Bonds — Most of us are in them. How safe are they?: What are bonds?; A key investment in many KiwiSaver funds; A worried listener’s letter; Two types of risk — and how to cope with them. For a brief explanation of credit ratings: tinyurl.com/CreditNZ.
Q&As: Mum objects to teenager being offered credit card; Newish Code places more responsibility on lenders; Another reader has trouble extending credit card limit; Help for people struggling to pay rates.
Q&As: Reader has same credit card trouble as last week’s correspondent…; …And last week’s correspondent finds the remedy doesn’t work; Another reader has a suggestion on credit card limits; And yet another one says ‘Fire your bank’; Thousands paying too much tax in KiwiSaver; Know your rights when dealing with financial service providers.
What savers and investors are entitled to. In your dealings with KiwiSaver providers, financial advisers, banks, peer-to-peer lenders, equity crowdfunding platforms and others providing financial services, the Financial Markets Authority says you are entitled to: Competence; To be treated fairly and honestly; To be informed; To know how much you are paying; To have your problems and complaints dealt with properly. What does this amount to? For more info see tinyurl.com/NZentitlements.
Q&As: Questions to ask before parents lend mortgage money to their children; Determined couple pay down big mortgage fast; Bank’s reluctance to extend credit card limit is surprising; Tax adviser thinks tax should have been mentioned last week.
Q&As: Which is better — a KiwiSaver share fund or KiwiSaver property fund?; KiwiSaver investments don’t change at 65, unless you’re in a life stages option. What are they?; No tax consequences of parents’ gift to help pay off mortgage; Bring UK shares over and pay down mortgage.
KiwiSaver — heading into retirement and after you retire: What happens at retirement; 60–64 and not in KiwiSaver? Join!; What type of KiwiSaver fund?; Is a listener’s plan good?
Q&As: The struggle of some beneficiaries; If you don’t like bank’s interest payment policy, shop around; Should couple put all their cash in house deposit, or invest in shares too?
Q&As: How much emergency money, and where should it be invested?; When it’s a good idea to keep your bank at arm’s length; Should young couple buy a home now, or wait and hope on prices and exchange rates?; Best way to compare KiwiSaver funds.
Is it wise to borrow to make a property or share investment?: What is leverage — a.k.a. gearing — and how does it work?; Pros and cons of using it; Why it’s wise to pay down your mortgage.