This webinar series covers聽personal finance topics as diverse as setting up a budget, dealing with debt, types of bank and investment accounts and their respective features, taxation basics, how pensions work in Canada, types of investment vehicles, types of insurance, and how to objectively evaluate the purchase of a home/investment property, among other related topics.
There are 9 workshops to help you grow your skills:
Unconventional Funding Sources
Are you a graduate student looking for additional ways to fund your education? Join us for an engaging webinar where we explore less common funding sources that can help you achieve your academic goals without the burden of excessive debt. This webinar is designed to provide you with practical tips and strategies to find and secure funding from diverse sources. Whether you鈥檙e just starting your graduate journey or looking for additional support, this session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to navigate the funding landscape effectively.聽
Learning Outcomes:
- Discover a list of corporations that offer various scholarships, grants, and fellowships.
- Review different non-profit funding sources.
- Explore a variety of smaller grants and sources of funding.
Budgeting and Expense Planning
This webinar will show you how to create a budget given your income level. It covers the main pitfalls of not budgeting and will show you ways to stay on track. Learn how to effectively monitor and cut costs using various free online tools and apps, and how to automate your savings. Join us for this engaging webinar to learn how small changes in your daily spending can lead to major savings down the line.聽
Note: This webinar is also relevant for international students & newcomers to Canada as it covers many of the basics about the different types of bank accounts available to you.
Learning Outcomes:
- Learn how to create a budget and stick to it.
- Learn about various ways to cut costs of essentials (groceries, housing, and services).
- Familiarize yourself with various apps & tools that can save you money.
Debt and Credit Scores
This webinar will cover the ins and outs of credit cards, various types of loans, and the benefits of debt consolidation. Participants will learn how credit cards work, select the best credit card given their specific circumstances, and familiarize themselves with the key features of lines of credit. Finally, we will go over various strategies to help you pay off your various debts. We will also review the importance of credit scores, how debt utilization can affect credit scores, and review various ways to boost them.聽
Learning Outcomes:
- Learn about different types of debt (credit cards, personal loans, and lines of credit).
- Acquire strategies to pay off your debts more effectively (debt consolidation, snowball method, and debt avalanche method).
- Identify important aspects of credit scores and how to obtain a free copy of your credit reports.
- Learn the steps to take to boost your credit score.
Building Wealth for the Short, Medium, and Long-Term
Are TFSAs, RRSPs, GICs, and ETFs a mystery to you? Does investing in the stock market feel like a gamble? If so, this webinar is for you! We鈥檒l demystify the jargon and guide you through the essentials of mutual funds and ETFs as well as different types of accounts helping you understand key documents like Prospectuses and Fact Sheets along the way. You鈥檒l learn how to choose between robo-advisors, mutual funds, and ETFs, and discover various ways to calculate the optimal portfolio balance for your age and risk tolerance based on different strategies. We鈥檒l also discuss the benefits of Canadian versus global diversification and the percentage allocation for each. Join us for a hands-on session to take control of your financial future!聽
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the difference between saving, investing, and speculating.
- Learn about the different investment assets (stocks, bonds, ETFs, MFs) and their associated risks.
- Review different investing accounts (RRSPs, TFSAs, FHSAs) and their features.
Income Taxes
Would you like to better understand tax slips and learn how to file your income taxes? Then this webinar is for you. We will first start with a brief overview of the Canadian tax system covering topics such as: types of different taxes, tax brackets, and how different types of income get taxed. We will review key tax slips (see list below) and show you how to make sense of them through live examples. Finally, we will cover various tax credits and deductions available to you.聽
Learning Outcomes:聽
- Learn about the different Canadian tax brackets, what counts as taxable income, and how different types of income get taxed.聽
- Develop a basic understanding of the information contained on key tax slips (T4, T4A, T5, T2202, RL-1, RL-3, RL-8, RL-19, RL-24, and RL-31).聽
- Learn about common tax deductions and credits available to you.聽
- Learn about various free tax filing resources and software.聽
Managing Your Finances Post Graduation
Graduating is an exciting milestone but it also comes with new financial responsibilities. In this informative webinar, we鈥檒l explore practical strategies to help you navigate your finances as you transition into the next phase of your life. Whether you鈥檙e starting a job or embarking on a new entrepreneurial venture, understanding how to manage your money effectively is crucial. Explore budgeting essentials, student loan management, credit building, investment strategies, and real estate analysis. Learn how to set financial goals, navigate taxes, and secure your financial future.
Learning Outcomes:
- Review how to maintain a reasonable budget and avoid lifestyle inflation.
- Learn about various student loan repayment strategies.
- Become familiar with Canadian real estate basics.
- Calculate the costs of starting a family in Canada and review various government benefits (QPIP and CCB).
- Learn about the various retirement plans in Canada: QPP/CPP, OAS, GIS, and pensions.
Essentials of Managing a Lab Budget
Join us for an insightful webinar where we delve into the essential strategies for effective lab budgeting. Learn how to prioritize your expenses by identifying critical research needs, equipment maintenance, and personnel costs to allocate your budget more effectively. Discover the art of negotiating with vendors, centralizing purchasing, and involving your scientific and technical teams in cost-saving initiatives. We鈥檒l also cover the importance of tracking your costs to identify less productive activities and cut back on unnecessary expenses. This webinar will provide you with practical tips and strategies to ensure your lab operates efficiently. Don鈥檛 miss this opportunity to enhance your lab management skills and drive your lab鈥檚 success!聽聽
Learning Outcomes:
- Learn how to prioritize expenses.
- Review different strategies to negotiate with vendors.
- Learn about different ways to tracking costs and staying on budget.
- Review various personnel managing strategies.
聽Workplace Finances Demystified
Ready to transition from academia to the professional world? Gain a solid understanding of workplace budgeting and fiscal management鈥痠n our upcoming webinar, designed for beginners. Dive into the essentials with an engaging overview of key finance terms, ensuring you grasp the foundational language鈥痑nd concepts. We鈥檒l explore how budgeting鈥痯ractices differ鈥痠n the鈥痗orporate, public, and non-profit sectors. Whether you鈥檙e aiming to understand the basics or looking to鈥痚nhance your skills, this webinar will鈥痚quip you with the knowledge and confidence to excel in your future career.鈥疛oin us鈥痑nd take the first step toward mastering workplace budgeting - don鈥檛 miss this opportunity to鈥痵et yourself up for success!聽
Learning Outcomes:
- Overview of key finance terms and concepts such as: asset allocation, amortization, time value of money, and net present value.
- Review key concepts relevant to the corporate sector including: shareholder value, capital structure, and mergers and acquisitions.
- Become familiar with terminology and concepts relevant to the public and non-profit sectors such as mission-driven finance, programmatic budgeting, and government accounting.
Entrepreneurship Essentials
Do you have a business idea but don鈥檛 know where to start? What are the pros and cons of being an entrepreneur? What are some resources that can help you along the way? This workshop will answer these and many other questions relating to starting a business. You will learn how to create a basic business plan, review different types of funding available to start-ups, and highlight key documents that are important when setting up new business as well as how the registre des entreprises works.聽
Learning Outcomes:
- Figure out whether entrepreneurship is right for you.
- Learn how to create a business plan.
- Learn about the difference between various types of corporations.
- Become familiar with how the registre des entreprises works and how to register a company.
As a 91社区 student, your participation in full to activities聽such as training workshops and volunteering are tracked on your Co-Curricular Record (CCR)!聽Having your co-curricular activities listed in one document can help you revise your CV or cover letter, prepare for interviews, and聽explore career options.