NZ Herald Q&A Column

NZ Herald 30 July 2011

Q&As: Two questions to ask before trading up to a more expensive house; A pilot joins the call for annuities for retiring KiwiSavers; Mercer explains its alternative to conventional annuities; A KiwiSaver provider gives children a break on fees; A reader is taken aback over a headline about steady incomes — and I’m taken aback that she cares!

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NZ Herald 23 July 2011

Q&As: Calling all KiwiSaver providers: Please let us know if you have plans to offer annuities or similar; Other payout possibilities for retired KiwiSavers; Couple who have returned to NZ but still own UK house should sell it, buy here and get on with enjoying life; Dwindling children’s KiwiSaver accounts possible but unlikely.

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NZ Herald 16 July 2011

Q&As: Retired couple with house in Christchurch’s red zone have several options to weigh up; Three Q&As about KiwiSaver for children and grandchildren; One adviser firm accepts pay-for-performance fees, at least to some extent.

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NZ Herald 9 July 2011

Q&As: Reader wants to pay financial adviser according to performance, but advisers not so keen; Adviser’s reason for putting clients into finance companies is not good enough; RFAs — registered financial advisers — must also operate under stricter rules; Grandma might want to put conditions on financial help for student grandchildren.

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NZ Herald 2 July 2011

Q&As: How to find a good financial adviser; Difference between an adviser and a fund manager, and how they charge; Adviser should always make high-interest debt the top priority; 70-year-old KiwiSaver’s plan for her grandchildren.

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NZ Herald 25 June 2011

Q&As: Should KiwiSaver member move to a provider with better investment performance?; Reader “gets it” on why KiwiSaver is so good; Another reader is over-enthusiastic; Is it wise to put more money into KiwiSaver?; Index funds are well and good, but what if everyone invested in them?

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NZ Herald 18 June 2011

Q&As: Why chimpanzee can outdo professional stock pickers; Reader might be able to beat the market in property investment, but he has little chance in shares; Which KiwiSaver providers offer index funds?; Do KiwiSaver changes favour those on high incomes? It depends how you look at it.

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NZ Herald 11 June 2011

Q&As: Should couple with iffy job prospects sell their shares to slash their mortgage?; Young KiwiSaver with an eye on first home help should move to a lower-risk fund; One KiwiSaver doesn’t appreciate how good his deal is…; And another is sick of whingers over the scheme; Did my comment about people’s inability to pick investments cover advisers?

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NZ Herald 4 June 2011

Q&As: Changes to KiwiSaver and NZ Super inevitable — and justified; Negatives about KiwiSaver not so bad; Reader loves KiwiSaver; 3 Q&As on tax credit and timing of it; Immigrants from UK lucky with their timing; UK interest rates not so low.

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NZ Herald 28 May 2011

Q&As: Reader knows more about chemistry than savings schemes; Yes, KiwiSaver does rely on government favours to be attractive, but that’s okay; Timing of the tax credits in the next KiwiSaver year; Some KiwiSavers on total remuneration may want to take contributions holidays; When to bring UK inheritance to New Zealand.

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