Hashtag: #CarlaSeelyColumns

Carla Seely Column: The Graduate

Carla Seely Column: The Graduate

[Written by Carla Seely] Congratulations! Job well done! You finally did it; you finished your university degree and you’re ready to take on the world! Attending university gives you the education and confidence to dream big and believe anything is possible, and it provides you with the platform to launch yourself into a career. So, where do you... Read more of this article

Carla Seely Column: Retirement Income Options

Carla Seely Column: Retirement Income Options

[Written by Carla Seely] Understanding your retirement income options is crucial for ensuring financial security in your retirement years. Oftentimes, pre-retirees feel confused about what options are available when converting their defined contribution pension plan into retirement income. There are currently two options available to receive retirement... Read more of this article

Column: Are You Future-Focused Frugal?

Column: Are You Future-Focused Frugal?

[Written by Carla Seely] The amount of money you have at your disposal is not always dependent on how much you earn. Whether you make a lot of money or you don’t, it’s all about how you choose to spend it that can make all the difference in the future. Earlier in the week, my husband and I were driving to work and he said the F-word…the word... Read more of this article

Column: Balance Of Pension Upon Death

Column: Balance Of Pension Upon Death

[Written by Carla Seely] When you die, what happens to the money in your pension? Anyone who knows me will know one subject I skirt around and immensely dislike talking about is death. I don’t even like using the word – it’s just so final. For me personally, I’m not sure whether I’m afraid of dying, or if I’m more afraid of being told I’m... Read more of this article

Carla Seely Column: Same Same, But Different

Carla Seely Column: Same Same, But Different

[Written by Carla Seely] Many years ago, I travelled to Bali, Indonesia, which could be described as the knock-off capital of the world. I remember seeing many ‘Luis Vuittoons,’ ‘Gucci,’ and ‘Jimny Choo’ handbags hanging in different stalls in the markets. The enthusiastic vendors would try to get you to buy their “authentic, but cheaper”... Read more of this article

Carla Seely Column: Company Pension Plans

Carla Seely Column: Company Pension Plans

[Written by Carla Seely] Whether you’re moving your existing business to Bermuda or starting up a new organization, you’ll have some corporate responsibilities. One of these requirements will be to establish a pension plan for yourself and your employees. Effective January 1, 2000, a mandatory pension system was established in Bermuda requiring... Read more of this article

Column: The Holiday Season On A Budget

Column: The Holiday Season On A Budget

[Written by Carla Seely] The holiday season reminds many us of the joy of giving, spending time with family, and having a little time off from work to decompress. However, for many it can be a very stressful time. The joy of giving may be replaced with concerns of unaffordability, and spending time with family and taking time off work may be replaced... Read more of this article

Carla Seely Column: Crisis Management

Carla Seely Column: Crisis Management

[Written by Carla Seely] Have you ever been in a situation where you think you’re finally doing well, your finances seem to be coming together, you start to have a positive outlook on your financial future, and then – wham! – something unexpected knocks you back to square one? If you speak to anyone who’s been in an emergency situation... Read more of this article

Carla Seely Column: Is Now A Time To Save?

Carla Seely Column: Is Now A Time To Save?

[Written by Carla Seely] Is Now a Time to Save, or Should I Keep Spending? Unless you’ve been living in a remote cabin with no connection to the outside world, you’re probably aware of the looming concerns that most global economists and global leaders share. Their primary worries can be summed up in an unsettling pair of words: global recession. A... Read more of this article

Column: Standing On Your Own Two Feet

Column: Standing On Your Own Two Feet

[Written by Carla Seely] I grew up in a family founded on tough love. It was through this that independence was taught at a very early age; relying on oneself and not another was a value my parents instilled in both myself and my siblings. As a matter of fact, I can still clearly hear my father saying, “At the end of the day, you are born alone and... Read more of this article

Column: Creating A Retirement Checklist

Column: Creating A Retirement Checklist

[Written by Carla Seely] If you’re thinking about retiring, then chances are you’re thinking about what the next steps are in the road to retirement. More importantly, you may be wondering when you should realistically begin creating a solid plan for retirement. For a lot of people, gearing up for retirement normally starts about five years ahead.... Read more of this article

Column: Pocket Money; It’s Not All About Money

Column: Pocket Money; It’s Not All About Money

[Written by Carla Seely] I grew up in a middle-class family and, from a very young age, my parents instilled the value of working in order to earn a dollar. As children, we were given various chores to accomplish throughout the week. If we completed those chores without moaning and groaning and without being asked ten times to do them, then we received... Read more of this article

Carla Seely Column: Pension Plan Rollovers

Carla Seely Column: Pension Plan Rollovers

[Written by Carla Seely] Rarely does an employee work for the same employer for fifty years. For most of us, we have worked for different organizations in a variety of different capacities during our working lives and, during our tenure at these various organizations, most of us have accumulated some pension funds along the way. However, many of us... Read more of this article

Column: Raising A Child With Special Needs

Column: Raising A Child With Special Needs

[Written by Carla Seely] The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary defines the term special needs as “any of various difficulties [such as a physical, emotional, behavioral, or learning disability or impairment] that causes an individual to require additional or specialized services or accommodations [such as in education or recreation].” For families... Read more of this article

Column: Planning For A Retirement For One

Column: Planning For A Retirement For One

[Written by Carla Seely] Growing up, my parents sacrificed a lot for their children and in their later years they made many more sacrifices to ensure their retirement years would be comfortable. They sacrificed overseas trips, they only made big purchases when absolutely necessary and, most importantly, they made sure they always put extra into their... Read more of this article

Column: 5 Money Mistakes Women Are Making

Column: 5 Money Mistakes Women Are Making

[Written by Carla Seely] Interesting fact: women control the finances in most households. Statistics show that women make up to 80% of all consumer purchases and also pay more than 60% of the household bills [Nelson 2019]. However, a lot of women have a love-hate relationship with money. Whether it’s just you or you and a partner, responsibility and... Read more of this article