Government assistance

NZ Herald 23 May 2020

Q&As:
– Help abounds for young man who helped parents get a mortgage
– My tax info not good enough for accountant
– How to tell how strong your bank is
– Can you be in more than one Simplicity fund?
– House buying plan depends on two impossible forecasts
– Put most of savings into house deposit
– Young man loses house deposit in receivership
– Divorced woman, 59, should put most money into new home

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NZ Herald 25 April 2020

Q&As:
– Reader regrets panic move out of KiwiSaver — and how to follow share trends
– Many more people are buying shares
– Should self-employed use up savings before asking for government help?
– Index funds not at a disadvantage in market downturn
– How can index funds beat the market?
– Which index for an index fund?
– Any time is fine for switching KiwiSaver provider

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NZ Herald 28 March 2020

Q&As:
– Reassurance for share owners — based on holiday home value
– 2 readers worry that their bank savings are in danger
– Clever timing with KiwiSaver moves unlikely to work out well
Plus:
– A note to other concerned correspondents

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NZ Herald 22 February 2020

Q&As:
– Should an 18-year-old get a credit card?
– Money questions for 20-somethings
– How can last week’s FIRE fan make it work?
– Beneficiaries should get more, and non-beneficiaries should quit KiwiSaver — reader
– DIY investing in Australia not difficult, says reader

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NZ Herald 15 February 2020

Q&As:
– Reader plans to retire at 45
– Simplicity defends CEO’s colourful past
– Christmas grinch reports back on progress
– Scrap KiwiSaver and give the money to beneficiaries, says reader
– Hatch exec responds to Smartshares’ comments last week

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NZ Herald 8 February 2020

Q&As:
– Wife needs to be convinced she can enjoy retirement
– Beneficiary — an extraordinary saver — can take part in KiwiSaver
– NZ-based funds not subject to international tax issues
– 2 Q&As on how supervisors and custodians look after KiwiSaver and other fund investors

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NZ Herald 1 February 2020

Q&As:
– Reader: “We” are lucky to have KiwiSaver — I’m not part of that “we”
– 2 letters on why KiwiSaver should work for beneficiaries too
– Last week’s correspondent has found a way to spend more, but worries about teen son

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RNZ Radio 28 November 2019

Notes from a conference

Westpac Massey Fin Ed Centre conference on “Building financially capable communities: our pathways to success”
– Current Financial teaching in schools is not effective, especially for lower sociology economic kids
– Self efficacy — whether you believe your actions and effort will affect your outcomes — is more important to wealth than things like financial literacy. Can it be changed?
– Changes coming to regulate payday lending. Will they help?

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NZ Herald 23 November 2019

Q&As:
– Bonus Bonds work well as on-call account …
– … But not so well as a gift for grand-daughter. Other options for her
– Means-testing NZ Super may cost more than it saves
– Lower-income retirees already get more
– Take care with charity donations in wills
– Tell charities how you want to be treated …
– … Here’s what to do if they ignore your requests

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NZ Herald 16 November 2019

Q&As:
– What to do with a $200,000 Lotto win
– How does Inland Revenue handle Islamic banking?
– Drop in fund value explained
– 2 Q&As on handling charity donations after the donor dies
– Reader explains why millionaire could be aggrieved about NZ Super
– Another reader doesn’t buy my arguments on means-testing Super
– Is means-testing a far left idea?

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