No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds

My stepparent sold the family home. I got nothing! What can I do?

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 sound better than they are?In this episode, Susan answers questions about:What doers the unemployment rate actually tell us? And what is it leaving out?Can a stepparent cut their partner's kids out of the will?Are KiwiSaver providers making their returns sound better than they are?With interest rates so low, is it worth having a savings account anymore?How are the new rules around tenants and their pets working out?And what is the most expensive pet procedure insurance will pay for?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

My kids inherit my money when I die. Isn't that too late?

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 what to look out for when insuring your car.Episode detailsIn this episode, Susan answers questions about:00.51 What exactly is the OCR?2.42 What are the tax implications when buying an offshore apartment?5.17 Do we have inheritances all wrong?8.12 What are banks saying about the future of house insurance?10.22 Can financial advisers every truly be impartial?12.44 What you need to know about insuring your car13.41 And is a 1983 car better value than one from today?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 my step kids force me to sell my home?

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 questions about:00.44 What to do when your partner dies and your kids want you to sell the family home4.02 Why childcare isn't tax deductible5.19 Will pensions one day be paid out entirely from the NZ Super Fund7.55 Can a person on a low income afford to buy a tiny home9.28 Whether to invest in Kiwi Bonds or put your money into a savings account12.38 And what the average price of a house was in 1981If 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

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:00.55 What to do if you think you're paying more than market rent5.38 Is anyone making money from your rental bond6.49 What happens if a parent dies with no money to pay for their funeral8.03 How to avoid the scammers when you've got lots of money to invest10.35 Why your KiwiSaver account is not being scammed12.39 How to protect yourself from being ripped off when buying online13.34 Why your KiwiSaver balance doesn't count against your pension14.07 And 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:00.55 Avoiding the student loan debt trap2.59 Options for setting up your grandkids' financial future5.53 Why savings can count against an accommodation supplement7.02 How to avoid ethical jump scares when investing9.46 What happens when a working pensioner needs ACC payments10.35 Why tax on your pension isn't the government double-dipping11.55 What the new inflation data means for your mortgage13. 09 When 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