The mortgage market just got more interesting with new super cheap rates

Simplicity has fired a shot across traditional mortgage providers’ bows – and says if you think home loan rates are as low as they can go, you ain’t seen nothing yet.  Mortgage rates could be a whole lot lower, argues KiwiSaver provider Simplicity which has launched the cheapest home loan in the market. From November … Read more

Closing the gap: Why this Budget may offer hope for cash-starved NZ firms

If commentators are reading the tea leaves right, the government is gearing up to put its money where its mouth is and help businesses caught in New Zealand’s infamous funding gap. Lisa Friis doesn’t strike you as the sort of woman who needs help getting in front of potential investors. Tall, with a stylish blonde … Read more

Why is your KiwiSaver balance so low?

Savers around the country let out a collective ‘shit!’ this week as KiwiSaver balances took a plunge across the board. What happened, and is this the end of your retirement dream? Reddit user /u/Muter explains. My money is disappearing? What happened to it! Before getting into this, it’s important to understand KiwiSaver and the investment … Read more

Are Australian banks rent seeking in New Zealand? And what can we do about it?

As Australian banks make more and more money in New Zealand, they contribute less and less to the economy, says Sam Stubbs. Here’s what we can do about it. The Australian banking inquiry has been the greatest scandal in Australian corporate history. Heads are rolling, fines being handed out and criminal charges laid. And it’s far … Read more

Honey, we bought a road: how KiwiSaver can save our infrastructure

KiwiSavers like you and me are the benefactors New Zealand’s infrastructural development is looking for, says Simplicity’s Sam Stubbs. The government is signalling that New Zealand’s infrastructure build, apart from anything rail related, will go slower than expected. Increases in core funding, let alone mouldy surprises at Middlemore, are draining the national coffers of monies that any … Read more

Managing your money and mental health

Our well-being and our bank accounts are intricately linked. Simplicity’s Amanda Morrall says the relationship between your financial health and your mental health is inseparable.  Juggling the worlds of yoga and finance as I do is a mind bend for some folks. They can’t seem to square the rational with the esoteric. On the surface it … Read more

Start saving for your children, now.

When should you start you children’s KiwiSaver? Simplicity’s Amanda Morrall says it depends on how much you can contribute.  When someone offers you $1,000 for free, you’d be an idiot to say no.  Kiwis aren’t dumb and this sweet incentive was key to KiwiSaver’s early success. The additional $1,000 a year in matching funds from the … Read more

Is NZ ready for its $80 billion investment windfall?

With over 2.8m members, KiwiSaver is the most successful financial product in New Zealand since the chequing account. Simplicity managing director Sam Stubbs looks at its potential for New Zealand.  Since 2007, KiwiSavers have amassed $45 billion. That’s a lot of money, with a lot of potential payoffs for New Zealand. Already, we are starting to … Read more

Generation Rent Investment Guide: What to know about index-tracking funds

Priced out of the housing market? Don’t lose heart. In the second part of a series on alternatives to property investment for ‘Generation Rent’, Jenée Tibshraeny explains the benefits of passive investment and offers a comprehensive guide to the available options. This story has been updated since it was first published on interest.co.nz in June. … Read more

The Kiwisaver fund planning to buy back New Zealand

‘Via their KiwiSaver accounts, ordinary New Zealanders are beginning to buy back New Zealand. They deserve to have a say in how the companies they own are managed.’ Sam Stubbs, GM of Kiwisaver provider Simplicity, and economist Shamubeel Eaqub – a Simplicity board member – explain why they’re putting Simplicity’s funds to good use. KiwiSaver … Read more