New Prague Area Community Education

We write everyday: emails, social media posts, work documents, and even non-fiction or creative writing. Improving is just a matter of knowing some simple tricks to make your writing more impactful and readable, and may help get you a promotion at work or avoid rejection from a publisher. In this hands-on session, there will be writing/editing examples and exercises so you can see in real time how to make sentences flow properly while still maintaining reader interest, and you will leave with a workbook full of writing tips and tricks, which is included in the class fee.

In this class we will take an in-depth review of many issues (and problems) that may be faced from our parents' estate plan (or lack thereof) such as: creating a difficult probate, loss of assets to the nursing home, fighting amongst the children, senior care issues, guardianship, privacy, the continued life of the surviving parent, estate tax protection, fairness and equality, legacy assets and the flow of critical information between the generations. With our 30 years of experience, we will discuss actual Minnesota examples of all of the above challenges and how they can be avoided in advance with some simple planning and exchange of information. All questions will be answered in an open and friendly forum.

Do you want to learn how to incorporate the power of cutting-edge technology to gain ideas and inspiration, write web content, articles, and even novels or scripts? In this beginner-friendly course, you’ll learn how to: Register for a free ChatGPT account Input effective writing prompts to avoid nonsense responses Build creative content, from stories to marketing copy Determine its capabilities and limitations Understand ethical/legal considerations using ChatGPT ChatGPT (AI) is here to stay and is the future for writers and content creators. Don’t be left behind! No prior AI experience required.

The New Prague Area Arts Council is hosting an Arts & Crafts Market in downtown New Prague on Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. This is a one-day market event featuring the works of fine artists in a variety of media. Painting, photography, ceramics, and more for show and sale. Artists will be displaying works inside so outdoor elements are no issue! Artists are responsible for set-up and take-down. There is a $75-$125 fee to exhibit for selected artists. Payment will be requested upon acceptance to the show. Fee includes online listing, listing on applicable social media page(s) and website, and booth space on the day of the event. Applicants will need to pay a $25 application fee upon application.

The biggest fear for most Baby Boomers is how to pay for the nursing home and still leave an inheritance for the next generation. We will walk through the following questions and more: How will I meet my nursing home goals? Are long term care insurance and/or home healthcare for me? Should I gift my money away? Would I qualify for Medicaid? Does my current trust protect my assets and avoid the nursing home? What is the 60-month claw back? What if my spouse goes into the nursing home and exhausts our money? Get the answers to these and other questions and learn how to create an effective plan to deal with these uncertainties.

You work your whole career with the goal of someday retiring. This class covers the crucial years leading up to your retirement date, the active years of your retirement, and the winding down of your retirement years. Subjects will include: Estate planning while working, during retirement and at the end of life When to take your Social Security Key financial products and services available in the market (Medicaid complaint annuities, Long Term Care Insurance, Life Insurance Long Term Care Riders) What to look for in a professional (Financial Advisor, CFP, RIA, Fiduciary) The final plans before the end – what can be too little too late? Please bring your questions, this class is an interactive forum.

Journaling is simply recording your thoughts, feelings, and insights in a written, drawn, or typed format. It can be done on paper or on a computer, and it's a low-cost way to improve your mental health. Journaling can help you reduce stress, improve your self-awareness, as well as prioritize problems, fears, and concerns, and provide an opportunity for positive self-talk. You’ll learn how to start journaling (even when you don’t know what to write), the 10 most popular types of journaling, how to kick-start self-reflection and self-discovery, and track your progress and personal growth.

Procrastinate no more! No matter what your age, give your loved ones an important gift by creating two legal documents - a Health Care Directive and a Power of Attorney. These documents are vitally important in the event you become incapacitated and cannot make decisions for yourself. A Health Care Directive (akin to the old "Living Will") is a legal document that communicates your health care wishes and allows you to name someone to make health care decisions for you when you cannot speak for yourself. A Power of Attorney allows you to choose someone to handle your finances and property and is effective immediately upon signing. In this class, you will prepare both of these documents so you won't end up without these important legal plans in place. Leave class with two notarized documents and give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind.

This is a relaxed and friendly open-forum seminar for participants with a seasoned will & trust attorney. Questions like: Should I avoid probate? Is a will good enough? Do I need a trust? How does my plan deal with the nursing home? How do we gift the assets of husband and wife? What about separate assets not of the marriage? If I am alone, what tools protect me best? How do I decide who should serve in my estate plan? What is the death tax? How do I avoid leaving a mess for my children? Which trust is best for my needs? Can I use a transfer-on-death deed? How do my retirement assets operate in my will or trust? All questions will be answered!

A vital part of every retirement or resettlement discussion involves the roadmap of issues that help us decide where we want to call home! Is it taxes, the political landscape, the weather, the location of family assets, debt or income concerns in retirement, cost of living, health concerns or . . . our friends are already there! When should we start this discussion? Did you know many states do not tax social security, pensions or other qualified retirement Income sources? Which are the worst states for estate taxes? How do we establish domicile? How about quality of medical resources and retirement facilities – who is good, who is not-so-good? All these issues will be raised and discussed in an open and friendly manner with questions encouraged.

Are you and your spouse nearing retirement age? Learn how to get the most out of your Social Security benefits as a couple. Topics include: How marriage impacts Social Security Deciding when to claim Coordinating with other income sources Taxes and Social Security Working while receiving benefits Techniques higher-earning couples can utilize This class is essential for married couples wanting to ensure they receive their full share of the Social Security benefits they've earned.