The Investor 10 February 2009
Young man’s caution could be costly.
Q&As: The best KiwiSaver fund for a 23-year-old depends on her house-buying plans; Angry Blue Chip investor muddles my opinion with a reader’s opinion; A reader suggests why online tax payments sometimes go wrong.
Q&As: A landlord’s threats are perhaps a little hasty — but he has a point; A KiwiSaver misunderstands the ups and downs of the market; Are property shares a good option for young man saving to buy his first home?
3 Q&As about recent negative Herald articles about KiwiSaver returns in the early months — and why they are misleading. We also discuss how KiwiSaver membership forecasts are made — with an apology to Michael Cullen and Peter Dunne — and how repaying a mortgage fast is a type of saving.
KiwiSaver: Be in to win. Ever since the government announced its added incentives to KiwiSaver last month, everyone is talking about the retirement savings scheme. And well they might. While I still have reservations about the distortion of savings decisions, and while many employers are angry at being forced to contribute, practically all individuals will be better in than out.
Q&As: A tax on house sales, to subsidise first home owners, is a lovely idea that wouldn’t work; Renting and saving elsewhere can leave you better off than home ownership; Semi-retired couple who sold their home and rent are probably doing fine.
Q&As: Is the Kiwi dollar to blame for poor overseas investment performance?; How foreign dividends will be dealt with under the new tax rules; Where to go for historical foreign exchange data — for tax purposes; A lionish company bites back.
Q&As: The warning signs in investment ads; Should we adjust investment returns to allow for inflation?; How best to assess long-term returns on shares and property; How to tell if an Australian company qualifies for the tax exemption.
Q&As: Unlucky reader challenges the value of index funds; Questions galore on the $50,000 threshold in the new international share tax regime; How to get historical foreign exchange data for calculating that threshold.