Coming off a year of interest rate rises and increasingly painful living costs, the amount being withdrawn from KiwiSaver funds to cover financial hardship has sharply increased.
Good and getting better
Why would the couple in their 50’s have such a different outlook to the man in his 30’s? It’s hard to be a successful investor unless you’re an optimist. Firstly, if everyone does well, you’re likely to do better as an investor.
One Simple Thing
For most of us, KiwiSaver is the primary vehicle that will help us reach our retirement goals. So it is a good idea to spend some time reviewing your KiwiSaver with the help of a financial adviser and make sure you are maximising your returns.
Gifting that might be taking
New Zealand has remained prosperous for more than a decade if you're judging based on recessions, but it hasn't happened without creating wealth divisions. The property ladder issue has led to some parents feeling the need to help the kids reach the first rung. What are the issues?
Falling out of fashion
One of the main reasons people invest in term deposits over other investment assets is for safety. But not many realise the risky fact that New Zealand does not currently have a deposit insurance scheme. A long-standing Reserve Bank’s policy is aimed at allowing a distressed bank to be kept open for business while placing the cost of a bank failure primarily on the bank's shareholders and creditors, rather than the taxpayer.
Get ready for Life Two
If ever there was a word that needed to be retired it is retirement. What kind of mental picture does this word invoke up for you? Is it sunny beaches and no longer having to set an alarm clock? Or a stressful feeling about how much longer you will need to work to afford such a lifestyle?
The pre-retirement squeeze | Covid-19 Special Focus
As we are going to have to find a way to co-exist with the coronavirus, it will continue to change lives, goals and plans. It seems clear retirement goals and lifestyle intentions post Covid-19 may not be as expected.
Time to rethink your retirement income | Covid-19 Special Focus
The spectre of zero and negative interest rates are looming over the New Zealand financial market and those looking for a haven can't find much relief. Last week, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) deputy governor Geoff Bascand suggested at least some bank depositors might want to put their money to use elsewhere.
Canny View: Super 65 (or 67?)
It may only be over 100 years ago, but life in the 1900s would be considered brutal by today’s standards. Lights in your home might be candle or gas. Fridge, freezer well they didn’t exist. Indoor plumbing? If you were lucky. Things have changed since then. In simple terms every 10 years our life expectancy has increased by 2 years.
Closing the gap
Women need to educate themselves about how to mitigate things like illness and the loss of a partner and talk to an expert about things like estate planning, life and health insurance, investing and retirement planning. The more informed and prepared women are for these things, the better they will feel, and the more protected they will be.
The 100-year Life
100th article and two years for our ‘Canny View’ column. We've come a long way, to say the least. For the 100th article, I thought I would write about the 100-year life because we are living longer than ever and there is now an increased possibility that one might live to 100.
Strategies for the five ages of KiwiSaver
There are five ages of KiwiSaver. Each of them calls for different strategies to get the best from New Zealand's $50 billion savings scheme offers. People jumped into KiwiSaver, many when the $1000 kickstarter was still available for their kids, and what happened was they became disengaged.
How much do you need to retire?
Determining how much you will need to save for retirement will depend upon several variables, including your current age, health, income and level of debt. Here are a few guidelines to help you evaluate your retirement needs.
Keeping it simple
People rarely take this approach with their finances. Often, financial matters are treated like an overstuffed, messy closet that needs to be dealt with but remains closed and put off for another time
Putting 'family' into financial planning
A couple that decides to form a long-term relationship does more than create a legal and spiritual bond. At the same time, the personal and financial goals probably shift and become more complex.
The Fortnite power of attorney
A power of attorney (POA) can be a difficult topic on several levels, especially for those who don't or won't understand it because they don't think anyone should act on their behalf. Or in the case of an offspring, have their eyes on a financial prize when the elder departs.
Q and A: Canadian pension expert Barry LaValley
Canadian retirement expert, author and founder of the Retirement Lifestyle Center Barry LaValley was in Hawke's Bay this week, talking to clients of the Hastings-based Stewart Group, and addressing about 60 people at a public meeting on retirement issues in Hastings.
Secrets to happy retirement are right here
Retirement ought to be a happy time. You can set your own schedule, take long holidays, and start spending all the money you've been saving.
Everything about Wills
Wills are something every New Zealand adult should have. Will allow you to say what you want to happen to your property after you die—even though you won’t be there to say it yourself. And yet every year, thousands of New Zealanders die without a will.
Ready for KiwiSaver Member Tax Credit?
For every dollar that you put into your KiwiSaver account, the government will put in 50 cents, up to a maximum of $521.43 per KiwiSaver year.
