Index funds

NZ Herald 27 February 2021

Q&As:
– Share market not yet like tulip bulbs — stay invested!
– Are passive investments the next bubble? Plus a note on mis-timing the market
– Low-risk funds not all like bank term deposits
– Risk and return do go together, despite reader’s claims
– Landlords can get hit in a long-term rental

Read More

RNZ Radio 25 February 2021

Follow-up from last time: If not paying extra off mortgage, where is best place to invest? Shares?
– But first: 2 texts commenting on last session
– Alternative investments need to be: high enough risk, long-term. Also: can you cope with volatility? Are you strong financially?
– 2 choices: property and shares. Are they over-valued?
– Rental property might work, but…
– Shares: Some people too fearful, others too brave.
– 2 ways to approach shares: trade, or hold for long term.
– 2 ways to select shares: pick individual shares, use share fund
– In a share fund, 2 styles: active and passive.

Read More

NZ Herald 13 February 2021

Q&As:
– What can we learn from a commonly used share ratio?
– What I do instead
– Readers’ property value has zoomed, but shares are similar
– A tale of bad landlords
– A tale of good landlords

Read More

NZ Herald 5 December 2020

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’

Read More

NZ Herald 21 November 2020

Q&As:
– Early retirees should think about how that affects their children
– FIRE fan shares his savings numbers
– Exchange traded funds should have been included last week
– Reader’s time overseas won’t affect his NZ Super
– Enticing young into subsidising elderlies’ health insurance won’t work …
– … But maybe a GST change could help
– Accountant’s comment to tax complainers

Read More

RNZ Radio 27 August 2020

The next downturn — in shares, KiwiSaver and other managed funds — might be longer.
But first — comments on what to do about the demise of Bonus Bonds.
– FMA survey on investor confidence.
– Race between NZ and world share markets to recover from Covid downturn.
– Recovery not just shares rebounding, but also bonds.
– Next time we could easily have shares down for longer, and bonds also falling.

Read More

NZ Herald 1 August 2020

Q&As:
– Couple muddling trusts and wills — and courting trouble by not discussing uneven inheritances with family
– Young hopeful homebuyer in a position to take risks
– KiwiSaver retirement estimates too high? — what to do about it
– Travel early in retirement, 85-year-old urges

Read More

NZ Herald 9 May 2020

Q&As:
– Who’s right about fund choice — husband or wife or neither?
– Which bank products are subject to haircut if bank fails?
– What about government bonds, Bonus Bonds and safe deposit boxes?
– Halt to dividend payments should strengthen banks
– ETF tax problem no big deal
– It’s great to continue contributions to KiwiSaver and other funds in down markets
– Don’t assume gloom will continue — and a look at past recoveries
– Drip feeding not quite so good with lump sums

Read More

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

Read More

NZ Herald 18 April 2020

Q&As:
– New share investors should skip single shares and use a fund
– Short-term share trading up — but most people don’t win
– Index funds proving themselves in down markets
– How “Preservation Fund” lost money — and is it better than bank term deposit?
– Angry reader wants gold in NZ dollars — but would it boost his case?
– Last week’s gold fan takes another look
– Gold helps with diversification

Read More