Founder & Chief Executive

Dean Anderson

There are hundreds of indices and many different funds available, so how do you choose the right index fund? Follow these 7 simple tips.

7 Tips for Choosing the Right Index Fund

Research Analyst

Chi Nguyen

Often the S&P 500 index or ETF can be a go-to for many NZ investors, but is it the most suitable investment option? 

S&P 500 vs S&P Global 100: Which Should I Invest In?

Head of Marketing & Customer Strategy

Catherine Emerson

Need to know the difference between an index fund and ETF, the types of managed funds to invest in and where to best put your money?

What’s the Difference Between an Index Fund, ETF, and More?

Chief Operating Officer

Stephen Upton

Scratching your head thinking about tax and investing? Our simple, easy to read beginners guide makes tax and investing easy.

A Beginners Guide to Tax and Investing

Have you been thinking of switching KiwiSaver providers? Find out whether the Kernel KiwiSaver plan is right for you.

Is the Kernel KiwiSaver Plan Right for You?

Most Recent Articles

Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal and there is no assurance that the investment will provide positive performance over any period of time.

The information provided should not be relied upon as investment advice or recommendations and should not be considered specific legal, investment or tax advice.

Any information we provide is general only and current at the time of writing.

Kernel Wealth Limited (Kernel) is the issuer and manager of the Kernel Scheme. Click here for the Product Disclosure Statement. Past performance is not an indicator of future returns.

 All returns are exclusive of tax. As PIE tax and withholding tax on interest earnt depends on personal factors, it would be confusing to include and unlikely to change the outcome. We have used the NZX50 gross index daily price series, where all dividends were reinvested on ex-date, exclusive of fees. Fees would have a negligible impact on the relative outcome of the different strategies. Savings were made every Thursday for 965 weeks in a row with investments made at market close. A flat 2% cash account was used for illustrative purposes, in reality cash savings account rates vary. Past performance is no indicator of future performance for any investment. This article does not constitute financial advice, as your personal circumstances have not been taken into account

 There are alternatives available for individual investors, including comparable value and de minimis exceptions but the hassle and associated cost likely outweighs the benefit achieved for most investors. Any NZ fund manager only has the FDR option. 28% is the PIR rate for those earning over $48,000, but if individually investing in companies the rate is up to 39%. Please note this is not tax advice as we are not a tax accounting firm and we don’t know your situation.

Whether you're new to investing or a seasoned pro, now you can build a portfolio of low-cost, well-diversified Kernel funds, easily.

How Can Kernel Funds Fit Together?

Dean Anderson and Cat Emerson sat down with Reece Reilly from Kiwi Talkz to go deep into investing; how they got started, budgeting advice and more!

Investing, Budgeting & Getting Started – the Kiwi Talkz Podcast

Investors tell us they worry about timing the stock market. What if they invest and a crash happens? Here's how to time the stock market perfectly.

How to perfectly time the stock market

Since 2018, sustainable investing has been on the rise both locally and globally. But what's driving this popularity?

Three Forces Accelerating Sustainable Investing

When investing in an index fund, the choice of index itself is more important than the fees. So why should you choose the NZ 20 over the NZ 50?

The Money Men & Kernel: How should I invest in 2020?

What actually is an index? This guide breaks it down. From a brief history to how indices will impact your financial life, read on to learn more.

What is an index?

Thematic funds have a particular place in an investment portfolio, but often investors are unsure how they fit. 

How Thematic Funds Fit Into Your Investment Portfolio

When investing in shares, how do you know what a company's value is? Find out why there's more to a company's value than its share price.

What is a Company’s Value?

Knowing what small, mid and large caps are is important when choosing how to invest within your portfolio. Here, we explain all.

Small, Mid & Large Caps explained – which is best to invest in?

Are my investments making money? An important question to know the answer to. We explain the nuances with investment performance that you need to know.

All You Need to Know About Investment Performance & Returns

Marketing Manager

Christine Jensen

The structure of an investment is important to consider when choosing which asset to invest in. Why? Find out here.

Listed and Unlisted Investments: What’s the difference and why does it matter?

When making the decision to invest it's natural to seek comfort that they're being managed prudently. At Kernel, your investments are protected.

How safe is my investment?

As the backbone of modern society, investing in a Global Infrastructure Fund can provide many benefits. Find out what they are.

Investing in Global Infrastructure – Why, What & How

Are you the sort of person who dreams about investing in the next big thing? Welcome to investing in Thematic Funds.

The 101 of Investing in Thematic Funds 

Why Kernel? We started with NZ equity funds because e knew we could develop an investment offering that was better designed to suit Kiwis.

Why Kernel started with NZ

Warren Buffett said: 'when the tide goes out, you’ll see who’s been swimming naked”. Right now, active fund managers are high and dry.

How Are Active Managers Faring Through Covid-19?

On the back of an unbridled recovery of global tech stocks, is it time to say the value investing style embraced by Warren Buffett is dead?

Did the internet kill value investing?

Portfolio Analyst

Sam Tither

Cash out or reinvest your dividends? Find out why it's important for investors to have a plan when it comes to reinvesting dividends.

Why it’s Important to Reinvest Dividends

One of the key roles an index manager has is to track the index as closely as possible. So, investors need to know the tracking difference.

How are we tracking?

Nathalie and Ross are always looking at how they can diversify their portfolio while taking a lower risk, long-term approach to investing.

Investor Stories: Nathalie & Ross Ong

Using a set and for get approach, investor Ryan Potter is aiming to achieve his goal of creating intergenerational wealth for his family.

Investor Stories: Ryan Potter

There's a common misconception that successful investing takes lots of work and time. But this isn't true. Successful investing can be simple.

Successful Investing is a Lot Simpler Than You Think

The Kernel Moonshots and Electric Vehicle Innovation Funds have had a bit of a bumpy ride since launch. Why? Read on to find out.

Why are Kernel’s Moonshots and Electric Vehicle Funds so Volatile?

Understanding how we operate as investors is a key starting point for building great investing habits. Find out how loss aversion fits in.

Loss Aversion: Why We See Losses Before Gains

Successful investing isn’t as hard as you think. In this blog we walk you through key concepts and handy tips on how to start investing.

How to Start Investing: Part One

Read about Kernel's changes and how we're helping Kiwis become great investors.

We’re Renovating the Financial Services Industry, Kernel Style.

NZ companies are pretty great and there many reasons you should want to invest in Kiwi made brands, companies and industry.

Invest in Kiwi Made

Index funds are dramatically disrupting active fund managers and empowering a new generation of investors. But how do they actually operate?

How Does an Index Fund Work?

The majority of active managers underperform most of the time. This happens for a set of readily identifiable reasons. 

Not a Coincidence

Young, debt free and with a high appetite for risk, Jervis is investing in Kernel funds, private equity, crypto and more.

Investor Stories: Jervis Koo

Thinking about building your portfolio? Consider investing in funds that are well diversified and hold lots of different stocks or bonds.

How to start investing: building a portfolio

Office & Events Manager

Nicola Maling

Kernel investors Chris and Rosemary reassessed their lives and started planning for their financial future. Read their investor story.

Investor Stories: Chris and Rosemary Honiss

Today more investors are adopting sustainable investing, looking at both the financial outcome and impact their investment on the world.

The future of investing is sustainable

In today's episode of Ask Kernel, we chat to Craig Lazzara about what SPIVA is. Haven't heard of it? Well you better press play!

What is SPIVA?

Dubbed the next Industrial Revolution, the Electric Vehicle Innovation Fund is one to watch. 

Everything You Need to Know About Our Electric Vehicle Innovation Fund

If you want something for tracking your spending and savings over time, a spreadsheet or a budgeting tool is the next step for managing your finances!

5 Budgeting Tools To Sort Your Finances

Buffett’s following is the stuff of legend and for good reason. However, the magnitude of Berkshire’s excess returns have been on a downtrend recently.

A buffet(t) of historical performance

One of the five key factors in investment decision making is understanding what is liquidity - when you need it and which investments provide it.

What is Liquidity Anyway?

As we approach the anniversary of 2020's market low, investors are becoming increasingly uneasy about the markets’ current decline.

With Markets Falling, Should I Sell?

Most investors start investing in the share markets but don't understand who they’re actually buying and selling shares with. Find out more.

Who Are You Buying and Selling Shares From?

Founder & Investment Adviser

Mike Ross

Knowing how to invest for your child's future can often feel overwhelming. But it doesn't need to be. 

How to Invest for Your Child’s Future

Watch this episode of Ask Kernel where we ask what S&P Dow Jones Indices do for index fund managers and what exactly is an index.

Who are S&P Dow Jones Indices & what is an index?!

I'm sure you’ve heard the eggs in one basket analogy – drop the basket and all eggs will crack. This is why you need to understand what is diversification.

What is diversification & how does it help me?

In today's low-interest rate environment, how should we be investing for retirement? How much do we need? 

Investing for Retirement: The Realities of Downsizing

Starting investing young, Christine takes a 'learn by doing' approach to investing. As an investor she's working towards financial freedom.

Investor Stories: Christine Jensen

Investing for income can be a challenge in this low interest rate environment. That's where Global Dividend Aristocrats comes in.

Investing for Income – Global Dividend Aristocrats

When getting started with investing, it's best to use an index investing approach. What exactly does this mean? Read on to find out.

What is Index Investing?

What proportion of your share portfolio you should consider having in NZ equities versus global equities? We help you decide.

Home & Away – investing locally versus globally

As an investor, compounding is actually your best friend and you can use it to your advantage. We run through what is compounding & all you need to know!

What is Compounding – The Investment Concept you Need to Know

You want to start investing or grow your wealth and you’ve heard you gotta get into this “stock-picking” thing. So how to pick shares you ask?

How to Pick Shares

If you're wanting to invest a lump sum of money - how best do you do this? We explain when you should drip-feed in into the market or invest the whole lot.

How to invest a lump sum of money

A key investment principle to know and understand is risk. Find out what the role of risk is in investing.

What to know about investing: Risk

Without an investment strategy, how do you know whether you'll meet your short, medium and long term goals?

How Do I Choose the Right Investment Strategy for Me?

With great excitement we announce the latest Kernel Global funds - offering three new fantastic options to Kiwi investors. So what are they? 

Kernel Global Funds are Here!

We’ve all heard the disclaimer “past performance is no indicator of future returns” thrown around or reinforced by financial providers (ourselves included!). 

Investment Returns: Why Past Performance is No Indicator of Future Returns

Are you thinking about starting to invest? You don’t need to know as much as you might think. Here are five simple principles to get started.

Starting to Invest – Five Things All Investors Need to Know

The comprehensive KiwiSaver guide, including all you need to know on risk, investment options, providers and getting the most from your fund.

All You Need to Know About KiwiSaver

Tax can have a huge impact on your overall portfolio returns - in some cases by up to 2% p.a! We've got the details AND the tax calculator.

Investing in International Shares: Location, Location, Location or Tax, Tax, Tax?

Co-founder & Director

Kalé Emery

Wondering where to start with engaging a financial adviser or looking to change things up? We explain where and how to start your search.

A Financial Adviser’s Worth: When and How to Work With One

With growing demand for ESG funds both in NZ and globally, we're proud to introduce Kernel's sustainable fund series.

Getting to know Kernel’s Sustainable Funds

When starting to invest, there's one key question you need to consider and it helps determine your investment horizon. So what is it?

What’s Your Investment Horizon?

COVID-19 gave rise to a full-blown day trading mania. Individuals have increasingly turned to day trading in the stock market.

Have You Caught the Day Trading Virus?

The challenge with new ideas is that estimating their chance of success and projecting their long term profitability is very challenging.

Has it Been a Wild Ride?

How do you know when to sell your investments? If the share price is down, should you be crystallising your losses?

Crystallising Losses: When to Sell Your Investments

Uncovering performance trickery highlights that strong headline performance figures can mask a very different investor experience.

Headline Performance Results – an NZ Review

Stock market crashes happen and we will continue to see them in our lifetime. So what should you do when they do happen to ensure you don't lose out?

Crashes Happen. Here’s What To Do.

By investing globally, you have a chance to spread your nest egg into baskets across the world. With so much choice, what should you consider?

What to consider when investing globally

Some investors perceive index funds to be lower risk and therefore provide lower returns. But is this really the case? Read on to fund out.

Demystifying Index Fund Returns

Everyone wants to beat the market, be the exception, have above-average returns. But how easy and achievable is this as an outcome for an investor?

Want to know who can beat the market?

The NZ 20 vs the NZ 50

Find out what exactly sustainable funds entail and how they can fit into an investment portfolio in our blog.

Do ESG and Sustainable Funds Have a Place in an Investment Portfolio?

Kernel explains what actually happens in a market correction, a crash and how investors should approach these volatile times.

Market Correction, Crashes, Bear Markets and Recession: Kernel Explains

Product & Relationship Manager

Raj Gooptu

Making changes to your investment portfolio should be driven by a change in circumstance or the economic landscape. Find out why.

When and How Should I Be Rebalancing My Investment Portfolio?

Did you know that exchange traded funds (ETFs) may not be the best option for NZ investors?

The Problem With Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

Chris Bennett of S&P Dow Jones Indices discusses the current market situation, previous downturns and what you as an investor should do.

Understanding What Seems Like the Darkest Hour

The shift from active to passive by millions of investors has been one of the most significant developments in modern financial history.

New Zealand is unique, but not when it comes to active vs passive Investing

With record low interest rates and a bubbling equities market should you be investing in bonds? 

Why bonds aren’t for you if you’re investing for 10+ years

ETFs and index funds are not the same thing and if you're a passive investor in New Zealand, you really should be investing through an Index Fund.

Why ETFs Are Unsuitable for New Zealand Investors

We break down what active investing is, how it's different to passive investing and which is the best choice for growing your wealth.

Active or Passive Investing: deciding which is best for you

Wondering how to save or invest for your child's future? In this blog we highlight a few key concepts for saving and investing for kids.

Investing for Kids: A Guide on How to Save and Invest For Your Children

Wondering whether to save or invest your Christmas cash? Read our blog to find out 3 reasons why investing it is the way to go.

3 reasons to invest your Christmas cash

For years active managers have claimed that anyone can ride the bull market and they will shine when things take a turn for the worse.

Active Managers, Where’s Your Alpha?

There is a range of personal finance books to help improve your financial knowledge and long-term wealth creation. Find out our favourites.

Top 10 Personal Finance Books for Kiwis

Whether you’re just getting started or a seasoned investor, here you can find everything you need to know about investing in the share markets.

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7 Tips for Choosing the Right Index Fund

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