Mary Holm is a columnist for the New Zealand Herald.
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Mary Holm: For house prices, up is not the only way
OPINION: I’ve been bothered for some time about property valuations.

Mary Holm: Best investments for old age & what to know about residential-care rules
Exercise can pay dividends too.

Mary Holm: If our kids get good grades should we pay off their student loans?
OPINION: How an incentive system seemed to work for one family.

Mary Holm: Should you switch to a KiwiSaver growth fund?
OPINION: I'm 53 and have been in a conservative fund for years. Should I make the switch?

Mary Holm: It’s your funeral, so why not do it yourself?
OPINION: A DIY funeral could save you thousands of dollars.

Mary Holm: First, second, third house — who has enough time left for saving?
OPINION: People who move properties don't always take on bigger mortgages.

Mary Holm: How to bypass IRD to supercharge your KiwiSaver
OPINION: There's a secret tip that can help you get ahead faster.

Mary Holm: Should I sell up in the face of mortgage rate rises?
OPINION: I bought at the peak of the market in 2021 but now stand to make a loss.

Mary Holm: Choosing the best KiwiSaver investment fund for the kids
OPINION: Should I put all my daughter's KiwiSaver in a growth fund?

Mary Holm: When one person’s tattoo is another person’s waste of money
OPINION: Tattoos can mean a lot to others.

Mary Holm: It’s not your job to keep on spending
OPINION: Money travels around whatever you do with it.

Mary Holm: Cutting out buying coffees and lunch could save you up to $1m
OPINION: And help! I put $300k in my KiwiSaver account and promptly lost $10,000.

Mary Holm: Should I pay off the mortgage or put all my money into KiwiSaver?
OPINION: When the division of an estate comes between families.

Mary Holm: Have you been caught out by the KiwiSaver cut-off date?
OPINION: Some businesses don't charge for contactless payment, but others do.

Mary Holm: $20,000 in cash and ready to travel - but I'm too scared to rent out my home
OPINION: I'm considering packing up my life and becoming a digital nomad in Asia.

Mary Holm: Decaying house, no cash for repairs - how to patch up the financial damage?
OPINION: The owner is 63, his carer and sibling - with no ownership of the home - is 60.

Mary Holm: Hands off Mum’s money - kids should wait for their inheritance
OPINION: No child should expect an inheritance, writes one reader.

Mary Holm: What to do when scammers call; protecting kids' inheritance from the taxman
OPINION: Has anyone ever got into a good investment through a phone call from a stranger?

Mary Holm: 16 years old with five-figure inheritance - where should I invest?
OPINION: My bank will not allow a 16-year-old customer to open a term deposit.

Mary Holm: Close to retirement and just inherited $100,000 - where do we invest it?
OPINION: When strawberries are cheap, we buy more. What about managed fund units?

Mary Holm: 'Sell the rental and live', plus surviving the KiwiSaver jitters
How does your provider stack up over a long period?

Mary Holm: Reverse mortgages, term deposit deals - and an odd offer
OPINION: A good example of another use for a reverse mortgage.

Mary Holm: Don’t get caught in the reverse-mortgage trap
Reverse mortgage eats into couple's equity leaving them with limited choices.

Mary Holm: My KiwiSaver fund is tanking, is it time to pull my money out?
When the boss won’t come to the party, it’s time for some DIY saving.

Mary Holm: Is property or KiwiSaver the better investment bet?
If one real estate investment beats KiwiSaver, that doesn’t mean they all will.

Mary Holm: The simple life - drop the shopping, save your finances
Why waste money in the shops, when you could be investing in your future?

Mary Holm: Why selling my investment property was the best thing I ever did
Real estate good, managed funds bad? Not for one reader.

Mary Holm: Funds or property? Rental returns just keep stacking up
The key thing is to stay invested for the long term.

25 years of Mary Holm: When taking good advice pays off
Some of the readers who've said this column has helped them over the years.

25 years of Mary Holm: From straightforward to weird
Our money columnist looks back on a quarter-century of your questions.

Mary Holm: Should workers buy a slice of the company?
OPINION: Employee share schemes can work well - but consider selling when you can.

Mary Holm: What to do with $600,000 cash after selling rental property
Proposed tweak would be a useful extra for contributors.

Mary Holm: Should you pick which shares to invest in, or leave it to someone else?
You might be able to identify a good business, but not a good investment.

Mary Holm: Should I keep the equity in my home or buy an investment property?
Borrowing against your house to invest can work well - but it's not for everyone.

Mary Holm: Think you are smarter than the market?
Mixing bonds and shares can smooth your returns — but not in 2022.

Mary Holm: Should I send my share market money to Australia?
Some investors are fans of Aussie shares, but you can look further afield.

Mary Holm: I've got the money - but is it better to give up on owning a home?
Yes, you can plan to keep on renting -- just be sure to save plenty for retirement.

Mary Holm’s cyclone diary: Life with the five ‘No’s
'The loo situation became dire. I put buckets in the car and drove to a local pond.'

Mary Holm: Share investing the DIY way - can you beat a managed fund?
There's nothing wrong with owning shares directly, but make sure you're diversified.

'The house was shaking': Piha cut off after night of slips, heavy rain
North Piha has been cut off by chest-deep flooding and slips, trapping residents.

Mary Holm: No home and retirement drawing near - how can I save more?
A part-time worker has more savings than many - but no home of her own.

Mary Holm: Early 30s and multiple funds - is this one of NZ’s shrewdest investors?
Is having lots of funds a problem? Not if they're the right funds.

Mary Holm: I bought a home a year ago but soon won’t be able to service the loan
Even when monthly payments soar, there are ways to get through this tough patch.

Mary Holm: I have $50,000 in cash - should I pay down my mortgage or invest?
The top five columns of the year from Mary Holm

Mary Holm: Gifting to kids? Hard to get it right on the money
Fairness is key in sharing invested funds, but easier said than done.

Mary Holm: Whatever you do, don’t neglect the golden property rule
In a soft property market always secure your sale before you buy.

Mary Holm: What to do with $3 million from divorce settlement
I’ve spent a lot of my life in debt, as the relationship was not financially equal.

Mary Holm: Drip-feeding funds for juicy returns
Investing over time is a tried and tested way to smooth market shifts.

Mary Holm: We have $50,000 to invest - is it better in a bank or a managed fund?
Finishing yacht job with financial sails full, why not leap into study full-time?

Mary Holm: Approaching 65 and just $18k in KiwiSaver
You are unlikely to lose money in Kiwisaver — as long as you don’t mess with it.

Mary Holm: Invest the equity in the family home or let it rest?
Being in a good position with your mortgage can tempt you to leverage.

Mary Holm: Save — but have some fun too
There’s a lot to think about before heading off to uni, and money is just one part of it.

Mary Holm: I felt pressured into a 'retirement strategy' that's now lost $150K
What you can do if you feel you have fallen foul of financial advice.

Mary Holm: We've paid off our mortgage - now what do we do with our money?
Going into the red can be a winner, but not to buy something that loses value.

Mary Holm: Interest rates are rising - should we 'ladder' our term deposits?
Simple strategy for your term deposits works even in times of market turmoil.

Mary Holm: Don't let downdrafts send your KiwiSaver off course
No one knows what markets will do, so why change your flight plan mid-course?

Mary Holm: $400K and mortgage-free - but where should I invest my money?
What's the best plan for a couple aiming to quit their jobs and travel?

Mary Holm: Should I move my Sharesies money to KiwiSaver?
If you can trust yourself not to splurge, there's no gain in locking up your money.

Mary Holm: Is it risky for all my family to be with the same KiwiSaver provider?
Are you looking for a property with growth potential — or a place to live?

Mary Holm: Ripped off, renting and 65-plus — don't give up
Couple are still in with a chance of owning a home.

Mary Holm on KiwiSaver: Should I switch to a high growth, aggressive fund?
Going up, things can be very good, but coming down, it can get nasty.

Mary Holm: Te reo prompts flood of responses from readers
Readers express their views on the use of te reo in society.

Mary Holm: Why it pays to spread your savings
Diversification is a winning investment strategy — but how much is enough?

Mary Holm: I have $50,000 in cash - should I pay down my mortgage or invest?
Paying down a mortgage — or any debt — improves your wealth as much as an investment.

Mary Holm: Is it too late for me to start saving?
They don't wear a cape, but a money mentor can save your finances from danger.

Mary Holm: With $260k in KiwiSaver can we afford to cut back our life insurance?
Many people have too little life insurance, while others have more than they need.

Mary Holm: A windfall from a land sale - but are banks safe places for the money?
Just because funds have similar names, it doesn't mean their investments are the same.

Mary Holm: Buying shares? A dollar here, a dollar there - it adds up
Even if your share investments are tiny, it pays to spread them around.

Mary Holm: Will low-fee KiwiSaver fund perform similar to higher fee funds?
There's no good evidence that funds that charge higher fees perform better.

Mary Holm: The property market v the sharemarket - pondering the differences
Property has been a sellers' market, but the shoe's on the other foot now.

Mary Holm: Will KiwiSaver be around in 40 years time?
Our grandson believes it won't be around when he's 65 and would rather invest in shares.

Mary Holm: Should KiwiSaver fees drop when performance does?
Bonuses for fund managers may not deliver the hoped-for results.

Mary Holm: Should I cut my losses on KiwiSaver and buy this house?
This may not be the perfect time for home ownership — but it's the right time.

Mary Holm: 'Do not take part in this - I am certain you will regret it'
An unsolicited cryptocurrency offer isn't worth wasting time on.

Mary Holm: My house value has climbed from $47k to $3.5m
What to make of interest rate rises?

Mary Holm: What to do with an $800,000 investment?
Investing in a few funds is good, but juggling 30 of them is plain crazy.