Reverse mortgages – Mary Holm https://maryholm.com NZ's most trusted personal finance journalist Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:18:36 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.21 NZ Herald 28 March 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-28-march-2026/ Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12765 Where to put money for new grandchild Could retiree be “forced” to sell shared land? How one family funded children’s uni Watching caravans turning! Sad story about selling house to neighbour… … and happy one Alternative to reverse mortgage Appearance at Auckland Writers Festival I will be appearing at the Auckland Writers Festival, at 2.30 to 3.30 pm on Saturday May 16...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 14 March 2026 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-14-march-2026/ Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:04 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12758 Should 78-year-old sell her home to neighbours and rent from them? Life insurance no longer needed Does CPI inflation include surcharges? Modern caravans not like the old days Many ideas for spending inheritance 2 Q&As on ethics around student loans QMy mum (78) lives alone in a house in Sandringham worth about $1.5 million. She’s currently still working full time but probably not for...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 13 December 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-13-december-2025/ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:00:15 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12724 How 22-year-old should handle inheritance Could NZ funds fail, as they did in Australia? Sell 80-year-old’s home, or get reverse mortgage? And is 75 too young for such a mortgage? How much caution in retirement? QMy mother recently passed away and I, along with my siblings, have received an inheritance which I feel anxious about doing right with. I am only 22 years old. I now own a third of...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 1 November 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-1-november-2025/ Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:00:57 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12684 Splurging in retirement not so bad Government’s unrealistic expectations on KiwiSaver Index funds are not for the short term 2 Q&As on cash fund investments and risk QI thought I would tell you my story of not being careful with money. We sold a property in Auckland 10 years ago. We came down to the Coromandel and thought it would be a nice place to live. We bought a two-storey house in...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 25 October 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-25-october-2025/ Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:00:33 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12679 Reader gets no gain from being in KiwiSaver 2 Q&As about last week’s retired couple planning to sell their home and rent Who offers “build-to-rent” properties? Reader challenges 4.6% on a term deposit QI have recently started working for an employer who treats KiwiSaver employer contributions as part of total remuneration, or salary sacrifice. And I am fortunate or...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 18 October 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-18-october-2025/ Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12673 Retirees plan to sell home, rent, and have fun How compensation works if finance company fails Your KiwiSaver tax rate is checked by Inland Revenue Clarification on tax when you rent out your bach QDo you see anything wrong with this scenario? My wife and I are in our early 70s, with limited savings and a mortgage-free house that is worth around $750,000 in today’s market. So we can do more...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 27 September 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-27-september-2025/ Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:00:42 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12658 Money long ago forgotten Couple in 70s should sell bach and live it up! Avoid dud funds in and out of KiwiSaver Aftermath of a fund closing down Bank acknowledges complaints QI was in business for about 25 years. During that time several people owed me money, either having borrowed it or been told by the courts that they had to pay it. Some debtors were very good at repaying their borrowings.

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 30 August 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-30-august-2025/ Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:00:05 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12634 Biggest KiwiSaver provider ANZ’s policy not good for employees Couple are perfect candidates for reverse mortgage Are health insurance premiums negotiable? Some fans of health insurance QSomething that’s been a bugbear of mine is that ANZ, as the largest KiwiSaver provider and one of the largest employers in the country, does not offer KiwiSaver employer contributions for a large...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 9 August 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-9-august-2025/ Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:00:12 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12595 Why rental property is not a great retirement investment What about commercial property? How to handle money when husband going into care Help available for the retired Rule of 72 — when debt doubles QFrom Peter Lewis, vice president of New Zealand Property Investors Federation: Owning residential property in retirement remains a smart and resilient strategy, especially in the face of inflation...

Source

]]>
NZ Herald 28 June 2025 https://maryholm.com/nz-herald-28-june-2025/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:00:50 +0000 https://maryholm.com/?p=12565 Should rents be increased? … or capped? KiwiSaver for teens No KiwiSaver winners in Budget? — but better rates rebates Home help for the elderly 2 letters on health insurance excesses Reverse mortgage on an apartment? QYour recent analysis rightly noted that owning a home often costs more than renting the same property, once all expenses are considered. This implies renting may be the more...

Source

]]>