The Boring Guide to Building Wealth: A Financial Literacy Workshop Series in 5 modules

Date and Time: Monday October 15, 22 and 29, November 5 and 12, 2012, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: 688 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1025

Cost:
General Public – cost for each workshop: $49.00
General Public – cost for all five workshops: $195.00

Come with a Friend discount* – cost for each workshop: $ 37.00
Students, MCLL Members and McGill Alumni – cost for each workshop: $39.00
McGill Staff – cost for each workshop: $24.00

• For a limited time only, you can take advantage of our Come with a Friend promotion which entitles any friends you bring to 25% off on the General Public price.




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Does financial management get you down? Over the course of this series, you will get a chance to work with an experienced facilitator in order to demystify the hardships of finance by considering a wide array of topics such as creating and sticking to a budget, the nature of credit and how to save for the sort of future you want for yourself.



Workshop #1
Monday October 15, Budgeting and Balance sheets: How to create a realistic budget and assess personal net worth using financial guidelines at each stage of life. How to identify personal values and goals for one’s financial plan.

Workshop #2
Monday October 22, Understanding and Using Credit: To understand the difference between “good” and “bad” credit and how to use credit prudently. How to obtain one’s credit record and handle excessive debt.

Workshop #3
Monday October 29, Saving and Investing for Life: To understand and use the “pay yourself first” principle and dollar cost averaging to build assets over time. How to determine a balanced asset mix.

Workshop #4
Monday November 5, Make your Tax Return work for you: To be able to analyze your tax return and maximize tax benefits and credits.

Workshop #5
Monday November 12, Disability and Estate Planning: To be able to prepare for difficult decisions when facing disability or death. How to organize one’s affairs for easy retrieval by family in case of need.


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Facilitator
Brenda Shanahan studied history at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, obtained an MBA at the John Molson School of Business and, after a rewarding professional career in banking, financial planning and management, completed her BSW at McGill. Ms. Shanahan uses her financial services background as a springboard for promoting social engagement. A sessional lecturer with the McGill School of Social Work, Ms. Shanahan 's research and teaching interests focus on financial literacy for vulnerable populations, namely youth, low income seniors and newly arrived Canadians, as well as social policy issues around asset based welfare and social exclusion.

Over the years, Brenda Shanahan has developed and conducted numerous workshops and conferences on topics such as budgeting, basic investment principles, tax tips and estate preparation as part of her mission to help people better manage their financial affairs. Ms. Shanahan currently writes a weekly column called “Let’s Talk Money” for the Montreal Gazette addressing personal finance issues with a social work twist and is frequently asked by radio and online media to provide financial education and comment on fiscal policies affecting ordinary Canadians. When not providing financial education and counseling services, you can find Ms. Shanahan at McGill’s New Residence Hall where she is the Hall Director for some 750 first year McGill students from all over the world registered in almost every faculty on campus.