Latest from Personal Finance

Mary Holm: KiwiSaver needn't be only scheme
Who cannot join KiwiSaver once you are 18? Anyone in government superannuation schemes like teachers cannot join, presumably because they already have a scheme.

Victoria Plekhanova: Google a test case for tax system
New Zealanders criticising Google for the low amount of tax it pays in this country should not brand the company as "evil".

Inside Money: Do we have to say goodbye to retiring at 65?
The National government is once more coming under pressure to lift the retirement age, this time from coalition partner, the Act Party, writes David Chaplin.

Nick McDonald: Transtasman dollar battle - A Kiwi victory?
There has been talk in trading circles recently of AUD/NZD exchange rate reaching, or even declining below, the magic parity level of 1.0000, writes Nick McDonald.

Flurry of bond issues expected in busy week
Fixed interest investors face a flurry of bond issuance over the next week or so as corporates look to lock in favourable funding rates.

Precinct upbeat on tower
The $1.6 billion landlord Precinct Properties expects to start redeveloping its Downtown Shopping Centre site in Auckland's CBD above the new Central Rail Link in two years.

KiwiSaver improvements needed, says provider
Kiwis face the prospect of a retirement income that meets only basic needs unless more changes are made to KiwiSaver, Mercer warns.

Inside Money: An Irish view of the NZ dollar
Ireland and New Zealand are highly correlated, writes David Chaplin. Both are small island nations unduly influenced by economically powerful neighbours

Companies likely to follow Alesco's lead, say tax experts
Alesco settling its tax-avoidance stoush is likely to lead to companies in similar disputes cutting deals with the IRD, say tax specialists.

Book comes to landlords' aid
A new book is out to help landlords, with a series of forms ranging from notices to increase rent to a dog clause document.

Cashing in on the past
This five-bedroom bungalow has seen five generations through it, but you wouldn't know it.

Inside Money: Demographic time-bomb may be a dud
Usually, this whole aging business is presented as a major looming crisis, requiring urgent action.

Nick McDonald: Stocks looking cheap
This is a buying opportunity, plain and simple and even if prices decline further from here it does not matter for those with the bigger picture in mind, writes Nick McDonald.

Damien Grant: Go softer on tax cheats - they are society's contributors
Most of those who seek to reduce their tax obligations are net contributors to our society, writes Damien Grant. The only complaints against them are they do not pay enough.

Nick McDonald: Market predictions for 2014
When we talk market opinions there are only two possible scenarios 1. Right, or 2. Wrong. So here are my predictions for 2014, writes Nick McDonald.

Dropout to property baron
On paper, it looks like Andy Davies owns half of Auckland. In real life, the $75 million-plus man wears holey jerseys and lives in a Freemans Bay 'do-up'.

Students, learn to budget
Following a budget can result in lifelong lifestyle changes. Students who don't budget will go on to be workers who don't budget, writes Diana Clement.