NZ Herald 23 April 2016
Q&As: Smartshares are a good way to get into share investing…; …And they beat mortgage repayment for one reader; Who worries more, rich or poor retirees?; Retirement Commissioner seeks your thoughts.
Q&As: Smartshares are a good way to get into share investing…; …And they beat mortgage repayment for one reader; Who worries more, rich or poor retirees?; Retirement Commissioner seeks your thoughts.
Q&As: Employees not limited to 3,4 or 8% KiwiSaver contributions; Should young couple get into rental property?; An investment option for Muslims; 2 ways to get into share investing; Many prices have fallen over the years.
Not just a gravy train. Hardly anyone these days questions whether KiwiSaver is a good deal for members. The average employee’s contributions are doubled by employer and government contributions. Savings that would otherwise total $100,000 will total $200,000 in KiwiSaver. Meanwhile, non-employees who contribute $1043 a year get $521 from the government, multiplying their savings by 1.5. For them, $100,000 becomes $150,000. That’s still pretty good. And the first home incentives add to the attraction for many. However, economists question the value of the scheme for New Zealand as a whole. Are they right?
Q&As: New index will tell more about how 65-pluses spend; Was I dismissive to a reader last week?; Is diversification the main point in a high-yield share portfolio?; Original high-yield correspondent explains his strategy; Sharebroker info useful but don’t get into frequent trading.
Q&As: Live well on $15,000 a year in Thailand; Reader questions last week’s correspondent’s dividend income…; …While another reader explains it, and wonders about adviser role; Better to read the column regularly than to chance upon it in some packaging!
Q&As: Reader suggests an economist could explain unfair tax on term deposits and property investment; …And the economist does so; Shares work well for retiree; 3 ways another retiree could cut expenses; How to reduce the cost of a funeral; Debt-dodging daughter should attend a course.
Q&As: Alternative for daughter trying to escape bad debt — pay up; Is emphasis on total shareholder return justified?; Inflation calculator shows what prices have risen, and what haven’t; Is this reader ready to retire?; Struggling retiree questions wealthier reader’s concerns.
Q&As: Judge interest rates against inflation; Retired couple seek higher returns; KiwiSaver provider drops fees on low balances; Young home buyers weigh up fixed and floating mortgages.
Q&As: 5 steps to get a reader and daughter back on KiwiSaver ladder; Could KiwiSaver fees reduce a low balance to zero?; How to choose a non-KiwiSaver fund.
Q&As: Why daughter’s KiwiSaver account didn’t perform so well; Getting the most out of KiwiSaver for children; KiwiSaver tax credit in the year you turn 65; Another great quote on investing; Pros and cons of family life on a boat.