Archive

NZ Herald 23 December 2023

Q&As:
– Couple in their 90s find “hidden treasure”
– First home at 23, with no family help
– How to get 14-year-old into shares
– “Never give up — and know about the family finances”
– Couple very happy on $80,000 income
– How I did the maths last week

Read More

RNZ Radio 21 December 2023

Biggest personal finance story of 2023: High interest rates
– Mortgage rates too high? What you can do about it
– Term deposit rates high. Shop around.
– Effect on house prices
– How bank profits are affected.
– Conclusion: winners and losers swap places

Read More

NZ Herald 16 December 2023

Q&As:
– Do fund managers “do nothing but take fees”?
– A good alternative to KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals
– Switching to a cheaper rental property has its pluses
– Control inflation by raising KiwiSaver contributions?

Read More

NZ Herald 9 December 2023

Q&As:
– Laddering savings while studying for a new career
– Dodging the rental property bright-line test
– Using KiwiSaver money to buy a UK house
– Go for the pension scheme with the employer contributions
– No need to close KiwiSaver when living overseas
– Are your contributions included in your KiwiSaver return?

Read More

RNZ Radio 7 December 2023

Repaying debt — student loans, mortgages and high-interest loans — what to do when
– Watch spending over Christmas and holidays
– What is wealth — and why it’s like a tank of water?
– Water into tank (savings) versus water out (interest on debt)
– Applied to high-interest debt, mortgages and student loans
Plus:
– Follow-up to last time. Simplicity improves its rating

Read More

NZ Herald 2 December 2023

Q&As:
– Are NZ houses unnecessarily big – and therefore more expensive?
– Could we just halve all house prices?
– Unfair to compare KiwiSaver and NZ Super Fund, but still …
– A property purchase that went brilliantly
Plus:
– Meaningful Christmas gifts

Read More

NZ Herald 25 November 2023

Q&As:
– Get rid of the rental and get on with enjoying life!
– Reader gets it upside down on KiwiSaver fees
– When it’s good to be in more than one KiwiSaver fund
– Rental property not all that “safe(ish)”
– Shares are a great alternative to property

Read More

RNZ Radio 23 November 2023

Which KiwiSaver providers offer the best service? What might you be missing out on?

Which providers:
– Check if you contributed enough to get government max?
– Support members in market downturns?
– Let you be in more than one fund — and when that matters?
– Do best and worst over all

Where to get more info on this

Read More

NZ Herald 18 November 2023

Q&As:
– Tips for a 26-year-old on how saving for a home
– A 50% house price drop? 30% has happened
– Changes strengthen landlord argument
– Tough gifting rules for elderly care subsidy
– One way around the care subsidy rules?
– Divorce not the answer unless real

Read More

NZ Herald 11 November 2023

Q&As:
– Are house prices too high?
– Bank needs to improve KiwiSaver withdrawal options
– In residential care subsidy rules, do charity donations count?
– My mistake with gifting number
– 2 Q&As on care subsidy details
– Legal execs “are not secretaries”

Read More