Whether or not you join The 1982 Society, we are privileged to play a role in the legacy you leave.

Informational Brochure

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There are currently no upcoming seminars. Stay tuned for additional seminar dates.

The 1982 Society

We invite you to consider leaving a gift to VCS and other ministries you care about. Families that leave a gift to VCS as part of their estate plans are members of The 1982 Society. 1982 was the year a small group of visionaries founded Valley Christian Schools, and we are thankful these pioneers listened to the call of Jesus to provide Christ-centered education in the East Valley decades ago. We now invite members of our community to follow the example of our founders in envisioning the future of VCS. Would you join them?

Already directed a gift to VCS in your estate plan? Whether you’ve done so through Financial Planning Ministry or another estate planning opportunity, please let us know by clicking the button below.

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My Estate Gift to VCS

Valley Christian Schools is grateful to more than 110 members of The 1982 Society, including:

Michelle Cefola
Greg & Myrna Haagsma
David & Ruthann Harp
Emery & Cleonie Harrison
Bruce & Maryellen Hawkinson
Sheldon & Melissa Henkel
Steve & Kittren Johnson
Dan & Kathy Kuiper
Jeff & Deneen Mackey
Michael & Charlotte Mester
Bill & Carla Morgan
Thomas & Janet Nilson
Meri Pachuilo
Mark & Majesty Pautzke
Duane & Selene Pearson
Carrie Phy
The Pierce Family Living Trust
Frank & Jennifer Pinterics
Larry & Ann Preston
Jeff & Tina Schuler
Dan & Lynn Spina
Paul & Mary Stirnaman
Elaine Teune
Troy & Kimberly Thelen
Andrew & Erica Vernon
Steve & Linda Yarbrough
Dan Yeazel

A Letter from Steve Yarbrough, Co-Founder of VCS

Jul 20, 2021

Dear Friend of VCS,

The Gospel is full of stories where God uses ordinary folks to do extraordinary things. That’s why it’s Good News! If God can build His church on Peter, the one who denied Him in a moment of panic . . . what can He do with all who strive to do His will, even imperfectly, today?

When you hear those words, do you ever wonder how God can use YOU to further His Kingdom here on Earth?

That’s the question before us today. With this letter, I invite you to participate in The 1982 Society, like many others have. This society is a special group of those who include VCS in their will or estate plans with a gift that will bless generations of students to come.

At Valley Christian Schools, we have always trusted in God to bring forth the yield from our efforts. When we started with just twenty freshmen and sophomores in 1982, we had a grand vision. But we also had plans—most of which God would rework to meet His own timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Financial Planning Ministry?

FPM is a unique nonprofit partnership of ministries dedicated to providing our members with a path to sound biblical stewardship though their estate plans. Their 90-minute presentations provide clear and accurate information that cuts through the misinformation and helps members avoid unnecessary and costly mistakes in securing their loved one’s future.

Note that all information shared with FPM stays with FPM. Your personal information is not shared with anyone from Valley Christian Schools.

Can they do anything if I already have an estate plan?

Yes! Of the nearly 3,200 estate plans FPM touched in 2015, more than 300 were amendments to existing estate plans and another nearly 400 were supplemental documents prepared for those with existing estate plans.

What if I need to make changes in the future?

Changes in the future are also done at no cost to members by FPM. You will simply contact FPM and tell them what updates you need. They will prepare your changes and send your updated documents to you.

I heard about this through my church – do I get all of the benefits?

Yes! Valley Christian Schools has partnered with a few local churches in our community. If we are putting on a seminar at your church, you receive all of the same benefits as those in our own community.

Is it really no cost to me?

Yes, really! Valley Christian Schools are a sponsor and partner of Financial Planning Ministry, which allows us to offer you an estate plan at no out-of-pocket cost.

So what’s the catch?

There is no catch. FPM will ask that you consider Valley Christian Schools when developing your estate plan, although we’re guessing you may have done that anyway. And if you choose not to, they are still more than happy to help! Since VCS supports FPM as a partner, there is a cost for us each month (although not a cost per individual or per estate plan, so you are not adding to our costs!), but no cost to you.

Do I need an estate plan/am I too young?

While people generally agree that it’s important to have an estate plan, 60% of people in the US die without a will, and 90% die with just a will or no estate plan at all. The responses are often, “I don’t want to think about dying,” “It’s too expensive,” or “I just haven’t gotten around to it.” Most people know it’s something they should do, but the legal system can be intimidating and costly.

If you start a family and have minor children, you certainly want to designate who the guardians would be for those children if something should happen to the parents. Whether you have significant or very few assets, you should have a written plan for what eventually happens to them. There are some who will not need a living trust; for those folks, FPM will explain what estate plan options they should be considering (if any).

Any Other Questions?

Please contact the Development Office.

Phone: (480) 705-8888 x261

Email: [email protected]

Testimonials: What is the VC community saying about FPM?

“They covered everything we needed to know in under 90 minutes, and they’ve made the entire process incredibly simple. I appreciate that there was no obligation and that I was able to feel comfortable no matter how we decide to move forward.”

Andy Vernon, Class of 2005

“FPM is such an amazing ministry, and we are grateful that FPM and Valley have partnered together to allow us the opportunity to get our trust planning prepared at no cost to us. The entire process from the seminar to the step by step instruction booklet to finalizing our plan, we have been incredibly happy with the knowledge and personal touch that FPM has offered.”

Chris & Jamie Dinsmore, VCS Parents

“What a joy to be partnered with an organization that truly cares about the hearts of our community. The service FPM provides is unique and meaningful. After attending the first seminar and having received my documents, I’d recommend FPM to absolutely everyone in the Valley Christian community.”

Dan Kuiper, Head of School

“I have always supported Christian education, and even though I may not have any children of my own, I have a covenantal responsibility for the children God has put in my life. I love watching children I supported in grade school become parents and then ensure their children receive a Christian education. FPM allows me to continue that support. It was an easy process, and FPM made me feel comfortable and was very patient with all my questions. It was a pleasure working with them.”

Elaine Teune, Friend of VCS

“The FPM seminar was a pleasant surprise. My husband and I were initially skeptical of the ‘no cost’ message. However, the experience was amazing: organized, informative, and easy to understand, with helpful Q&A sessions provided by the presenter. It was also a no-pressure environment, giving us the freedom to collect information and decide what was best for our circumstances. In addition, we had an opportunity to meet one-on-one with the consultant to address any specific questions that we wanted to address. We are fans of the FPM organization and have recommended it to many people that we know, and we’re so pleased that VCS provided this opportunity. You will not be disappointed.”

Dan and Lynn Spina, Alumni Parents, VCS Grandparents, VCS Volunteers

“I can’t imagine life without Valley Christian Schools. My family is better for it, and the education, spiritual growth and friendships that both my children—who are now alumni—received will impact them for the rest of their lives. We made a financial commitment to Valley Christian through FPM as part of our family’s legacy giving, and the process and support that we’ve received from FPM has been fantastic. Creating a will and family trust can seem overwhelming but they made the process incredibly simple and have been very supportive as we’ve made changes and adjustments over the last several years. I strongly recommend using FPM, and while you go through the process, also consider having VCS as part of your family’s legacy.”

Marty and Kristine Sawyers, Alumni Parents, Former Board Member

“My wife and I knew we needed to establish a family trust, instead of our will, due to the regulatory differences and related tax benefits. So, we started looking around at various options with estate planners, attorneys, banks, CPAs, etc, and found a wide range of programs & pricing, but were not comfortable with the value proposition of any of these options. Fortunately, we noticed the Financial Planning Ministry option in an email from VCS. We really liked the idea that we could work with a qualified Christian estate planning entity to help us organize our financial affairs & directives and defer any trust setup expenses so that we could eventually donate a portion to Valley Christian from our estate. Our experience with FPM was excellent. Our initial Q&A session and 1 on 1 meeting were very helpful, and they diligently answered all of our questions. They walked us through all of the trust set-up action items and paperwork. We highly recommend this program to anyone who needs estate planning support.”

James and Melissa Brooks, VCS Parents

“There was never any pressure to include Valley or any other ministry in our living trust. We chose to include Valley because we believe Valley is going to continue to grow and meet a critical need in our community: Christian education. Valley has a clear “why” they exist, and God is at the center of it. As a teacher’s assistant on the high school campus, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand faculty and staff pouring into our students. Valley’s mission statement is not just words on a poster. From the members on the school board to the faculty and staff interacting daily with students, each one has a heart to prepare students academically, physically, socially, and spiritually so they can make a difference in the world for Christ.

I highly recommend attending a Financial Planning Ministry presentation. The information provided about wills, probate and trusts is time well spent. You may even find, like we did, that it exceeds your expectations.”

Deneen Mackey, VCS Employee