Many of us worry about how we’re going to manage financially as we get older, and for some, the fear of asking their children for money is all too real. A recent newspaper report revealed that 1 in 6 people over the age of 40 think that they will need to ask their children to […]
The measure of your wealth is the difference between the value of your assets and the amount of money you owe to others. Wealth is generally accumulated over your working life, reaching a peak around the time you retire, and then diminishing through retirement. Of course, for some people, it is not quite as simple […]
Retirement planning is complicated enough for any couple, but when there is a second time relationship involved, there are even more issues to consider. In many cases, for couples coming together later in life after a previous relationship there is disparity of both assets and income.
If you have ever flown Economy Class on a long haul flight and looked with envy at the First Class passengers enjoying their extra leg room, fancy meals with real plates and cutlery and personalised service, you will know what it will probably be like in rest homes and retirement villages of the not too […]
Jokes about Spending the Kids’ Inheritance (SKI) abound, however when it comes to the crunch, many retirees find it difficult to watch their dollars slowly dwindle. Saving regularly over a period of many years does two things. Firstly, it builds up a nice retirement nest egg. Secondly, it creates a well entrenched habit of not […]
Confusion still reigns for KiwiSaver members reaching the age of 65 as to what to do with their KiwiSaver funds and whether to keep contributing. If you are over 65 and have been a member of KiwiSaver for at least five years, you have several options available.
Sibling rivalry is common, but add to the mix the death of parents and a sizeable estate and you have a recipe for the destruction of family relationships. The baby boomer generation is very susceptible to this problem. Typically, their parents grew up in the Depression era and were good savers, unlike the baby boomers.
Investing in property is a popular means of building wealth for retirement. Typically, keen property investors will build a portfolio of properties using borrowed funds in the expectation that the increase in value of the properties over time will allow them to sell off one or two at retirement leaving a portfolio of properties with […]
It is not uncommon for New Zealanders to have overseas investments. Migration to New Zealand, working holidays overseas and inheritances can all lead to investment assets being held outside the country.
Achieving financial security is an aim that most people aspire to. Worrying about money causes stress, loss of enjoyment of life, and is often linked to relationship problems.
Baby boomers should by now be well aware that as they move towards and through retirement, they will place huge pressure on NZ Superannuation.
It wasn’t so long ago that most people had an expectation of retiring completely from the work force the day they became eligible for NZ Superannuation.
Last week we looked at the first four steps you need to take if you want financial freedom; something that most Kiwis aspire to. They were: (1) Spend less than you earn; (2) Join a subsidised superannuation scheme;
One of the strange things about life is that the older you get, the faster the years seem to go by. It pays to get your affairs in order at retirement so the rest of your life will be free of problems, especially if the effects of ageing come faster than you expect. Here is […]
It is a fact of life that women face a higher level of financial risk during their lifetime than men. There are differences between men and women with regard to lifespan, lifestyles, income and attitudes which can have a negative effect on a woman’s financial position.
There comes a time in life when you have to flick the spend/save switch from saving to spending. If you have been careful with your money during your working life, it can be hard to spend and watch your savings dwindle. Spend too much and you might run out of money; spend too little and […]
