No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds

If you die without family, what happens to your KiwiSaver? Is it fair that a household with one high earner pays more tax than one with two average earners? And what is productivity and why does it matter to the average New Zealander who’s just focused on getting their own job done?

Questions this week for Susan:

What are tenants not allowed to do?

When it comes to tax, what's the difference between boarders and flatmates?

What is...

A lot of people put money away for their children's future. But is a savings account the best way to do that? And if I invest in the sharemarket, is a growth fund too risky? Do I play it safe or go for gold?

Episode details

Questions this week for Susan:

00.00 What is a capital change notice?

00.00 Why do petrol pumps warn you that a hold being placed on your credit card?

0.00 What has happened to my late daughter's Australian supe...

We're aways reading headlines about how Australia can pay higher wages than us but are also able to sell a cheaper cup of coffee. How do they keep the cost of living low while we struggle? What's Australia's secret sauce? Economist Mary-Jo Vergara says the answer is actually pretty simple.

Questions this week for Susan:

00.44 - How does Australia pay high wages but still keep the cost of living low?

3.03 - What are my options if my...

Borrowing money these days seems to involve so much paperwork. Why?

Questions this week for Susan:

• Is private school worth the money?
• Is it worth getting a second job?
• Do I have to pay gift tax?
• And why are banks so stuck on paperwork?

Expert input this week came from Dr Michael Johnson, Robyn Walker, Greg Bunkall, and Anne Marie Lockyer

If you have a money question you'd like Susan to try and answer, put it in an email or v...

Is the AI boom a bubble? Is it about to burst? What should I do?

Questions this week for Susan:

• Is the bubble about to burst on AI?
• Is it cheaper to rent or buy?
• Will the Fonterra brads sale drive up inflation?
• And how do I choose financial advisor?

Expert input this week came from Shamubeel Eaqub, Sharon Zollner and Tim Fairbrother.

If you have a money question you'd like Susan to try and answer, put it in an email or voice...

Is it better to be alive in 1985 or in 2025?

Questions this week for Susan:

• Why can’t we take GST off fresh food?
• What is gift tax?
• How do I split the bills when a relative moves in?
• And were we all better off in the 80s?

Expert input this week came from Brad Olsen, Craig Renney, Shamubeel Eaqub, David Verry and RNZ Morning Report host Corin Dann.

If you have a money question you'd like Susan to try and answer, put it in an ...

Is it fair that my partner's residential care will drain my KiwiSaver account too?

Questions this week for Susan:

• If I have to use my KiwiSaver account to pay for my partner's residential care, is that fair on me?
• What is a Capital Gains Tax?
• How likely am I to win Lotto?

If you have a money question you'd like Susan to try and answer, put it in an email or voice memo, then send it to questions@rnz.co.nz.

Go to this ep...

RNZ money correspondent Susan Edmunds wants to demystify money and personal finance. Because when you want to understand your money, there’s no such thing as a stupid question. So if you have a stupid (or not-so stupid) question you need to ask, let us know. Each week, Susan will try to answer it for you. The answer might not be perfect – this isn’t personalised financial advice - but you will get good stuff you can use as you wran...