Don’t be fooled by the 4 percent rule
If you’ve done any research on planning for retirement, you’ve probably come across the 4% rule. It originates from the US (specifically, Trinity University from Texas). This idea,...
Category: Building Wealth
Should you repay your mortgage or invest?
If you’re looking for a financial adviser, one of the best places to start is Mary Holm’s list of financial advisers. She doesn’t endorse these advisers, but they...
Headwinds and tailwinds: Every dollar is easier than the next
When you start the journey of building wealth, you face headwinds. It may not feel like you’re making progress, but you are. This article illustrates how these headwinds eventually turn into tailwinds and how every dollar of wealth is easier to build than the last.
Build wealth by being lazy!
I know you’re lazy sometimes. I know this because you’re human. In this article I set out some tips for making the most of your laziness. (Or let’s put it more charitably: your “behavioural inertia”.)
Financial advice for 16 year olds (and the rest of us)
This article contains some high-level advice for people starting out on this adventure through life.
You DON’T need $101k by age 30 to have a comfortable retirement!
A recent headline from the NZ Herald: “Want a comfortable retirement? You’ll need $101k by age 30” The first paragraph: “People who want to have choices in retirement...
Should I contribute more than the “minimum” to KiwiSaver?
If you contribute to KiwiSaver, you’re probably eligible for some valuable benefits. If your employer co-contributes (usually up to 3% of your salary), that’s free money. If you...
How to get better-than-market returns
For most people, I recommend investing in low-cost, index-based managed funds. The principle is that you shouldn’t focus on beating the market – you should just make sure...
Beware of money vampires
Vampires don’t exist. At least, not in the Dracula or True Blood sense. Those types of vampires are fictional creatures. But. Figuratively speaking, vampires are all around us. This...
Financial advice and the FIRE (“financial independence, retire early”) phenomenon
Many times, being a financial adviser is like being a counsellor. In order to provide a tailored financial plan, it’s necessary to ask clients about their lives. It’s...
