March 2023 It’s all yours until it’s not! How does the Insurance ad go … one day you want it all, the next you have it all? It’s not such a bad truism for asset planning, except we’d want to add ‘… and then you don’t!’ Asset planning is a lifetime’s work for most of… Read More.

November 2022 A recent Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC) White Paper proposed a complete policy review of the retirement villages framework which has not taken place since the Retirement Villages Act 2003 legislation was enacted nearly 20 years ago. The 2020 White Paper highlighted flaws in the complaints system and confusing documentation and sought feedback.… Read More.

September 2020 New Zealand’s highly anticipated Privacy Act will commence on 1 December 2020, replacing the Privacy Act 1993. The new Act aims to modernise New Zealand’s privacy law framework, in accordance with international laws such as the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). While much of the content of the current Act will remain,… Read More.

June 2020 My mother keeps telling me to get an Enduring Power of Attorney but I already have a will and I am young. What is an Enduring Power of Attorney and why do I need one? It’s fantastic that you have a will but a will is very different from an Enduring Power of… Read More.

September 2019 Trespass notices are sometimes used by schools to deal with difficult or disruptive parents or persistent complainants. However, trespass notices against parents should only be used as a last resort when it is really necessary and ordinary warning letters have failed. Although the school has an obligation to ensure the safety and well-being… Read More.

September 2019 Thought that the NZ Super is a given on reaching 65? Well not quite. Many New Zealanders would be surprised to learn that there are other criteria to meet before eligibility can be confirmed. So what are the criteria? To obtain the NZ super you not only must be 65 or older, but… Read More.

June 2019 Imagine the writer’s horror to discover when doing a Google search on an unrelated topic, to have pop up on the screen, a list of merchants she used her credit card at, their locations and when she purchased, going back months. And for good measure, accompanied by a map of New Zealand showing… Read More.

November 2018 The end of the year is near, Christmas is on the horizon, and work is ramping up to the final push before the holidays begin, which is often a peak travel time. Given New Zealand’s geographical location, for many kiwis that travel, flying is an inevitable part of travel. Travelling and ‘the great… Read More.