The Investor 7 May 2011
Think before switching your whole mortgage to a floating rate. In a dramatic change over the last couple of years, everyone’s moving to floating-rate mortgages. Is this a good idea?
NZ Herald 30 April 2011
Q&As: A reader’s attempt to recover tax on finance company interest is a nice try, but…; Wanting less and working less doesn’t preclude tall poppies; Creative ideas on how to cut household expenses; Did I get the banking system wrong, or did a reader?; At least one bank — sort of — will lend to share investors.
The Investor 23 April 2011
Savings growth is far from over at 65. I’m a bit hesitant to pass on this information, for fear that some readers might get the wrong message. But here goes. Just promise me you’ll read past the first half dozen paragraphs, okay?
NZ Herald 23 April 2011
Q&As: Why it takes both partners working to afford a house these days; Buying a house with a co-owner might prove tricky; Did I muddle pounds and dollars?; Big lottery winner would have some negotiating power with a bank — but only so much; Difficulties of borrowing to invest in shares; Winners of seminar tickets.
NZ Herald 16 April 2011
Q&As: You need to compare rental properties and share investments on the same basis; How does KiwiSaver work for kids, and will the parents “trap” them into something they won’t want as adults?; Should we look at house prices versus household income, rather than individual income, when looking at affordability over time?
The Investor 9 April 2011
How not to be ripped off. There’s no denying that some fraudsters are clever. Bernie Madoff — the American now serving 150 years in prison for probably the biggest rip-off of all time — didn’t promise investors 20 or 30 per cent returns, which would have looked highly suspicious. Instead, it was a steady return of around 10.5 per cent a year. While you can’t get returns that high on a steady basis, it obviously sounded possible to thousands of Americans.
NZ Herald 9 April 2011
Q&As: Bad experience with fund shouldn’t put you off KiwiSaver…; …Nor should low income; Way of getting around high-interest fixed mortgage not without risk.
NZ Herald 2 April 2011
Q&As: Executives of failed finance companies can’t get away with wearing the dunce’s hat; Beware “investment houses” offering 20-per-cent-plus returns; Why did long-term investment go backwards?
The Investor 26 March 2011
Why a dollar in the hand is worth more. The recent attempt by Bernard Whimp to buy shares in half a dozen companies cheaply — and the Securities Commission’s response to it — is a good illustration of how a dollar now is worth more than a dollar later.
NZ Herald 26 March 2011
Q&As: Where does the money go when a finance company fails?; How bank mortgage interest rates are set, and how to compare them; Should a reader switch from a fixed to a floating mortgage?