Fun – Mary Holm https://maryholm.com NZ's most trusted personal finance journalist Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:39:25 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.21 NZ Herald 25 April 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-25-april-2026/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:00:31 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12781 NZ Super only for those who paid tax through their lives? A laugh and a controversy over 122-year-old in last column Help for non-homeowning couple, 57, who feel trapped and confused Easy mortgage calculations — monthly vs weekly payments QI acknowledge that it is not your job to make moral judgements on the wealthy, or how some taxpayers avoid paying their fair share of taxes. But in your spare...

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NZ Herald 11 April 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-11-april-2026/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:22 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12774 Lesson from a 120-year-old! Where to invest term deposit money When is it best to move money overseas? Take out more in retirement? KiwiSaver when you turn 65 QThis story should be of interest to your readers — in light of recent Q&As about selling your house to your neighbour and then living in it as a tenant. Thirty years ago, André-François Raffray believed he had struck a smart deal.

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NZ Herald 28 March 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-28-march-2026/ Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12765 Where to put money for new grandchild Could retiree be “forced” to sell shared land? How one family funded children’s uni Watching caravans turning! Sad story about selling house to neighbour… … and happy one Alternative to reverse mortgage Appearance at Auckland Writers Festival I will be appearing at the Auckland Writers Festival, at 2.30 to 3.30 pm on Saturday May 16...

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NZ Herald 14 March 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-14-march-2026/ Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:04 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12758 Should 78-year-old sell her home to neighbours and rent from them? Life insurance no longer needed Does CPI inflation include surcharges? Modern caravans not like the old days Many ideas for spending inheritance 2 Q&As on ethics around student loans QMy mum (78) lives alone in a house in Sandringham worth about $1.5 million. She’s currently still working full time but probably not for...

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NZ Herald 20 December 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-20-december-2025/ Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:47 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12734 How to keep inheritance out of relationship property 2 Q&As on living in a retirement village What’s wrong with so many New Zealanders? See you next year — and tips on getting your letter published QI read with interest your response last week to the student who has inherited a large sum of money at 22, as it mirrors the situation my two brothers and I faced when we were in our twenties.

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NZ Herald 13 December 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-13-december-2025/ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:00:15 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12724 How 22-year-old should handle inheritance Could NZ funds fail, as they did in Australia? Sell 80-year-old’s home, or get reverse mortgage? And is 75 too young for such a mortgage? How much caution in retirement? QMy mother recently passed away and I, along with my siblings, have received an inheritance which I feel anxious about doing right with. I am only 22 years old. I now own a third of...

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NZ Herald 29 November 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-29-november-2025/ Fri, 28 Nov 2025 11:00:48 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12714 Good and bad debt — and when good debt goes bad Cryptocurrency hugely volatile, not for the short term Aliens’ view of gold investments KiwiSaver first home withdrawal when buying bare land Meaningful Christmas presents QIn your last column you repeated the usual mainstream advice of paying down debt before investing. Have you read any of the Value of Debt series by Thomas Anderson?

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NZ Herald 25 October 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-25-october-2025/ Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:00:33 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12679 Reader gets no gain from being in KiwiSaver 2 Q&As about last week’s retired couple planning to sell their home and rent Who offers “build-to-rent” properties? Reader challenges 4.6% on a term deposit QI have recently started working for an employer who treats KiwiSaver employer contributions as part of total remuneration, or salary sacrifice. And I am fortunate or...

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NZ Herald 18 October 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-18-october-2025/ Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12673 Retirees plan to sell home, rent, and have fun How compensation works if finance company fails Your KiwiSaver tax rate is checked by Inland Revenue Clarification on tax when you rent out your bach QDo you see anything wrong with this scenario? My wife and I are in our early 70s, with limited savings and a mortgage-free house that is worth around $750,000 in today’s market. So we can do more...

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RNZ Radio 9 October 2025 https://maryholm.com/rnz-radio-9-october-2025/ Thu, 09 Oct 2025 02:15:33 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12665 Celebrating 10 years of RNZ segment. Contestants had to write what they learnt from it, in 60 words or less. Themes include: Save regular small amount by direct credit Make a will Repay debt Spend on fun in retirement Ladder term deposits Leave KiwiSaver alone in downturns KiwiSaver works well for self-employed Listen to the segment below, or click here to read Radio NZ’s summary.

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