Mary Holm

NZ Herald 14 June 2025

mary — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 12:00:35 +0000

Speed up student loan payments or invest? Pay off mortgage or invest? How to deal with high health insurance costs Paying Off High Interest Debt QI’m currently paying off my $10,000 student loan, which is scheduled to be fully repaid late next year. I’m also contributing $50 a fortnight to a low-cost index fund to support my retirement savings. Would it be more beneficial to redirect...

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NZ Herald 7 June 2025

mary — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:00:03 +0000

You’ve done well, but don’t lose compassion Spending seems to rise in retirement? Living on NZ Super — with plan for health costs Not Planning on Home Ownership QAs immigrants, we had to start all over again, with two preschoolers. Money was spent within our means, no fast food and junk, just wholesome meals and an annual holiday as a meaningful treat. It was boring, and a lot of will...

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RNZ Radio 5 June 2025

mary — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:15:34 +0000

7 questions to test your financial knowledge How to do test at your own pace, and get explanations of the answers Listen to the segment below, or click here to read Radio NZ’s summary. You can listen to these sessions as podcasts. Subscribe free to Mary’s RNZ podcast here. No paywalls or ads — just generous people like you. All Kiwis deserve accurate, unbiased financial guidance.

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NZ Herald 31 May 2025

mary — Fri, 30 May 2025 12:00:09 +0000

Another good reason to get children into KiwiSaver KiwiSaver works well in retirement Keep life insurance for ex? Gold has seen big losses as well as gains One way to plan savings in retirement QAs a grandparent of five, aged between 4 and 10, I have opened a Sharesies account in the Smart US Large Growth ETF fund for each of them, investing a very small regular amount each month.

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NZ Herald 24 May 2025

mary — Fri, 23 May 2025 12:00:24 +0000

What, exactly, are bonds? And are they safe? Are bonds no longer behaving as they should? Industry man defends gold Just 2 KiwiSaver providers won’t let you do this Last week’s correspondent “naïve” about tax on rental income QWhy will no one explain all the jargon that surrounds bonds? I have asked you about three or four times to explain bonds, I have asked my stockbroker to explain bonds...

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RNZ Radio 22 May 2025

mary — Thu, 22 May 2025 03:15:30 +0000

Changes to employer and employee contributions — and how to avoid them if you wish Government contributions halved No government money if you earn more than $180,000 Good news for 16 and 17-year-olds — tell them about it! Assessment: Bad for self-employed and not employed, and employees pay for their own gains Listen to the segment below, or click here to read Radio NZ’s summary.

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NZ Herald 17 May 2025

mary — Fri, 16 May 2025 12:00:17 +0000

Gold not the answer for this reader “Should I or shouldn’t I reduce risk?” Couple’s tax idea not fair A reverse mortgage in a retirement village? Can move KiwiSaver overseas with you QI am aged 72, retired two years ago. I have a mortgage-free unit worth about $650,000, and $114,000 in a KiwiSaver conservative fund. I’m too scared to look at the balance as it will have dropped. I also have $40...

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NZ Herald 10 May 2025

mary — Fri, 09 May 2025 12:00:06 +0000

Higher returns but no higher risk? When a KiwiSaver fund falters … … And what about cyberattacks on funds? Why I was negative last week Don’t close KiwiSaver account QI note that the new Depositor Compensation Scheme (DCS) begins in July. Interest.co.nz lists a number of non-bank deposit takers on its Saving page who are covered under this scheme. Many have returns higher than banks (e.g.

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RNZ Radio 8 May 2025

mary — Thu, 08 May 2025 03:15:45 +0000

History of government contributions If changed, how should they do it? Arguments against change Suggestion 1: ban employees paying their employer contributions Suggestion 2: give beneficiaries KiwiSaver help — and prisoners Listen to the segment below, or click here to read Radio NZ’s summary. You can listen to these sessions as podcasts. Subscribe free to Mary’s RNZ podcast here.

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NZ Herald 3 May 2025

mary — Fri, 02 May 2025 12:00:41 +0000

Don’t get too confident about your investment skills A way to compare paying down mortgage vs shares Home loans get easier over time Putting “princely sums” in context KiwiSaver returns over a decade How banks lend to retired people Move to new provider, at same risk, any time QI am determined to pass away with all, or as much as possible, of my savings intact, having lived on the interest.

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