Index funds – Mary Holm https://maryholm.com NZ's most trusted personal finance journalist Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:50:17 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.21 NZ Herald 6 December 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-6-december-2025/ Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:00:40 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12720 Couple in 70s sell home to fund retirement fun While couple in 50s may choose to stay renting How young reader may get into housing market Where are those tiny KiwiSaver fees? QWe are in our early 70s, retired, and will shortly have about $1 million from the sale of our house. Does it makes more sense to tip that sum into KiwiSaver or give it to a wealth management company? We are mortgage-free...

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NZ Herald 22 November 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-22-november-2025/ Fri, 21 Nov 2025 11:00:16 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12706 House-sitting their way to home ownership — and keeping debt down Gold v share funds v rental property Is burying your gold a good idea? Unusual Simplicity fund investments Correction on share fund tax QI’m a 33-year-old woman and house-sit full-time with my partner to save paying rent. We are currently waiting to finalise the purchase of 825 square metres of land, which we expect to settle...

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RNZ Radio 20 November 2025 https://maryholm.com/rnz-radio-20-november-2025/ Thu, 20 Nov 2025 02:15:37 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12700 Email from woman with mortgage-free house challenging my statement about renting being cheaper than home ownership Text from man challenging what I say about active fund management Listen to the segment below, or click here to read Radio NZ’s summary. You can listen to these sessions as podcasts. Subscribe free to Mary’s RNZ podcast here. No paywalls or ads — just generous people like...

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NZ Herald 1 November 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-1-november-2025/ Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:00:57 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12684 Splurging in retirement not so bad Government’s unrealistic expectations on KiwiSaver Index funds are not for the short term 2 Q&As on cash fund investments and risk QI thought I would tell you my story of not being careful with money. We sold a property in Auckland 10 years ago. We came down to the Coromandel and thought it would be a nice place to live. We bought a two-storey house in...

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NZ Herald 11 October 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-11-october-2025/ Fri, 10 Oct 2025 11:00:03 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12669 Renting out a bach can be complicated Don’t give bank account number to a possible scammer Defining managed, active and passive funds Problems with proving who you are Rare praise for a bank QRenting out a holiday home is not as straightforward as implied in last week’s column. As I’m sure you know, it can incur GST if the turnover goes over the $60,000 threshold, or if you are...

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NZ Herald 20 September 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-20-september-2025/ Fri, 19 Sep 2025 12:00:42 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12654 Buying a rental not a good idea for 69-year-old A way for kids’ KiwiSavers to grow fast Fund closures worry a reader Trusts and other depositors covered by compensation scheme Smart device required for this bank account QMy father has never been into the money part. He is 69, a single pensioner in a fully paid for home, and has around $30,000 of savings he’s itching to do something...

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NZ Herald 13 September 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-13-september-2025/ Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:00:32 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12646 Where to put proceeds from downsizing house Consider non-banks for term deposits — but is it easy? 2 Q&As on the best way to do health insurance Fairness and KiwiSaver contributions to over-65s Employers’ role in KiwiSaver … and one former employer’s good approach QI’ve recently downsized my house and have money to invest, which I intend to leave until I retire in 10...

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NZ Herald 2 August 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-2-august-2025/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:00:55 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12589 KiwiSaver serious illness withdrawals not easy Are people doing KiwiSaver at expense of reducing their mortgage? Should homeowners’ mortgage interest be tax deductible? When choosing fund, choose lowest fees and what else? You can do KiwiSaver with more than one provider. Should you? Why rentals aren’t great in retirement List of KiwiSaver-exempt employers QI was diagnosed with a blood...

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NZ Herald 26 July 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-26-july-2025/ Fri, 25 Jul 2025 12:00:50 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12584 Should parents monitor older teens’ bank accounts? Pay down mortgage or save? Reader: Shares are not high-risk Am I a Boglehead? Low-fee funds winning for this family Can employer not do KiwiSaver? QShould parents be able to see their children’s bank account details once they become adults? We helped our two children set up accounts when they were around 14. We cannot see their...

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NZ Herald 12 April 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-12-april-2025/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 12:00:16 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12481 He quit KiwiSaver before the downturn, but what now? Conservative fund versus term deposits Finance company interest rates after Depositor Compensation starts Wisdom from her Scottish forebears An alternative to reverse mortgages…. … and the 2 options compared WIN A BOOK! QPhew, good thing I divested from KiwiSaver a little while ago, and went into bank term deposits. AOkay, I’ll admit your timing...

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