Foreign Exchange

The following is a selection of articles mainly from January 2005 to the present. To explore this topic in more depth and access earlier columns, please use the search box.

Articles

NZ Herald 27 April 2013

Q&As: Steer clear of foreign exchange trading
- Pensioner should also steer clear of finance companies offering high interest
- How you can avoid partial assets sales shares in KiwiSaver
- Not saying "I told you so" about investing in gold
- Buying a home still a good idea for couple in late 40s

NZ Herald 13 October 2012

Q&As: Make credit card repayment your top priority
- Why KiwiSaver tax credit is not as good as some people think
- Revolving credit mortgage could help some unhappy ANZ customers
- Reader bombs out on gold, silver, dollar forecasts

NZ Herald 28 April 2012

Q&As: Reasonable and unreasonable expectations about NZ Super and people's retirement savings
- People need to think beyond their own needs, says reader
- Better or worse then or now? Just different
- Just how high are - and were - tertiary fees?
- Oops! I got it wrong about foreign exchange and interest rates

NZ Herald 14 April 2012

Q&As: Should reader buy a NZ house now - while still overseas - or later?
- 3 readers' varying views on student loans
- 2 readers seem to be a bit muddled about the new KiwiSaver tax credit

NZ Herald 15 October 2011

Q&As: Is it wise not to save because if you do you'll lose some government subsidies - and to spend the money on cars instead?
- Our chances of ending up in a rest home. And could there be insurance to cover the costs?
- Last week's "oily ragger" should do her own thing
- No bargain is quite so good when you consider how much you really had to earn to buy it
- Update on a reader's predictions of NZ's exchange rate and gold and silver prices

NZ Herald 23 July 2011

Q&As: Calling all KiwiSaver providers: Please let us know if you have plans to offer annuities or similar
- Other payout possibilities for retired KiwiSavers
- Couple who have returned to NZ but still own UK house should sell it, buy here and get on with enjoying life
- Dwindling children's KiwiSaver accounts possible but unlikely

NZ Herald 4 June 2011

Q&As: Changes to KiwiSaver and NZ Super inevitable - and justified
- Negatives about KiwiSaver not so bad
- Reader loves KiwiSaver
- 3 Q&As on tax credit and timing of it
- Immigrants from UK lucky with their timing
- UK interest rates not so low

Money column for May 31 2011

NZ Herald 28 May 2011

Q&As: Reader knows more about chemistry than savings schemes
- Yes, KiwiSaver does rely on government favours to be attractive, but that's okay
- Timing of the tax credits in the next KiwiSaver year
- Some KiwiSavers on total remuneration may want to take contributions holidays
- When to bring UK inheritance to New Zealand

NZ Herald 5 February 2011

Q&As: Should we all panic over the Savings Working Group's dire forecasts?
- Do Bill English and Alan Bollard need to talk about how hard it is for New Zealanders to save?
- Why mailing nasties to companies that make low-priced share offers might not work

NZ Herald 23 October 2010

Q&As: With extra to pay off a mortgage, should you add to principal repayments or shorten the term of the loan?
- Graph of gold price history tells some interesting stories
- Transferring money from UK to New Zealand to take advantage of higher interest rates here could be risky
- Under what circumstances can Inland Revenue take money out of your KiwiSaver account?

NZ Herald 16 October 2010

Q&As: Reader with money in UK asks what will happen to the UK:NZ exchange rate
- 4 Q&As on whether it's a good idea to invest in gold and silver

NZ Herald 9 October 2010

Q&As: Can a reader foresee gold and silver prices, and foreign exchange rates? Time will tell.
- Eggs in baskets matter as much now as ever - plus the difference between active and passive fund management
- Can you invest with more than one KiwiSaver provider?
- KiwiSaver for New Zealand resident with overseas employer - plus how to choose a provider

NZ Herald May 30 2009

Q&As: "Gambler" with foreign currency movements had better get out of the casino before he loses more than his shirt
2 readers object to what I said last week about managed funds - but are their comments fair?
The fun continues over classic cars and whether they make good investments

Syndicated column November 11 2008 - To hedge or not to hedge?

There are two key questions around investing overseas: Should you do it? And if you do, should you hedge your investment, so it's not affected by movements in the New Zealand dollar. The first answer is "Yes". The second is trickier.

Syndicated column October 25 2008 - Same rules for big and little savers

There's plenty for Joe and Joanne Saver to learn from two recent news items about the NZ Superannuation Fund, sometimes called the Cullen Fund. In short:

NZ Herald May 3 2008

Q&As: Measuring movements of the Kiwi dollar against the US dollar can be quite misleading.
Last week's boss responds to my response to him!
KiwiSaver tough on small businesses.
Many reasons to use Indian labour rather than NZ labour.
NZ workers not so bad.

NZ Herald April 12 2008

Q&As: Monkey story a great yarn, but it's not about the share market.
Reader's concerns about banks' exposure to foreign exchange risk are unfounded.
61-year-old should think hard before selling her house and enjoying some of the proceeds.
Man about to retire can still get plenty from KiwiSaver.

NZ Herald February 9 2008

Q&As: Calculator tells reader to stop saving and live it up a bit.
Reader who finds KiwiSaver nauseating has a scary list of things that could go wrong....
...But another one applauds KiwiSaver, while sitting on the home ownership sidelines.

NZ Herald August 25 2007

Q&As: Following last week's first Q&A, a reader suggests another way to bring overseas money to New Zealand.
Who's right, Gareth or me, on tax credit start dates?
We find eight providers who will accept one-off payments into KiwiSaver.
More winners of books.

NZ Herald August 18 2007

Q&As: Man lives in NZ but his savings are in the US. When should he bring the money here, in light of the dollar's fluctuations?
3 Q&As on when the KiwiSaver tax credit begins - depending on when you join and/or start making contributions.
More winners in our giveaway of "KiwiSaver: How to make it work for you".

NZ Herald April 7 2007

Q&As: Rent control would do more harm than good.
The cost of staying out of the housing market.
Reader insists it's worthwhile to try to time foreign exchange movements. It's all his!

NZ Herald April 7 2007

Q&As: A year-old letter shows the danger in trying to predict what the Kiwi dollar will do
"Plodders" wonder how to match the investments of their landlord friends
Traders in shares beyond Australasia no longer pay the old tax on capital gains
How about taxing rental property the same way as international shares?

NZ Herald February 17 2007

Q&As: Is the Kiwi dollar to blame for poor overseas investment performance?
How foreign dividends will be dealt with under the new tax rules.
Where to go for historical foreign exchange data - for tax purposes.
A lionish company bites back.

NZ Herald December 9 2006

Money column for December 9, 2006

Win a ticket to a seminar
Q&As: Should retired couple invest in a commercial property? Why take on that risk?
Can we predict NZ dollar movements?
When is it best to change money from US to NZ currency.
A US website that evaluates international charities.
Yet another charity offers a Christmas gift programme.

Syndicated column November 7 2006: An exceptionally unlucky reader

International index funds, a favourite long-term investment of mine, don't look good to one reader.

"I bought about $2000 worth of WiNZ in 2000," he writes. "They are now 27 per cent lower (have been for quite a while). Fortunately for me it was not a huge amount.

"Twenty years is a long time to wait for the fund to claw its way back up. Hopefully all the investors in index funds can wait that long!"

NZ Herald October 21 2006

Q&As: Is there an 18-year cycle for industrial and resource shares?
Why index fund of Aussie shares has done much worse than its index.
Limited submissions on tax changes not good enough.
NZ shares, already favoured, shouldn't get still more favourable tax treatment.

Syndicated column October 10 2006: Moving money across the globe is a risky tactic

The situation of a reader may not seem relevant to many others. But there are lessons here for practically everyone.

Holm Truths winter 06

Stay Away: Don't rush to bring your shares back from overseas.
Also in this issue: From the Mailbox - Giving the kids a great start with regular investing

Holm Truths autumn 06

Stuff and happiness: Buying things you don't really need

Also in this issue: From the Mailbox - Should a young man buy himself a house?

NZ Herald November 12 2005

Q&As: The pros and cons of self employment and income splitting.
Comparing shares with property is tricky.
How movements in the dollar affect investment in international share funds.

Syndicated column June 14 2005: Investing offhore not as risky as it seems

It's an oft-quoted excuse for not investing offshore: If you do, you take on foreign exchange risk. But is it really risky?

NZ Herald January 22 2005

Q&As: Man with many rental properties does it the right way.
Why do economists bother to make foreign exchange forecasts that are often wrong?

NZ Herald January 15 2005

Q&As: You can make money by leasing out caravans.
Economist confesses how bad all foreign exchange forecasts are.

Holm Truths spring 01

Taking on the world: Spread your share investment money across the world

Also in this issue: Great Debate - Investing v repaying your mortgage

Holm Truths winter 01

Free lunch a rewarding spread: It's wise to spread your investment money around

Also in this issue: Great Debate - Shares v share funds