Q&As: Are home equity release (HER) schemes — which lend to retired people with homes but little income — a rip-off?; Sentinel defends its HER schemes, but they are still expensive compared with possible alternatives. Also: Seeking your questions about KiwiSaver.
Q&As: Woman in mid 50s, who is renting, explores options for buying a home; 2 Q&As about the $50,000 threshold in the new regime on taxation of international shares. Also: Seeking your questions about KiwiSaver.
Q&As: Why I won’t do research on an Aussie resource index fund; Too little time to study the new tax plans for international share investments.
Owning your home not always the best option. Most New Zealanders grow up expecting to own their own home, but soaring house prices have made it harder for people to get into the market. Does that matter? Is home ownership all it’s cracked up to be?
Stuff and happiness: Buying things you don’t really need. Also in this issue: From the Mailbox — Should a young man buy himself a house?
Q&As: 18-year-old should wait a bit before buying a house; Saving for the grandchildren — how much risk is good?; Rental property depreciation risks.
Q&As: Paying extra for using a credit card; Distortions when considering how good an investment your home is; First home buyers should probably wait.
How KiwiSaver will work for you. How you might react to the KiwiSaver programme in the recent budget depends on your circumstances. Under the programme, scheduled to start in April 2007, employed people, the self-employed or beneficiaries can contribute 4 or 8 per cent of their income to a saving fund.