KiwiSaver about to move into high gear. KiwiSaver — which has lurched around a few sharp bends in its short life — is about to shift up a gear. From April 1, the minimum employee and employer contributions will both rise from 2 to 3 per cent of pay.
Financial misbehaviour disappointing. Ironically, a survey on New Zealanders’ financial behaviour was released just days before Christmas — a time of much financial misbehaviour, when everyone’s saying, “I don’t care what it costs, I’ve just got to buy something for Uncle Fred.”
Let’s not make KiwiSaver compulsory. The words “compulsory” and “KiwiSaver” seem to be appearing more and more often in the same sentence. I don’t like it — but I seem to be in the minority.
Tricky questions to ponder on the beach walk. Summer holidays — a time to look beyond what’s happening in your life over the next week or so. How about the next 40 years?
Self-insurance eases the pain. Have you ever thought, as you pay hundreds of dollars yet again for car or house insurance that you never claim on, that it would be better to bank the premiums and use that money if something went wrong?
KiwiSaver thriving …especially among those in their twenties. KiwiSaver is thriving. Most people know by now that more than 2 million — over half the eligible people — are members. But a new report tells more. Far more people are now staying in the scheme after auto enrolment; many are switching from default schemes to something more suitable; and a full three quarters of New Zealanders in their early twenties are on board.
KiwiSaver’s flexibility is a plus… …up to a point. KiwiSaver is many things — mostly good. But I hadn’t thought of it as a type of insurance policy until recently, when I was talking to an authorized financial adviser in Christchurch.
Are bonds really that beautiful? Bonds are beautiful. That’s certainly the message when you look at a recent Reserve Bank list of returns on 11 different types of investments, including New Zealand, Australian and international shares, property, farms, bonds and cash.
Rental property beats shares — or does it? At first it looked as if a recent article in the Reserve Bank Bulletin might help with the perennial question: Is it better to invest in property or shares? But no such luck!
Help needed for retirees to live it up a bit. I’m disappointed. Retired people have been gaining access to their KiwiSaver money for several months now, but there’s no emergence of good new products to help them manage their savings.