Reverse mortgages

NZ Herald 29 March 2025

Q&As:
– Put inheritance in finance company deposits?
– Should badly advised readers hire a lawyer?
– Bad advice ruined retirement
– Tax deductions might help couple
– Spend savings before postponing rates
– Psychology and selling gradually
– KiwiSaver funds usually unit trusts
– The maths of dollar cost averaging

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NZ Herald 22 March 2025

Q&As:
– Couple should complain about adviser — and sell investment
– This trick doesn’t work for selling
– Where to get help on veterans’ pensions
– Apartment prices haven’t grown as fast
– 2 ways for retirees to delay paying rates
– How retirement spending rule works

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NZ Herald 15 March 2025

Q&As:
– Pensions available for ex-servicemen and women — and their partners
– A reverse mortgage can work well
– Reader dislikes house price falls
– 2 Q&As on budget of retirees who live on NZ Super and save…
– … and should they be getting allowance?
– 2 Q&As on spending in your nineties
– Is Super included in retirement spending “rules”?
– Don’t bail out of KiwiSaver in turbulent times

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NZ Herald 23 November 2024

Q&As:
– Couple has more than enough for retirement
– Gold gains taxed when you sell
– Not everyone tries to dodge tax
– Tax land rather than gains…
– …or tax financial transactions
– A different deal for tenants in Germany

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RNZ Radio 5 September 2024

Big rates rise? Consider rates postponement
– Some councils offer for everyone, others just for those on lower incomes
– Frees up money for expenses — or fun!
– You pay no rates, but owe your council the money — pay back when you sell house or die
– Some fees plus compounding interest, but house value should grow more than debt
– Check your council’s website
– Another idea: pay smaller amounts more often

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NZ Herald 22 June 2024

Q&As:
– With assets behind you, have fun!
– Provider could do better — but so could investor
– 2 Q&As on gifts to grandchildren
– Which is safer — bank deposits or PIE funds?

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NZ Herald 18 May 2024

Q&As:
– Consider dropping life insurance when you are older…
– … But don’t drop health insurance!
– 2 readers manage fine in retirement without huge savings
– The big worry with reverse mortgages
– Readers’ kind letters

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NZ Herald 11 May 2024

Q&As:
– How much do you need for retirement? …
– … One reader is happy with not much
– Borrowing versus KiwiSaver hardship withdrawal
– Tax when bullion or crypto is inherited
– How capital gains tax could handle expenses
– Do I know enough to write this column?

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NZ Herald 17 February 2024

Q&As:
– How should terminal cancer patient handle her money?
– Tax ideas:
   – Tax-free amount for low earners?
   – Get rid of cash?
   – Use GST only?
   – Don’t forget brightline test
– Yes, you have plenty to retire on…
– … Superannuitant gets along fine on just NZ Super

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RNZ Radio 17 August 2023

Struggling to pay rates? Try a rebate or postponement:
(First: A comment on National’s proposed KiwiSaver changes)
– People facing big rate rises
– Different councils’ offerings
– Rebates for people on low incomes
– Postponement in some cases for everyone
– How it works
– How to get help with this

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