Financial

Many New Zealanders are now working well past 65 years, but even if they are contributing to KiwiSaver, their employers currently have no obligation to match their contributions. Martin Hawes, one of the county’s best-known experts on personal finance, believes this needs to change. “It’s simply outrageous that employers are …

Martin Hawes, one of New Zealand’s best-known experts on personal finance, has just released his latest book Cracking Open the Nest Egg, which aims to help New Zealanders take control of their finances and achieve the kind of retirement they have always wanted. Martin shares with us an edited extract …

Alongside increases to other benefits and payments, 1 April 2022 brings a small rise to the NZ Super pension payment (see the Work and Income website for new rates). Coinciding with increases to the pension rates come increased calls for changes to be made to the scheme, to ensure its …

For some, older age is an opportunity to cash in their chips and do everything they’ve ever wanted, using all the money they’ve saved in the process. Others, for example, see money as something that transfers across generations, and they will want to leave a little (or a lot) for their whānau to use in the future.

One resource that is particularly is the Four Rules of Thumb, created by the Retirement Income Interest Group of the New Zealand Society of Actuaries. It lays out four rules that can be used to determine how you could spend your retirement savings, accounting for the differences in people’s situations

Joseph Darby, Financial Adviser at Milestone Direct, tackles the tricky topic of whether to spend or save an inheritance. Spoiler: his opinion is to spend it – and here’s why.

With the number of Kiwis aged 65-plus set to hit 1.3 million by 2034 (more than a fifth of the population), many are calling for changes to be made to the NZ Super scheme to ensure its sustainability. So, what might the pension look like in the future?

Cars are more efficient these days. Yet, Kiwi drivers still spend staggering amounts of money on petrol. The latest data available from Statistics NZ says that the average NZ household spends a whopping $2,522 each year at the pump.

Sharon Bennett, Principal at the Retirement Unit Surrender Consultancy, shines a light on the confusing business of surrendering your ORA when exiting a retirement village.

This week is Sorted Money Week – an annual campaign aimed at raising New Zealanders’ financial capability by demystifying key money topics and providing open channels for discussion on a subject matter that is often seen as taboo. Sorted believe that financial wellbeing is a taonga/treasure that needs nurturing; for …