Compound growth - looking for some advice

[Bjauck]

I agree with you, but if I invest directly into overseas ETFs (over 50k) then I will need to spend time figuring out tax laws etc. I would prefer to invest directly into Vanguard VUG rather than smartshares equivalent (USG) and avoid the 0.51% charge but I don't know anything about FIF tax implications. Perhaps if the government simplified the tax system, we would have more people investing in stocks rather than houses, which could fix the housing crisis.

You have hit the nail on the head there. Part of the reason for NZers preference for investing in houses is because of NZ's tax laws. The comparative tax treatment (with different effective tax burdens on total returns) of Kiwisaver and pension funds, overseas investments, returns from NZ company investments and returns from real estate has helped shape NZers preferences for various asset classes, with real estate still remaining top of the list.