NZ Herald Q&A Column – Mary Holm

NZ Herald 11 April 2026

mary — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:22 +0000

Lesson from a 120-year-old! Where to invest term deposit money When is it best to move money overseas? Take out more in retirement? KiwiSaver when you turn 65 QThis story should be of interest to your readers — in light of recent Q&As about selling your house to your neighbour and then living in it as a tenant. Thirty years ago, André-François Raffray believed he had struck a smart deal.

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NZ Herald 28 March 2026

mary — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000

Where to put money for new grandchild Could retiree be “forced” to sell shared land? How one family funded children’s uni Watching caravans turning! Sad story about selling house to neighbour… … and happy one Alternative to reverse mortgage Appearance at Auckland Writers Festival I will be appearing at the Auckland Writers Festival, at 2.30 to 3.30 pm on Saturday May 16...

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NZ Herald 14 March 2026

mary — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:04 +0000

Should 78-year-old sell her home to neighbours and rent from them? Life insurance no longer needed Does CPI inflation include surcharges? Modern caravans not like the old days Many ideas for spending inheritance 2 Q&As on ethics around student loans QMy mum (78) lives alone in a house in Sandringham worth about $1.5 million. She’s currently still working full time but probably not for...

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NZ Herald 28 February 2026

mary — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:00:13 +0000

Woman, 63, plans to live in caravan… … Couple who do that wonder about selling the house they rent out Do inflation numbers take shrinkflation into account? How to find a financial adviser I goofed up on a student loan moral issue QI’m 63, single, with $150,000 in KiwiSaver, a home worth about $840,000, mortgage $87,000, and short-term debt $30,000. I own a caravan with annexe 20 minutes...

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NZ Herald 14 February 2026

mary — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:00:47 +0000

How to help student financially — and KiwiSaver tip for parents of teens Reader caught in scam impersonating me Bitcoin plunge a warning for all investors — like tulip mania Where to invest proceeds from selling rental QMy daughter starts her first year of university this year and could be studying for three to five years. We have $10,000 ready to pay for her first year.

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NZ Herald 31 January 2026

mary — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:00:38 +0000

Note to readers: fortnightly column Couple in 70s should sell 1 of 2 rentals and relax How to invest savings in retirement … … and for other goals such as uni The power of reinvesting dividends — and when not to What if KiwiSaver access age rises? From now on this column will be published fortnightly. I’ve got books to write and other plans to keep me busy. But I still love receiving your...

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NZ Herald 20 December 2025

mary — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:47 +0000

How to keep inheritance out of relationship property 2 Q&As on living in a retirement village What’s wrong with so many New Zealanders? See you next year — and tips on getting your letter published QI read with interest your response last week to the student who has inherited a large sum of money at 22, as it mirrors the situation my two brothers and I faced when we were in our twenties.

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NZ Herald 13 December 2025

mary — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:00:15 +0000

How 22-year-old should handle inheritance Could NZ funds fail, as they did in Australia? Sell 80-year-old’s home, or get reverse mortgage? And is 75 too young for such a mortgage? How much caution in retirement? QMy mother recently passed away and I, along with my siblings, have received an inheritance which I feel anxious about doing right with. I am only 22 years old. I now own a third of...

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NZ Herald 6 December 2025

mary — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:00:40 +0000

Couple in 70s sell home to fund retirement fun While couple in 50s may choose to stay renting How young reader may get into housing market Where are those tiny KiwiSaver fees? QWe are in our early 70s, retired, and will shortly have about $1 million from the sale of our house. Does it makes more sense to tip that sum into KiwiSaver or give it to a wealth management company? We are mortgage-free...

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NZ Herald 29 November 2025

mary — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 11:00:48 +0000

Good and bad debt — and when good debt goes bad Cryptocurrency hugely volatile, not for the short term Aliens’ view of gold investments KiwiSaver first home withdrawal when buying bare land Meaningful Christmas presents QIn your last column you repeated the usual mainstream advice of paying down debt before investing. Have you read any of the Value of Debt series by Thomas Anderson?

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