Q&As:
– Diversification — the only free lunch
– Drop health insurance and self-insure? It’s risky
– Increasing insurance excess slashes bill
– Leave GST alone, says reader
Plus:
– Meaningful Christmas gifts
– ‘Please don’t stop giving’
2 “expert” suggestions in a rising share market — one good, one bad. The good one — Rebalancing: What is it?; Why it can be hard psychologically; How to rebalance. The bad one — Get out of passive (or index) funds: Who does the research?; NZ in last year’s small downturn; US in two market crashes; Conclusion — stick with passive.
Q&As: Mum’s single-share investment a huge disappointment; How to organize savings in retirement …; … and how not to; Knicker drawer a great spot for share investment.
Q&As: Market timing is upside down – but reader shouldn’t do it anyway; Another reader seeks advice on timing, plus switching KiwiSaver providers; Use bond funds, not balanced funds, in retirement; Have I followed my own financial advice?; A correction about percentages of retirees in long-term residential care.
Q&As: Small town a good deal for retired couple; Budgeting whizz kid loved story of woman buying a house on $30,000…; …but struggling mother didn’t; Can’t reinvest dividends? Send them to your KiwiSaver account; My recommended real estate commission structure outlined; Reader outdoes agents, selling on her own.
Q&As: How to tell term deposit institutions apart; Frugal superannuitants seem hurt by last week’s column; Real estate agent defends colleagues, and shares a couple of secrets; Dividend reinvestment plans work well for many shareholders; 2 Q&As on who is a professional.
Q&As: Taking socially responsible investing a step further — investing in ‘good’ companies; Tax-favoured shares not necessarily a wise investment; Lots of fee payments early on worry new KiwiSaver; NZ has low-tax high-dividend share funds.
Q&As: Share investor has excelled — but don’t count on it continuing; A good company is not necessarily a good investment; Couple can’t leave intact KiwiSaver accounts to their daughters; Another way to invest emergency money.
Investment risks — Part 4: Ups and downs in investments, emotions and fees. In the last of a four-part series, Mary talks about the risks described in the newly updated “Upside, Downside — a guide to risk for savers and investors”. (Download it here). In this session: Being overconfident about your ability to trade investments or time markets; Taking on more volatility than you can cope with; Letting your emotions rule your investment decisions; Taking on more work or worry than expected; Counting on dividend income; Paying too much in fees and other expenses; Being tax-driven.
Q&As: Like it or not, retiree didn’t directly contribute to NZ Super he now receives; Buying leasehold property is for high risk takers only; KiwiSaver first home withdrawal rules much less than grant rules; Dividends beat bank interest, but riskier.