Financial Seminars

Financial wellbeing consultant Jim Stapleton will provide practical steps how you, your family and household can achieve financial wellbeing. This  seminar 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.

Choosing the right mortgage can save you €000's over the term of your mortgage. Trevor Grant, from Affinity Advisors, will host a seminar on the various options available in the mortgage market (including special public sector employee options) and present how you can identify the most suitable mortgage option for you, based on your own unique circumstances and requirements. 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 secure the best mortgage option available to you. 

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 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. 

The UCD Voluntary Life Assurance Plan is designed to give employees the opportunity to make additional financial provision against the possibility of premature death to supplement Death in Service benefits under the UCD Pension Scheme. The objective of the plan is to provide an additional lump sum for the benefit of your dependents and/or estate in the event of your death while in the service of UCD. Willis Towers Watson (WTW) provide this plan for UCD employees. 

Special Offer - Life Assurance Plan

From 01 April 2023 to 30 June 2023 UCD employees who apply for membership during this period will be eligible for 6 months free cover from their date of acceptance to the  Life Assurance Plan. Find out more about the Voluntary Life Assurance Plan

Income Protection Plan

The UCD Income Protection (IP) Plan is designed to give employees the opportunity to protect their income against the possibility of long term illness. If you are a member of the plan, once your sick pay benefit has been reduced to half pay or you have exhausted your sick pay entitlement, the Plan steps in to pay a portion of your earnings. The aim is to provide you with a maximum income of 75% of your salary (less any Early Retirement Pensions/ Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration and / or Social Welfare benefit to which you’re entitled) while you are unable to work. Find our more about the Voluntary Income Protection Plan

Further information is available on the HR website https://www.ucd.ie/hr/a-z/incomeprotection/

Amee Massey is a Senior Associate with Willis Towers Watson and holds a BA in International Insurance and an MBS in Business.  She is also a Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA). Amee has been with Willis Towers Watson for 15 years and has over 17 years’ experience in the employee benefits industry across group risk consulting, retirement consultancy and personal financial planning. Amee provides solutions to clients on all aspects of employee benefits, specialising in health, life, disability & wellness benefits.

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. In this seminar he will look at all mortgage market options and assist you in understanding whether there are better options available to you. This seminar will also focus on assisting those with tracker rate mortgages and those with existing fixed rate mortgages, who are concerned about their rate options when their fixed rate expires in the current rising interest rate environment.

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 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 seminar Financial wellbeing consultant Jim Stapleton 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.

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.

Our previous 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. Culture & Engagement have negotiated a UCD employee corporate rate for all HSF health plans and the ability to avail of direct salary deductions.

HSF provides 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, Counselling Services and Legal Advice line.

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 existing PMI Schemes or as an alternative. HSF health plan is available to UCD Employees at the Corporate rate 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.

Learn more about HSF

Watch the new (opens in a new window)HSF video for further information on the plans available to you. If you would like to receive a booklet or have a chat about the cover that is available to you contact Craig Broome on +353 8767 65171 or (opens in a new window)craig.broome@hsf.ie

Craig Broome is the HSF health plan Senior Account executive for UCD, working with HSF for over 8 years and as being a HSF policy holder for himself and his family for over 12 years.  Any questions regarding the health plans please do not hesitate to contact Craig who will be happy to assist with any further information required.

The HSF health plan office is based in Ennis, Co. Clare and you can contact the customer service or claims team Monday – Friday 0900 to 1700hrs on 0818 451 451 or email (opens in a new window)info@hsf.ie / (opens in a new window)claims@hsf.ie

The UCD AVC (Additional Voluntary Contribution) Scheme complements the benefits of the 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. This seminar with Ian O'Shea, Cornmarket, will explain the benefits of an AVC scheme and how they work with the UCD pension.

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 deals with UCD colleagues on a daily basis, helping them with their pension planning and retirement.

More information on AVCs and contact details for Cornmarket can be found on the (opens in a new window)UCD HR website.

This seminar, 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 Training & Product Governance at Cornmarket and has over 30 years’ experience ensuring clients understand their finances 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/