Blog
Call for KiwiSaver education campaign
Posted in Kiwisaver on
The financial boss of a top accounting firm is calling for a public education campaign around KiwiSaver. John Kensington, head of financial services at KPMG said schools, employers and KiwiSaver providers need to teach people about the savings scheme or many New Zealanders could face a less than desirable retirement. Kensington's comments follow the firm's second report on the sector, which found that after six months there has been little change in the levels of financial literacy of KiwiSaver users.
View moreGet Sorted: Mass FOMO erupts!
Posted in Kiwisaver on
If only a collective "fear of missing out" would suddenly spread like a virus when it comes to all of us getting the government contribution of $521 each year in our KiwiSaver accounts. But alas, the numbers show mass apathy, unfortunately. Or perhaps something else is at play that is harder to see. Doesn't anyone want a big five hundy? Each year the government matches 50 cents for every dollar we put in to KiwiSaver, giving us a maximum of $521. Some quick maths shows that all we need to do is put in double that amount in order to get everything we're due, or $1,043, which works out to just over $20 a week. Unfortunately it looks like large swathes of the population don't know this exists.
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Know your cycles - a guide to Kiwisaver investing when interest rates are low
Posted in Kiwisaver on
Cyclists know a bit about making progress when the going gets tough. They know the extra effort it takes to muscle through a headwind, the zen-like calm it takes to climb a steep hill, and the importance of being on the right bike. They are all things KiwiSavers could learn from as they face the lowest point in the interest rate cycle ever, and hard going on the sharemarket. Their years of happy free-wheeling are over, and investment experts say it may be time for many to upgrade to a faster bike, and to start pedalling harder.
View moreDavid Boyle on the 'classes' of KiwiSaver
Posted in Kiwisaver on
If you are reading this and are one of the 2.5 million people already in KiwiSaver then you can feel pretty pleased with yourself. But not so fast: there are a few tips and tricks you may be missing out on that could give you an awful lot more to smile about. Most people fit into one of four types when it comes to their strategy for getting into KiwiSaver.
View moreKiwiSaver dip normal
Posted in Kiwisaver on
If the value of your account has gone down, the best thing to do is absolutely nothing, unless you really need the money immediately. While you have your money invested with a KiwiSaver provider, you are effectively holding units in that fund. You still own the same number of units, increasing all the time. Just right now they are worth a little less.
View moreHow to get rich, slowly
Posted in Retirement, Savings on
People often ask billionaire investors like Warren Buffet for investment advice. He will ask them to forget about schemes to get rich quickly - his tips involve getting rich slowly. Learning to save is one of the most important pieces of advice he offers. It sounds simple. The tricky part for many people is putting the advice into practice.
View moreKiwiSaver falling? Don't panic
Posted in Kiwisaver on
If you've checked your KiwiSaver balance recently you could be feeling a bit down. Despite putting money into your fund it could be sitting at a lower level than at the end of last year. That's because share markets around the world have had a rough start to the year. But that's no reason to panic and switch your money to another fund or provider.
View moreBudget Buster: The curious case of the shrinking KiwiSaver balance
Posted in Kiwisaver, Savings on
Has anyone else's KiwiSaver balance been mysteriously going backwards lately? Despite faithful monthly contributions, mine's been shrinking faster than a The Biggest Loser contestant's waistline. It's not a great feeling watching your retirement savings melting away. But it's important not to panic before making any rash decisions.
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KiwiSaver fund choices leave money on the table
Posted in Kiwisaver on
Why have KiwiSaver investors received much lower returns, on average, than the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and Australia's Future Fund? Is this underperformance due to the choice of funds, asset allocation or fees?
View moreMarket slumps happen
Posted on
We came accross this commentary from Fidelity International and found it to have some wise and timely words: There is a rich seam of wisdom about how to respond to market slumps. This points to two things. First, it says that market volatility is not unusual, it is a shared experience and therefore worth commenting on. Second, it suggests that most people do the wrong thing when the market falls – if people knew how to react there would be no point in the greats trying to put them right.
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