Too many KiwiSaver non-contributors miss out on the good stuff. Not far from half of all members of KiwiSaver are not contributing regularly to the scheme — whether they be employees on a contributions holiday or non-employees who are simply not putting money in. What a pity.
Who needs money when you’ve got what New Zealand’s got? New Zealanders, it seems, are better off than people in any other OECD country when we look at non-financial measurements. The saying “money isn’t everything” rings true in this country.
Fees matter, especially for younger KiwiSavers. Too many KiwiSavers — particularly younger ones — are sitting in funds that are likely to grow less than other similar funds.
Harsh words worth listening to. I’ve been hesitant to write about a recent speech by Paul Mersi in which he told off New Zealanders for their attitudes to money.
Labour shows up National on retirement savings issue. Come on National, you can do better. In less than a year, the first New Zealanders will gain access to their KiwiSaver money to spend in retirement. They need help with how to handle that money.
Bridging the gap between those who want to borrow and those who have to. There were times when I felt distinctly uncomfortable at the government’s recent Financial Summit to discuss what should be done about loan sharks.
Watched KiwiSaver funds boils too much. The internet can be a curse when it comes to long-term investments such as KiwiSaver. With many providers, you can log in and check your account balance daily. But while a watched pot might never boil, a watched KiwiSaver account can boil too much — especially at times like these.
Adviser’s enthusiasm for KiwiSaver is way over the top. KiwiSaver is a good deal. But I was astonished by the claims made for the scheme by an experienced financial adviser in a recent industry magazine — and by his lack of clear thinking.
Cries of indignation, shock and fear from Credit Card Land. Three readers coming from three quite different perspectives responded to my last column about repaying credit card debt. One slightly indignant reader always pays his credit card bills in full, another was shocked at what happened when he didn’t one month, and the third has run up a $7000 credit card debt.
Have I got a deal for you? Pssst, want a fantastic deal? I may be able to get you into an investment with returns of just under 20 per cent a year, every year, after fees and tax. And it’s risk-free…