Q&As: Monkey story a great yarn, but it’s not about the share market; Reader’s concerns about banks’ exposure to foreign exchange risk are unfounded; 61-year-old should think hard before selling her house and enjoying some of the proceeds; Man about to retire can still get plenty from KiwiSaver.
Q&As: Many elderly, and others, could benefit from rates postponement schemes; Why floating interest rates might be better — for home equity release schemes and ordinary mortgages; A not-so-dumb question about the $50,000 exemption for international tax changes, and a new source of info on the changes.
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: Options for a newly retired couple with $200,000 and no home include part-time work, buying a home with a flat attached, an interest-only mortgage and equity release; Two Q&As on which investments are affected by the new tax law on international shares, and how it will work for investors.
Q&As: Attitudes to student loans; Interest on student loans; Fear and share investment; Spending in retirement.
Another reason to spread your investments. I can think of three good reasons to hold lots of different shares, as opposed to one or just a few. Two reasons are obvious, but one is less so, even though it may be just as important.
Q&As: Can he retire?, 40-year-old asks; Couple about to retire wonder if their expenses will drop as they get older; Student loan interest ends. What happens if you go overseas?
What we don’t know CAN hurt us. One of the first things journalists are taught is to make the first sentence of an article a “grabber”, something that will perhaps surprise readers and make them read on. So this column is officially starting now: Every New Zealander over 65 gets NZ Super, no matter how rich they are.
Moving the goalposts: Working part-time in retirement makes a huge difference to how much you need to save. Also in this issue: From the Mailbox — Is home ownership so great?
Q&As: Man in mid 50s can afford to drop out — but what about emotionally?; Is reader silly to stick with renting?