A big year for KiwiSaver. In the annals of KiwiSaver history, 2012 will be notable for two things. It will mark the start of a two-year shift away from government input and towards more employee and employer input, and it will be the first year in which members can withdraw their savings in retirement.
Men don’t have a monopoly on financial ability. New Zealand women are less confident about their finances than men, a recent survey suggests. Should they be?
Q&As: A reader’s 10 rules on property investment make good sense; 3 Q&As on the fairness of wealthier people using student loans; Was the word “renter” misused in last week’s column?; Research centre is looking into issues about overseas pensions and NZ Super.
Q&As: How to plan retirement savings if you don’t want to own a home; Family in last week’s column must have muddled their language a little; If you’ve lived in Australia, applying for NZ Super may not be straightforward.
Should KiwiSavers with mortgages keep contributing? This year’s changes to KiwiSaver make it debatable whether members with mortgages should keep contributing to the scheme.
Q&As: Government action needed to help out retirees withdrawing their KiwiSaver money; No tax when you take money out of KiwiSaver; KiwiSaver gets good and bad report cards, depending on your approach; 2 readers explain how they financially helped their student children.
Q&As: How much financial support a reader gives their student son; Two banks offer mortgages that get around problems with revolving credit loans; An accountant’s offer boosts reputation of the profession; Two Q&As about means testing of NZ Super in some circumstances, and how KiwiSaver fits in; Yes, there are plenty of companies that don’t pay dividends.
A year of change for KiwiSavers — and would-be joiners. We’re in for a mixed year with KiwiSaver. Contributions from the government and employers will decrease. Still, there’s a good reason for employees who haven’t yet joined the scheme to get in now. Meanwhile, some over-65s will become eligible — for the first time — to withdraw money in retirement.
Q&As: A disadvantage of revolving credit mortgages — it can be hard to keep track of your money; Should John Banks and co. have shared the profits on the sale of their KiwiSaver scheme with members?; The one situation in which NZ Super is affected by your KiwiSaver account; A call for info about student spending.
Q&As: Most people still get their money doubled in KiwiSaver, or close to that…; …And no, KiwiSaver is not self-funded by members; What happens in April 2013 to KiwiSavers who pay their own employer contributions; Good and bad employers and KiwiSaver; A little book that says it all — almost.