Q&As: Low income doesn’t stop reader getting a mortgage — and a first home; One reader fails with a proposed change to real estate agents’ fees…; …but another succeeds; Mightn’t agents undervalue your property, says a reader; Mightn’t they overvalue it, says another.
Q&As: It’s not crazy to buy when the share market falls; Recent volatility helps KiwiSaver members decide about their fund; KiwiSaver or term deposits for a retiree?; Withdrawals from all managed funds are tax-free; What happens to KiwiSaver tax credit in the year you turn 65?; Is internet banking safe?
Q&As: An expensive lesson for binary options trader; Where was the interest when customer transferred money between bank accounts?; Hard to find a small newer house; Why houses were particularly small in the 1930s and 40s.
Q&As: A good reason to have a high credit card limit; One reader fires his bank…; …While another is fiercely loyal; Why I prefer managed funds over shares for most; Rules about income for recipients of rest home subsidy.
Q&As: Reader has same credit card trouble as last week’s correspondent…; …And last week’s correspondent finds the remedy doesn’t work; Another reader has a suggestion on credit card limits; And yet another one says ‘Fire your bank’; Thousands paying too much tax in KiwiSaver; Know your rights when dealing with financial service providers.
What savers and investors are entitled to. In your dealings with KiwiSaver providers, financial advisers, banks, peer-to-peer lenders, equity crowdfunding platforms and others providing financial services, the Financial Markets Authority says you are entitled to: Competence; To be treated fairly and honestly; To be informed; To know how much you are paying; To have your problems and complaints dealt with properly. What does this amount to? For more info see tinyurl.com/NZentitlements.
Q&As: The struggle of some beneficiaries; If you don’t like bank’s interest payment policy, shop around; Should couple put all their cash in house deposit, or invest in shares too?
Q&As: How much emergency money, and where should it be invested?; When it’s a good idea to keep your bank at arm’s length; Should young couple buy a home now, or wait and hope on prices and exchange rates?; Best way to compare KiwiSaver funds.
Q&As: Who earns the interest while money moves from bank to bank over holidays?; What is investment risk? And how to reduce it; Use savings to pay down mortgage.
Q&As: Many reasons why a winning active share fund won’t stay on top; Why do husband and wife’s funds perform so differently?; Offset mortgages more vulnerable than revolving credit loans; No plans for 2 big banks to follow others with offset mortgages; Do employers deserve praise for contributing to KiwiSaver?; Update on proposal to raise NZ Super age.