Q&As: How to tell term deposit institutions apart; Frugal superannuitants seem hurt by last week’s column; Real estate agent defends colleagues, and shares a couple of secrets; Dividend reinvestment plans work well for many shareholders; 2 Q&As on who is a professional.
Is home ownership the only way to go?: Decision to rent for life — or at least in the meantime; Weighing up the finances; Need to save big retirement sum; Short-term pluses of renting; Short-term minuses of renting; Longer-term issues; Psychological issues.
Q&As: How did reader get her own home on $38,000? Extraordinary saving; Home ownership costs much more than just mortgage; Selling your home — more than one agent, commission levels, auctions; What’s a profession?
Q&As: Low income doesn’t stop reader getting a mortgage — and a first home; One reader fails with a proposed change to real estate agents’ fees…; …but another succeeds; Mightn’t agents undervalue your property, says a reader; Mightn’t they overvalue it, says another.
Has rental property had its run?: The market is slowing; Government changes — mortgages, tax on gains etc; Pros and cons of investing in a rental; Why rentals are riskier than they seem; Comparing rental and share returns; The landlord personality.
Q&As: Alternative commission gives real estate agents incentive to get you a high price; Yes I was dead serious about telling woman to save less and spend more; Great granddad’s KiwiSaver gift a great idea; Ideas for 16-year-old’s inheritance; Helpful website for tiny house owners and people with land to share.
Q&As: How to tell if you’re on track with your KiwiSaver savings; Reader is saving too much, spending too little on fun; Even conservative KiwiSaver funds go negative sometimes; Allowances paid to employees not included in KiwiSaver contributions.
When insurance isn’t boring — when you need it but haven’t got it: Possible reasons for under-insurance; Which types of insurance are worst?; Basic idea of insurance — why it’s best to be a “loser”; What cover do you really need?; When to review your insurance; Who to get your insurance from.
Q&As: It’s not crazy to buy when the share market falls; Recent volatility helps KiwiSaver members decide about their fund; KiwiSaver or term deposits for a retiree?; Withdrawals from all managed funds are tax-free; What happens to KiwiSaver tax credit in the year you turn 65?; Is internet banking safe?
Q&As: What to do when employer doesn’t make KiwiSaver contributions on overtime pay; Is it OK for employer to encourage workers to join KiwiSaver?; KiwiSaver withdrawals not taxed; Long-term share and rental property investments about equal; Better to buy a section for tiny house?; Last week’s angry reader now remorseful.