No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds

It sure seems like the world is a tough place right now. And sometimes it's hard to believe things could get worse. But they could! History shows us it's possible - and your emails lately show us you're thinking about it, too. So, in this week's episode of No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds, we're going there. What do you do if it all goes really, really wrong? In this episode, Susan answers q...

GST turns 40 this year and nowadays makes up about 30% of our total tax revenue every year. But since its introduction back in October 1986, economists and everyday folk have been questioning whether it’s a fair system for all, or if some households are affected more than others. In this week’s No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds, we'll have a crack at answering that. We'll also look into which...

There are some solid reasons to change your KiwiSaver provider. But how easy is it to swap? How long does it take? And how do you know whether you should, anyway? In this episode, Susan answers questions about: How (and why) do you swap KiwiSaver providers? My life insurances premiums are increasing. Should I keep servicing them or cancel the policy? I think I paid too much tax on my overseas pens...

The news lately seems to have lots of good stories about how well our farmers are doing. Fonterra's big payout, exports going really well and sheep and beef farmers are seeing a rebound after years of struggle. But there are also stories how some New Zealanders can't afford to buy food like the beef, lamb,  butter and cheese our farmers produce. How come? On this episode of No Stupid Questions wit...

There's nothing better than a warm, dry towel after a shower. And on these chilly winter mornings, that goes double. Your power bills can go double, too, during these months. But is it really all due to your heated towel rail or whether you keep your electric blanket on all night? Does it really matter if you boil the jug for a cup of tea or heat the water in a microwave? In this episode of No Stu...

Got a foreign investment fund? Yes? Wondering what changes to the FIF tax rate mean for you? Probably! Good news - this episode of No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds is for you! Well, mostly, anyway. We'll also crack into the promise of open banking, selling second-hand stuff on Trademe and the history of the credit card. Hint - they've been around longer than you might imagine... In this epis...

KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals are on the rise. In April, more than 4000 applications were made, with $38.5 million being paid out. On the flipside, questions are being asked about the returns active managers are getting versus the fees they charge. On this week's episode of No Stupid Questions, Susan gets into your KiwiSaver queries, plus a whole bunch of other subjects from our mailbag. In this...

The property market has been a bit boring of late. Prices did drop dramatically after Covid, no doubt, but since then, they have mostly just been moseying along. But boring doesn't mean things aren't going on under the surface and that there aren't questions to be asked. What’s actually going to happen to house prices? And what do you need to know if you’re thinking about buying, selling or just f...

About a million New Zealanders are using some form of DIY share investing account to build extra wealth. In this bonus episode from the RNZ podcast Thrift, Susan joins Thrift host, Katy Gosset, to discuss how share trading apps work and we meet some fledgling investors. You can hear more money saving tips and tricks from Thrift on the RNZ website or on your favourite podcast app. Go to this episod...

Most of us probably think we have a pretty good understanding of the pension. You turn 65, you get it. Right? Well, it turns out that there lots of little details that can catch you out. We’ve had a lot of questions about the pension (or NZ Super), so we’re on a bit of a deep dive into the most common ones. And don’t worry – this isn’t all questions for the over 65s, so stick with us if you’re not...

Where should you actually be investing now? It’s an impossibly big question but on this week’s episode of No Stupid Questions, we’re going to be attempting to answer parts of it in a bit of an investing special! In this episode, Susan answers questions about: Is AI any good at share picking? Should I invest in forestry? I want to grow my savings, but also need easy access to it. What are my option...

Say you've been trading in crypto currencies. You know if you are making money you need to declare it. But you're not making money. Instead, you're losing it. Is there a way to write those losses off against other income? We all know we should have long term savings and investments. But how much will high inflation mess around with your returns? And are there any restrictions on who can offer a Ki...

Say you and your ex-partner both have student loan debt. While you were together, they worked more while you were the day-to-day caregiver to your kids and reduced your employment hours. Inevitably, their student loan is all paid off. Yours...not so much. Then, when you separated, they refused to allow your student loan debt to be included in relationship property. It all seems incredibly unfair....

You're retired, thinking about the next stage and your house doesn't fit your needs anymore. Is it best to downsize now or wait for another time? Speaking of retiring, is KiwiSaver a safer place for your money than a bank account? Where will you get the highest returns? We all know there's a squeeze on fuel supplies right now. Has the quality of what we're buying decreased? In this episode, Susan...

It's a modern trend; one relationship, two separate residences, couples living apart together. But does this mean they are exempt from property relationship laws? And at a time when everything seems so precarious and unpredictable, why would anyone be considering raising interest rates? In this episode, Susan answers questions about: Why are interest rates increasing? Do new build houses experienc...

Over the six months or so that Susan has been answering your money questions, we've received many about life after retirement - and even more about KiwiSaver. April 1 sees change coming to the KiwiSaver scheme. The default rate of contributions will change, as will government and employer contributions. To mark these changes and to celebrate our 25th programme, this episode of No Stupid Questions...

Diesel is a big driver of our economy, no pun intended. If the squeeze comes on diesel, what will be the impact on your back pocket? Is it fair for someone to live most of their life in Australia, but come back here to claim the pension? And who remembers carless days? In this episode, Susan answers questions about: Have we forgotten about diesel drivers? Can someone work most of their lives in Au...

You might own a lot, you might own a little, but you probably still need to write a will. But do you have to use a lawyer to do it? There are changes coming to KiwiSaver contribution rates. Who will miss out? And how do donation credits actually work? In this episode, Susan answers questions about: How will the changes to KiwiSaver contribution rates affect you? How does the donation tax credit ac...

Conflict has broken out in the Middle East – again – and New Zealanders are being warned to watch out for it hitting everything from petrol prices to the cost of food. This week, our special episode of No Stupid Questions is all about how it might affect your household and what you can do to ease the impact. Episode details In this episode, Susan answers questions about: How high could petrol pric...

Quite a few Aussie banks operate here in New Zealand as well as over the ditch. Are Kiwis being offered the same deals as their Australian cousins? If we can peg property rates to inflation, then why not electricity prices? Parents have a legal duty to look after their children, obviously, but at what age does that responsibility end? Susan answers all these questions as well as what's included in...

It can happen. And does. Your dad dies. Your stepmother sells their home and then leaves all the money to her kids. You get nothing. This doesn't seem right. Is there anything you can do? We investigate your options on this as well asking whether it is worth having a savings account anymore, what the unemployment rate tells us and what it doesn't, and are KiwiSaver providers making their returns s...

Your kids are all grown up now, having families, buying homes of their own and working hard to make ends meet. Wouldn't this be the best time for them to inherit your money? Have we got the wrong approach to inheritances? Susan has answers for this, as well as what the tax situation is when buying a house overseas, whether financial advisers who are paid on commission can really be objective and w...

Family stuff can be pretty tricky, especially after a bereavement. What can you do if you're partner has passed on and their kids want you to sell your house so they can get a payout? Speaking of kids, why isn't the cost of childcare tax deductible? Does the NZ Super Fund super proof my pension? And would you have been better off buying a house in 1981 - or Lego? In this episode, Susan answers que...

Plenty of us rent the homes we live in. How do we know if we're paying more for it than we should? Susan finds out and asks if anyone is making money from your rental bond, as well as how to avoid being scammed when you're investing, and whether your LEGO collection is a good investment or not. In this episode, Susan answers questions about: 00.55 What to do if you think you're paying more th...

More than 600,000 New Zealanders have a student loan. If you’re one of them, you might have questions - like what happens if you die? Does your partner have to take on half if you split? We're looking at this as well as pension questions, tax questions, investing for your kids, and ensuring your KiwiSaver is invested in a way you're comfortable with. In this episode, Susan answers questions about:...