Financial Wellbeing Webinar Wednesdays (FW3)

Building on our previous webinar, Achieving Financial Wellbeing, Jim Stapleton of Eolas Money returns with a webinar entitled Financial Planning with Cashflow Modelling. In this webinar Jim will show you the benefits of using cashflow modelling to help you visualise how your financial future will look based on your current spending habits. He will use an example pre-populated spending plan and model some common scenarios to show how cashflow modelling will enable you to make any required changes to your current and future financial planning. Find out more about cashflow modelling on the (opens in a new window)Eolas Money website.

Choosing the right mortgage can save you €000's over the term of your mortgage. Trevor Grant, from Affinity Advisors, will host an interactive webinar on the opportunities the current mortgage market presents to reduce your costs.

In recent months, competition has forced lenders to significantly improve the mortgage terms available to customers and the mortgage market has never been more competitive. 

There are now 10 lenders offering a wide range of interest rates and a multitude of product options.  Rates available start at 1.95% and there is now the option to fix your mortgage rate for up to 30 years at less than 3%.

A number of Lenders are offering preferential terms for public sector employees and “Green homes”, payment breaks, overpayment options without penalty, cashback and the option to switch provider for free/receive a significant contribution toward the cost of switching.

There has never been a better time to health check your existing mortgage.  By doing so, you can ensure that you are getting the best terms available to you for the most significant financial commitment you are likely to make.  Therefore it is essential that you understand all of the options available to you.  Whilst your own bank may ultimately offer you the best terms available, they are not obliged to tell you that better terms exist elsewhere.

Travor Grant

Trevor is a director of Affinity Advisors, an award winning financial advisory firm specialising in the provision of market-based mortgage, reviews and protection advice. He has over 25 years mortgage market experience and is current Chairman of The Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors. Trevor offers a free on-site advisory service available to all UCD employees. For further information log on to the (opens in a new window)Affinity Advisors UCD page or contact Trevor Grant on 087 2721146 or 01 6533120 or email  (opens in a new window)trevor@affinityadv.ie. Should you decide to engage Affinity Advisors they will waive their fee of €750 for arranging mortgage facilities for UCD employees.

In this webinar, Owen Meade from Cornmarket, will cover the Fair Deal Scheme and other options for funding long term nursing care. Unfortunately, we can’t tell what lies ahead so it’s important to plan when we can. The webinar is designed to give you information and highlight the importance of financial planning. Cornmarket is the largest Public Sector financial services broker in Ireland and should you require individual advice, Cornmarket can be contacted via the (opens in a new window)Cornmarket website.

This session was not recorded.

• Powerpoint presentation about the fair deal scheme from Cornmarket (PowerPoint)

Owen Meade

Owen specialises in Retirement and bringing Financial Wellbeing to our clients. Working with Cornmarket for almost 20 years, he is the Cornmarket Retirement and Investment Manager for Leinster.  Owen has a wealth of knowledge in Financial Planning and he is passionate about ensuring that Cornmarket clients understand their finances as they progress  through each stage of their financial life cycle.

The UCD AVC (Additional Voluntary Contribution) Scheme complements the benefits of UCD main pension scheme and allows members regardless of age or service to supplement their retirement benefit within Revenue Limits. The UCD AVC Scheme Consultants are Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd. and Irish Life are the AVC Investment Managers and Administrators.

About the Presenter

Ian O'Shea has worked with Cornmarket for 14 years, he specialises in pensions and retirement and is one of our resident experts in Public Sector Pensions.  He is the UCD AVC consultant and dealing with your colleagues on a daily basis and helping them with their pension planning and retirement.

More information on AVCs and contact details for Cornmarket can be found on the UCD HR website.

Responsible investment is becoming more mainstream and this webinar with Vincent McCarthy aims to explain what it involves, and the various terms and concepts used. He will address ESG - environmental, social and governance factors and their integration into responsible investment.

Vincent McCarthy, CFA

Vincent started his career as a stockbroker in San Diego in 2005 and has over 15 years of experience advising high net worth individuals and institutions, working for companies in the United States, Ireland, and Guatemala.

Inspired by his time working in impact investing in Latin America in 2017, Vincent set up CoTerra Impact to be a catalyst for change in how we think about business and investments. He founded ESG Ireland®, an independent platform focused on closing the knowledge gap around the broad theme of ESG and responsible investing. Committed to education, he also established the Responsible Investment Institute®, which offers a range of responsible investment courses.

Vincent is a CFA Charterholder and a Qualified Financial Advisor.

Financial wellbeing consultant Jim Stapleton will host a webinar on financial wellbeing and provide practical steps how you, your family & household can achieve this. This  webinar will cover: Key financial planning techniques to improve your current and long-term financial planning; details on how your PAYE income tax is calculated, a reminder on what tax credits are available to claim, how to construct a robust and evidence based household spending plan, debt reduction, mortgage planning, long and short term savings, and the importance of retirement planning, amongst others.

Jim Stapleton is a financial wellbeing professional, who established Eolas Money, a financial planning and wellbeing practice in 2009. The company specialises in helping both personal and corporate clients throughout Ireland improve their financial wellbeing and navigate through the myriad of financial decisions that life throws at us.

Find out more on (opens in a new window)Eolasmoney.ie and talk to Jim about the 20% discount for UCD employees.

Many people find tax to be a confusing and daunting subject. If you are new to the Irish tax system this webinar with Taxback.com Consumer Tax Manager, Marian Ryan will be of value. Marian will cover some of the common credits and reliefs that are available for employees in Ireland and how you can claim your tax refund. Every year thousands of Irish taxpayers miss out on claiming their tax refund. If you’d like to find out how to get your tax back or if you’ve got questions about your tax entitlements, register for this webinar.

• Introduction to the Irish tax system (slides)

Marian has over 10 years’ experience advising individuals and corporates on tax compliance and efficient delivery of remuneration to employees and directors, both domestically and globally. Taxback.com take care of all the boring paperwork and guarantee to retrieve your maximum legal refund for you. The average PAYE tax refund achieved through using Taxback.com is €995. All UCD employees can get a 10% discount when you apply for PAYE or Self-Assessed services with Taxback.com.

(opens in a new window)Taxback.com UCD enquiry page

Every year thousands of Irish taxpayers miss out on claiming their tax refund. Marian Ryan, Taxback.com Consumer Tax Manager will provide a refresher on the Irish tax system and cover some of the common credits and reliefs that are available for employees in Ireland and how you can claim your tax refund. If you’d like to find out how to get your tax back or if you’ve got questions about your tax entitlements, register for this webinar.

Webinar slides - Are you claiming all you are entitled to?

Marian has over 10 years’ experience advising individuals and corporates on tax compliance and efficient delivery of remuneration to employees and directors, both domestically and globally. Taxback.com take care of all the boring paperwork and guarantee to retrieve your maximum legal refund for you. The average PAYE tax refund achieved through using Taxback.com is €995. All UCD employees can get a 10% discount when you apply for PAYE or Self-Assessed services with Taxback.com.

(opens in a new window)Taxback.com UCD enquiry page

This year more than ever, with continuing rising health costs, you should review your personal health insurance before renewing. In this webinar independent health insurance expert Dermot Goode will give an overview of the current health insurance market and identify where there is good value. Dermot has presented to UCD employees over the last 4 years and help hundreds of colleagues save money through the advice he gives.

Dermot Goode is the leading expert on healthcare benefits in Ireland. He runs the only intermediary in Ireland, Total Health Cover, dealing exclusively in healthcare benefits (health insurance, dental, vision-care, cash plans). Should you wish for a more in depth review, Total Health Cover will review cover to help you source the best products at the lowest cost, covering all 340 plans available across VHI, Laya and Irish Life Health. All services are provided on a fee basis which ensures the best advance.

UCD employees can get a full-market review for €120 (20% discount). Dermot can be contacted at (opens in a new window)info@totalhealthcover.ie. Queries are assessed to make sure that the review will be worthwhile for each customer prior to scheduling same.

Choosing the right mortgage can save you €000's over the term of your mortgage. Trevor Grant, from Affinity Advisors, will host an interactive webinar on the opportunities the current mortgage market presents to reduce your costs. In recent months a number of Lenders have significantly improved the mortgage terms available to customers and the mortgage market has never been more competitive. There are now 10 lenders offering a wide range of interest rates and a multitude of product options. These options include interest rates from 1.95%, the option to fix your mortgage rate for up to 30 years at less than 3%, preferential terms for public sector employees, payment breaks, overpayment options without penalty, cashback and the option to switch provider for free. Whilst your own bank may ultimately offer you the best terms available, it is essential that you understand all of the options available to you, so that you can ensure you have the best and most cost effective mortgage.

Webinar slides - Affinity Advisors presentation

Trevor is a director of Affinity Advisors, an award winning financial advisory firm specialising in the provision of market-based mortgage, reviews and protection advice. He has over 25 years mortgage market experience and is current Chairman of The Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors. Trevor offers a free on-site advisory service available to all UCD employees. For further information log on to the (opens in a new window)Affinity Advisors UCD page or contact Trevor Grant on 087 2721146 or 01 6533120 or email  (opens in a new window)trevor@affinityadv.ie. Should you decide to engage Affinity Advisors they will waive their fee of €750 for arranging mortgage facilities for UCD employees.

Switching your mortgage provider can save you €000's over the term of your mortgage. Trevor Grant, from Affinity Advisors, has worked with many colleagues to help them identify better deals and work through the switching process. There are now 10 lenders offering a wide range of interest rates and a multitude of product options. These options include interest rates from 1.95%, the option to fix your mortgage rate for up to 30 years at less than 3%, preferential terms for public sector employees, payment breaks, overpayment options without penalty, cashback and the option to switch provider for free. It’s important to be aware of all your options so that you have the best opportunity to reduce your mortgage costs.

Trevor is a director of Affinity Advisors, an award winning financial advisory firm specialising in the provision of market-based mortgage, reviews and protection advice. He has over 25 years mortgage market experience and is current Chairman of The Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors. Trevor offers a free on-site advisory service available to all UCD employees. For further information log on to the (opens in a new window)Affinity Advisors UCD page or contact Trevor Grant on 087 2721146 or 01 6533120 or email  (opens in a new window)trevor@affinityadv.ie. Should you decide to engage Affinity Advisors they will waive their fee of €750 for arranging mortgage facilities for UCD employees.

Our recent Health Insurance webinars have referenced the options available under health insurance ‘cash’ plans such as those offered by HSF, to help cover the cost of everyday health care expenses. Craig Broome, Senior Account Executive with HSF will explain the HSF Health Plan “Cash Back” health plan which offers cover for families, couples or single people. Cover starts from as little as €10.27 per month with options to increase your amount of cover, UCD colleagues can join via a payroll deduction scheme with no contact. HSF cover a lot of your everyday medical expenses with no access, it is very useable and very affordable. Learn more about what HSF can offer you - HSF interactive poster

More about HSF and 10% discount for UCD employees

HSF health plan is an employee health benefits provider. It is the trading company of the charity, The Hospital Saturday Fund.

HSF provide employee cash plans to help cover the cost of everyday health care expenses like GP fees, prescription costs, dental fees and glasses. Benefits include hospital, physiotherapy and complementary treatments, specialist consultations, health screening, personal injury and eye laser surgery. They also provide an Employee Assistance programme, HSF Assist® which includes access to a GP Advice Line, Virtual Doctor and Counselling Service.

Unlike other types of health insurance HSF health plan schemes are not claims or age related. Their plans can be used as a complement to exiting PMI Schemes or as an alternative. HSF health plan is available to UCD Employees at a discounted premium and with their family schemes, spouse/partner and any dependent children under age 21 can be included on cover at no extra cost.

Everyone who joins HSF health plan, just by belonging, are making a contribution to the important work of the charity, as the profits from the health cash plan go to the parent charity. Not something which usually happens when an insurance policy is taken out.

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact Craig Broome 087 676 5171 or email (opens in a new window)craig.broome@hsf.ie 

As an employee of University College Dublin you have access to two insurance plans, designed to protect both you and your family now and in the future. The first plan is called the Income Protection Plan, and the second is known as the Voluntary Life Assurance Plan. Michael Acton, Willis Towers Watson will discuss both plans to help you understand the benefit of each of these arrangements and why you should consider becoming a member, if you are not already. There will also be an opportunity to ask any questions you have.

About the speaker

Michael is head of Willis Towers Watson’s (WTW) Health & Benefits practice in Ireland. WTW operate both schemes for UCD employees. He leads a team of 21 staff including consultants, analysts and administrators providing specialist group risk and healthcare related consulting and administration services.

Find more about UCD’s Income Protection plan and Voluntary Life Assurance plans on the UCD website

This webinar, with Brendan De La Harpe from Cornmarket, will look at making a Will and estate planning. We spend our lives planning and saving for the next big step, a home, children, college fees etc., but unfortunately many people don’t plan for what to do with everything they’ve achieved when they’ve completed the ‘big stuff’. Passing on your assets to family members and loved ones is a big deal that deserves a proper plan.

Brendan De La Harpe is Head of the Tax Return Service & Mortgages at Cornmarket and has over 30 years’ experience ensuring clients understand tax and the benefits of planning appropriately. Cornmarket is the largest Public Sector financial services broker in Ireland. Cornmarket’s Tax Return Service specialise in ensuring customers are tax compliant. They aim to save you time, hassle and money when it comes to your taxes.

To contact Cornmarket email (opens in a new window)tax@cornmarket.ie or call on 01-4206780

For more information;

• (opens in a new window)cornmarket.ie/inheritance-planning/
• (opens in a new window)cornmarket.ie/tax-return-service/

Legal Services: Ensuring wellbeing by having the right advice

There are many areas in life where you may need legal advice from a practising solicitor. In this webinar, Solicitors Pauline Horkan and Lorna McArdle from Dillon Solicitors will cover off the common legal issues associated with house purchase, mortgages and deeds. They will also cover wills and enduring power of attorney and how these can be put in place. The webinar will also include an opportunity to ask questions.

Pauline Horkan & Lorna McArdle

Pauline is a partner in Dillon Solicitors. She has experience in a wide range of legal services and provides clients with advice on business law, property, Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Ward of Court applications and probate matters. Lorna McArdle is a solicitor with Dillon Solicitors and provides clients with advice on Family law, property, Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Ward of Court applications and probate matters.

Dillon Solicitors has been offering a wide range of legal services to its substantial private and business client base since 1993. They provide a range of discounts for UCD employees and the facility to meet on campus.

Dillon Solicitors, Unit A1 Nutgrove Office Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin14, Telephone No: 2960666 Email: (opens in a new window)paulinehorkan@dillon.ie and lornamcardle@dillon.ie Website: (opens in a new window)www.dillon.ie

UCD Pensions Manager Fiona Byrne in this webinar, will cover off the options for employees who joined the UCD Single Public Service Pension Scheme (post 2013) and may be able to transfer benefits arising from pension entitlements in certain other Revenue approved retirement schemes and PRSAs to the Single Scheme. As UCD operates a number of different pension schemes please ensure you are attending the correct webinar. The pension scheme applicable to you will depend upon your date of joining the Public Sector and date of joining UCD. If you are unsure which pension scheme you belong to please visit the UCD Pension Service webpage.

Fiona is UCD Pension Manager and leads the Pension Services team. You will find detailed information on all aspects of the UCD Pension Service on their webpage.

In this webinar, UCD Pensions Manager Fiona Byrne, will cover off the options for employees who joined the public sector prior to 1st January 2013 and who may be able to transfer their pensionable service from their old employer to UCD. UCD participates in the Irish Public Sector Transfer Network which allows employees who transfer from one area of the Public Sector to another, to transfer their pensionable service and receive full credit for pension purposes. As UCD operates a number of different pension schemes please ensure you are attending the correct webinar. The pension scheme applicable to you will depend upon your date of joining the Public Sector and date of joining UCD. If you are unsure which pension scheme you belong to please visit the UCD Pension Service webpage.

Fiona is UCD Pension Manager and leads the Pension Services team. You will find detailed information on all aspects of the UCD Pension Service, including contact details on their webpage.