Did you pass the test?
– What happens when share market wobbles
– Younger investors more prone to making bad moves
– Don’t try to time markets, research shows
– House prices wobble too — and returns not always as good
– Conclusion — if you move, stay moved!
Money and couples — Part 2: Survey results, and how to do it well
NZ survey:
– Young are worse
– All income groups
– Causes of money problems
Research on successful relationships:
– Debt
– Equal access
– Talking to one another
– Large purchases
Buy now pay later — good or bad?
– What is it, and how does it work?
– Some examples
– Who uses it most, and what are they buying?
– Growth in use
– Problems, and consumer protection issues
– How to use it well
Q&As:
– Reader, 95, could become the little old lady of online share traders
– Spending little on clothes — and worrying about 65-plusers still working
– Money making idea for last week’s Dad
– How hard is it to withdraw KiwiSaver money in retirement?
– Former teachers appreciate my comments
– State schools produce some notable ex-pupils
– Is this column disclaimer-free?
Gender differences in handling money and investing
ASB info from customer transactions:
– Spending
– Money management
– Saving
– Retirement savings
– Knowledge
Other research:
– Risk
– Trading
– Scams
Messages for each gender
Reverse mortgages revisited, and 10 ways to make retirement easier financially
– Further thoughts about reverse mortgages — when younger retirees might use them
– Retire later — job satisfaction, social contact, financial
– Move house, and maybe town
– Boarders or flatmates or Airbnb
– Subdivide
– Rates rebates if on low income
– Rates postponement on any income in some places
– Accommodation supplements (government help with rent, board or home ownership costs)
– Sell your house and be a tenant
– Sell assets on Trade Me etc. including valuables
– At 90, you become the charity!
Changes to consumer lending – harder to borrow but less spiralling debt
Notes from Financial Services Complaints Ltd conference on May 4
– Changes in effect last year: Caps on interest and fees.
– Changes in October 2021: Lenders must assess whether borrower can afford loan.
– Consumer Data Right: Government considering this. Consumers can choose to give their financial data to providers, budgeting platforms or comparison websites, etc.
– Another topic: “A complaint is a gift”.
Q&As:
– Where to get help for worrying family member
– One way to help your child into the house…
– … And tax changes shouldn’t get in the way
– Capital gains already taxed if you aimed at profiting
– Tax on NZ Super when you continue to work
– Quitting job ‘best thing I could have done’
The wisdom (and otherwise!) of listeners
Runners up and winners of 5 copies of Mary’s new book, A Richer You — how to make the most of your money.
Some themes in the entries:
– Money and happiness
– Families and finances
– Shopping
– Investing in shares
Is paying down your mortgage still the best strategy?
What to do with extra savings — beyond KiwiSaver minimums etc.
Also lump sums — inheritance, redundancy, win
– Mortgage used to be the winner — after include tax and fees. Now — with 2–3% loans?
– Other options: more into KiwiSaver, non-KiwiSaver funds, shares, rental property?
– The main issue: risk — needs to be high enough risk, long-term. Can you cope with volatility? Are you strong financially?
– Other issues: security (psychological and financial), simplicity, but diversification, learning about markets
– Penalties for paying fixed-term mortgage early
– Conclusion: perhaps do what you want!