NZ Herald Q&A Column – Mary Holm https://maryholm.com NZ's most trusted personal finance journalist Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:07:28 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.21 NZ Herald 7 November 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-7-november-2026/ Fri, 06 Nov 2026 11:00:37 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12894 Go to the beach when your managed fund dips Property is not liquid, but… Buy a rental elsewhere while being a tenant yourself? Disabled woman’s KiwiSaver balance challenged Letter last time “staggeringly mean” QI am a single, mid-thirties female. About 45 days ago I started a new job with a significant pay cut. I also invested 30% of my savings in managed funds, with about 50%

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]]> NZ Herald 24 October 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-24-october-2026/ Fri, 23 Oct 2026 11:00:20 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12884 More saving is not for everyone A way around “too much AI” in share funds Reader’s complaint seems mean “Sneakers guy” last time deserves praise Get the right sort of life insurance OK to move for cheaper housing? “I won’t browse there!” Mary talking in Tauranga QI think you should be more direct in encouraging people to save for retirement.

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]]> NZ Herald 10 October 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-10-october-2026/ Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:00:16 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12879 Life insurance important for family — and maybe a house? Disabled sister’s KiwiSaver probably not an issue Mum gets her cushion “Stop browsing and spend!” Fly and SKI with retirement savings Muslim attitude to wealth QI have been reading your work for years now, even purchased your book Rich Enough? A laid-back guide for every Kiwi when it first came out. I was born and raised in...

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]]> NZ Herald 26 September 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-26-september-2026/ Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:00:44 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12872 Old people missing out on joy? How KiwiSaver has changed, and the change that probably won’t happen Gift for grandson? Ask him! A quick way to get return numbers Shop around with your banking – it’s worth it! QThis may not be the sort of thing you write about, but I thought I’d run it by you. As an old person I have acquaintances who don’t really understand what money is. I&

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]]> NZ Herald 12 September 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-12-september-2026/ Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:00:02 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12865 Buying a rental property when close to retirement? 4 rules of reverse mortgages Are two funds more expensive than one? How to find an ethical low-fee fund Estate and tax considerations for couple Should partners have different KiwiSaver providers? QMy husband and I are both five years out from retirement. We both work part-time (total joint salary $100,000). We have been lifelong travellers...

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]]> NZ Herald 29 August 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-29-august-2026/ Fri, 28 Aug 2026 12:00:11 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12856 What couple should do with savings after cancer diagnosis How to hire a financial adviser… … and how to fire one Making the most of KiwiSaver in your 80s Don’t forget tax when weighing up home ownership QMy husband is 58 and I’m 54. He has recently been diagnosed with incurable cancer and is not able to work. While the prognosis isn’t great, we’re hopeful he will stay well...

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]]> NZ Herald 15 August 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-15-august-2026/ Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:00:42 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12848 Should couple sell their home, rent and invest in shares? Should we move out of index funds because crash is expected — maybe? Will house prices boom again? Do older singles get favourable treatment? QShould I consider selling my mortgage-free house to invest the full amount in the share market while I rent? The share market (over time at a 10% average) would return far more than the cost of...

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]]> NZ Herald 1 August 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-1-august-2026/ Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:00:10 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12840 Sell the rental and have some fun What to do after redundancy Setting up money for granddaughters’ KiwiSavers Is a live-apartnership just dating? Nobody’s coming after her money Slow process to get KiwiSaver money into account QMy husband and I are in our mid forties. We have about $200,000 each in our KiwiSavers, and our home is mortgage-free. We also have a rental property. We’.

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]]> NZ Herald 18 July 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-18-july-2026/ Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:00:44 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12833 Will she have to help pay for his residential care? Should KiwiSaver be scrapped? Should redundant man keep contributing to KiwiSaver? Shares and ETFs versus KiwiSaver fund QWhere do I stand? The Residential Care and Disability Support Services Act 2018 and the Social Security Act 2018 say the assets of both partners in a relationship are generally considered jointly. Spouses or partners are...

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]]> NZ Herald 4 July 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-4-july-2026/ Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:00:12 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12826 How to make KiwiSaver more universal Would KiwiSaver compulsion hurt early retirees? Should Mum switch providers? 64-year-olds told to apply for NZ Super How much foreign pensions help NZ Super QI’m concerned about some aspects of the National Party election policy in respect of KiwiSaver. In particular, the intention (if National is re-elected) to make the participation in KiwiSaver...

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