Q&As:
– Should out-of-work couple keep contributing to KiwiSaver?
– Why I worry about the share market recovery
– A way for special needs daughter to gain more financial flexibility
– How to decide which mortgage term to go for
– Best choice for employee who effectively pays his own KiwiSaver employer contributions
Plus:
– How to improve your chances of being answered in this column
Q&As:
– My expertise on cows and farmers’ markets is called into question…
– … Nonetheless, my comments last week helped reader
– KiwiSaver becoming workable for people with special needs
– Change KiwiSaver provider any time, but take care with changing funds
– Who does government borrow from, and how?
– Are we likely to see negative interest rates, and if so, where should we save?
– Not good news on tax and negative interest rates
– Negative interest rates unlikely to threaten banks’ strength
Keep your hands off KiwiSaver in economic downturn!
Commission for Financial Capability survey results. How we could do this better:
– Sidecar emergency savings fund attached to KiwiSaver
– More use of moneytalks.co.nz to access free financial advice and budgeting help
– Build up your own emergency fund
Q&As:
– Where to put your money if you’ve lost faith in all financial assets
– Why being in a balanced fund isn’t always equal to being in both low- and high-risk funds
– Suggestion for last week’s couple unable to buy a home because of his parents’ mortgage
– Tax on PIEs and uneven tax burden
Plus:
– How to make use of new info on KiwiSaver statements
Q&As:
– Help abounds for young man who helped parents get a mortgage
– My tax info not good enough for accountant
– How to tell how strong your bank is
– Can you be in more than one Simplicity fund?
– House buying plan depends on two impossible forecasts
– Put most of savings into house deposit
– Young man loses house deposit in receivership
– Divorced woman, 59, should put most money into new home
Important new info on KiwiSaver annual statements arriving about now:
– You’ll be told your expected savings at 65 (inflation adjusted)
– Also how much you will be able to spend per week until age 90 (inflation adjusted)
– (But you won’t get this if you’re new to that provider, under 18 or over 65)
– How these numbers are calculated
– What if you don’t fit the assumptions, eg you plan to retire before or after 65?
– What to do if your numbers are worryingly low
Q&As:
– Am I helping the big guys at the expense of small investors?
– Why you might want to be in more than one of your provider’s KiwiSaver funds
– Tax on KiwiSaver and other funds is gentle
– Limit buys can work well when buying shares
– Investing versus paying down mortgage in low-rate environment …
– … and taking diversification into account
– Be in KiwiSaver as well as making extra mortgage payments
– Take mortgage “holiday” or spend savings?
What’s the best way to save for children or grandchildren?
Making regular savings for young children or grandchildren can be a great way to help them head into adulthood.
Q&As:
– Who’s right about fund choice — husband or wife or neither?
– Which bank products are subject to haircut if bank fails?
– What about government bonds, Bonus Bonds and safe deposit boxes?
– Halt to dividend payments should strengthen banks
– ETF tax problem no big deal
– It’s great to continue contributions to KiwiSaver and other funds in down markets
– Don’t assume gloom will continue — and a look at past recoveries
– Drip feeding not quite so good with lump sums
I won’t say “I told you so”. But I sort of did!
– Listener points out that I warned of share plunge a week before
– At least people have learnt from what’s happened
– Renewed interest in share investing
– Don’t believe market forecasters