We'd love to hear more of your questions about money and the economy. You can send through written questions, like these ones, but even better, you can drop us a voice memo to our email questions@rnz.co.nz.

Why is it with the state owing a 51 percent share in power companies the political parties are refusing to take off the GST?

Every so often we do hear suggestions that GST should be taken off things that we might regard as essentials, such as fruit and vegetables and power, irrespective of the ownership structure of the organisations involved.

That's particularly the case when prices increase, as power prices have recently.

Jon Duffy, chief executive at Consumer, is with you in that he says the government should not be earning revenue from an essential service.

But he says it's not straightforward.

"While removing GST from power bills could work to lower prices, it also complicates tax administration, making it more expensive, and, obviously, reduces tax take which means there is less money in the kitty to reallocate to other needs.

"The counter argument in the supermarket sector is that if the government were to remove GST on fruit and vegetables, the duopoly would just raise prices to fill the gap and make more profit - there were reports of this when the government introduced the clean car subsidy, with no monitoring or rules to ensure the discount was passed on. Given the oligopolistic state of electricity generation and wholesale in NZ, the lack of competition in the market and the market power of the gentailers could result in the same situation - so more profit for the gentailers and prices remaining high for consumers."

So it may not be the easy solution that it first appears.

My partner and I have recently paid off the mortgage and are now saving extra cash towards retirement. We have my KiwiSaver, his KiwiSaver, I have recently become eligible for UniSaver through my job and I have a separate low fees non-managed index fund with some savings in it which I set up ages ago. Basically, none of the funds have that much money in them (my KiwiSaver would be the most at $250,000). Is it better to consolidate the funds or is this arrangement worth continuing? My partner is over 65 so we don't really need his KiwiSaver (his employer no longer contributes) and I could move my savings account too. Or is having multiple funds somehow spreading the risk?

I asked Pie Funds chief executive Ana-Marie Lockyer for advice on this because I can understand your inclination to consolidate, even if just because it feels like less admin.

She said having several accounts wouldn't mean you were more diversified or spreading risk necessarily, unless they were investing in different things, whether that's different companies, markets or asset classes.

"Think about all the accounts as one retirement portfolio. Ask what role each plays: what are the fees and investments, what employer or other benefits are attached, when will you need the money, and is your overall risk profile right for your time to retirement?"

If you're doubling up with multiple funds investing in the same thing, that could be a reason to consolidate.

She said you should also be sure you are making the most of any benefits you can get from your employer.

"UniSaver is worth looking at closely because of potential employer contributions, as is KiwiSaver. For your partner, I wouldn't rush to close his KiwiSaver just because he's over 65 and his employer no longer contributes. Policy can change - National's current election policy proposes extending compulsory employer KiwiSaver contributions to employees over 65 - so keeping the account open retains flexibility.

"I also wouldn't automatically move the low-cost index fund into KiwiSaver. Investments outside KiwiSaver provide greater access to your money, and if the fund is diversified and fits your strategy, there may be good reason to keep it.

"While consolidating can make things simpler, I would not necessarily consolidate just for tidiness. The priority is the right investment mix and risk level, reasonable fees, access to money when you need it, and capturing the benefits you're entitled to. With $250,000 in KiwiSaver, small differences in fees and long-term returns can also become meaningful over time, as can your fund choice so take the time to check that is right as a priority."