No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds

I think I'm being charged more than market rent... What do I do?

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:What to do if you think you're paying more than market rentIs anyone making money from your rental bondWhat happens if a parent dies with no money to pay for their funeralHow to avoid the scammers when you've got lots of money to investWhy your KiwiSaver account is not being scammedHow to protect yourself from being ripped off when buying onlineWhy your KiwiSaver balance doesn't count against your pensionAnd whether your LEGO collection is a good investmentIf you have a money question you'd like Susan to answer, put it in an email or voice memo, then send it to questions@rnz.co.nz.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

What happens if I die before paying off my student loan?

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:Avoiding the student loan debt trapWhy savings can count against an accommodation supplementOptions for setting up your grandkids' financial futureHow to avoid ethical jump scares when investingWhat happens when a working pensioner needs ACC paymentsWhy tax on your pension isn't the government double-dippingWhat the new inflation data means for your mortgageWhen did instant noodles get added to the CPI?If you have a money question you'd like Susan to answer, put it in an email or voice memo, then send it to questions@rnz.co.nz.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Can I go for gold with KiwiSaver?

Can I invest in gold through my KiwiSaver? Will I still get my pension if I live on my boat? And what is a disappointment gap? Questions this week for Susan:00.54 Can I invest in gold through my KiwiSaver?02.39 I qualify for superannuation but still have a mortgage. Will that affect my tax rate?04.31 Can my employer deduct KiwiSaver my from my hourly rate of pay?07.20 If I live on my yacht, can I still claim superannuation?08.55 Do I pay GST on capital gains?10.43 What is the 'Disappointment Gap'?12.24 Audience Q&A for the week: in what year did waterbeds and wine cooler drop out of the Consumer Price Index?Expert input this week came from Greg Smith at Generate, Anne-Marie Lockyer at Pie Funds, GST expert Alan Bullot and Shamubeel Eaquab from Simplicity.If you have a money question you'd like Susan to answer, put it in an email or voice memo, then send it to questions@rnz.co.nz.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Got money questions for Susan? Send them through!

No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds will be back online, on-air and in your feed from late-January 2026. If you have a money question you'd like Susan to answer, put it in an email or send us a voice recording to questions@rnz.co.nz. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

You, me and the IRD

My tradie asked to be paid in cash...will that get me in trouble with the IRD? Where's the best place to keep an emergency fund? And are rewards points really worth it?Episode detailsQuestions this week for Susan:Where should I put my emergency money, in a manged fund, term deposit or just a bank account?When the Reserve Bank changes the official cash rate, where does the extra money I pay on my mortgage go?Which kinds of KiwiSaver funds are seeing the most hardship withdrawals?If I'm paying a surcharge on my credit card, does that cost more than the Hot Points I earn?If a tradie asks me to pay in cash, can I get in trouble with the IRD?Audience Q&A for the week: what sort of increase in spending is normal at Christmas?Expert input this week came from Dean Anderson at Kernel, David Cunningham at Squirrel, investment adviser Jeremy Sullivan and Robyn Walker at Deloitte.If you have a money question you'd like Susan to answer, put it in an email or voice memo, then send it to questions@rnz.co.nz.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details