Journal
Insurance, KiwiSaver, and money. in plain English.
Short, useful articles from the Smiths advisers, the same notes we share with clients when something changes in the NZ market or a common question comes up.
Featured · Personal Risk · 24 Dec 2025
ACC for Casual, Part-Time and Multiple-Job Workers in NZ (2026): How Weekly Compensation Is Worked Out
How ACC works out weekly compensation for casual, part-time and multiple-job workers in NZ: irregular income is averaged over the year, two-job rules, minimums, the first-week stand-down, and where income protection fills the gap.
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Personal Risk · 28 Apr 2025
ACC CoverPlus Extra in NZ: How to Set Your Cover Amount, Levies and Claim Right
A working guide to ACC CoverPlus Extra for self-employed Kiwis: how agreed cover removes the proof-of-income fight, how levies are worked ou…
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Personal Risk · 30 Jan 2025
ACC CoverPlus Extra in the First Year of Self-Employment (NZ)
In your first year self-employed you have no income history, so default ACC CoverPlus can pay you almost nothing if you are injured. Here is…
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Personal Risk · 14 Apr 2026
ACC CoverPlus Extra Levies in NZ (2026): How They're Calculated and How to Lower Them Legally
ACC CoverPlus Extra levies come from your classification unit, your chosen cover level and a couple of flat levies stacked on top. Here is h…
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Personal Risk · 19 Mar 2026
ACC CoverPlus Extra Levy Classes Explained for the Self-Employed (NZ)
Your ACC classification unit (CU) is the code that sets your Work levy, and a wrong one can quietly cost you for years. Here is how CUs work…
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Personal Risk · 26 Apr 2026
ACC CoverPlus Extra vs Income Protection for the Self-Employed in NZ (2026): Do You Need Both?
ACC CoverPlus Extra covers injury only. Income protection covers illness too. Here is where the line falls, whether the self-employed need b…
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Personal Risk · 18 Mar 2026
ACC CoverPlus vs CoverPlus Extra for the Self-Employed: Which Should You Choose in 2026? (NZ)
CoverPlus pays up to 80% of your last declared earnings and makes you prove your loss at claim time. CoverPlus Extra pays 100% of an agreed …
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Personal Risk · 8 Apr 2026
Why ACC Is Not Income Protection NZ (2026): Five Limits to Know
ACC is accident cover, not an income plan. Here are the five limits, illness, the 80% cap, the stand-down and more, that catch Kiwis out, an…
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Personal Risk · 6 Jun 2026
ACC and Pre-Existing Conditions in NZ (2026): When a Gradual or Degenerative Problem Isn't Covered
ACC covers injury by accident, not conditions that build up gradually. Here is how ACC decides injury versus gradual process, why degenerati…
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Personal Risk · 12 May 2026
ACC for Shareholder-Employees in NZ (2026): PAYE, CoverPlus Extra and Common Mistakes
How ACC works for NZ shareholder-employees: PAYE vs non-PAYE, why CoverPlus Extra pays 100% of an agreed amount, the 2026 invoice changes, a…
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Personal Risk · 4 Mar 2025
ACC Treatment Injury Cover NZ (2025): Surgical Mishaps and Where Income Cover Steps In
ACC treatment injury cover in NZ: what surgical and medical harm is covered, what's excluded, how weekly compensation works, and where incom…
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
ACC Weekly Compensation Cap 2026 (NZ): The $2,418 Ceiling for High Earners
ACC caps weekly compensation at $2,418.55 from 1 July 2025. Above roughly $157,000 of income, even a covered accident leaves a high earner s…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
Active vs Passive KiwiSaver Funds: Which Wins in NZ? (2026)
Active funds like Milford and Generate charge 1.39-1.43% chasing higher returns; passive funds like Simplicity and Kernel charge 0.24-0.25% …
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Financial Advice · 12 May 2026
Adviser KiwiSaver vs DIY (Sorted, InvestNow, Kernel) 2026: When Is Advice Worth Paying For in NZ?
DIY KiwiSaver with Sorted, InvestNow and Kernel is good and cheap. So when is paying for advice worth it? A numbers-first comparison for New…
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Health · 1 Sep 2025
Affiliated Providers and Prior Approval in NZ Health Insurance (2026): How Claims Really Get Paid
How NZ health insurance claims really get paid in 2026 — what an Affiliated Provider is, how prior approval works, when direct settlement ap…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
Should You Be in an Aggressive KiwiSaver Fund? NZ Risk Guide 2026
Aggressive KiwiSaver funds led every risk band over 10 years at 8.6% a year, but they can fall 20-30% in a crash. Who an aggressive fund sui…
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Personal Risk · 19 Mar 2025
Agreed Value vs Indemnity Income Protection in NZ (2026): The Edge Cases That Change Your Payout
Agreed value locks your benefit in when you buy. Indemnity re-tests your income at claim time. Here are the edge cases — pay rises, income d…
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Personal Risk · 6 May 2026
Agreed Value vs Indemnity Income Protection for the Self-Employed (NZ)
If your income jumps around, how the benefit is calculated decides what you actually get paid. Agreed value vs indemnity income protection f…
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Retirement · 20 Jan 2026
Are There Annuities in New Zealand? Guaranteed Retirement Income Options in 2026
Can you still buy an annuity in NZ in 2026? We explain why the traditional market closed, the annuity-style products that remain, and how to…
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KiwiSaver · 12 Mar 2025
ANZ vs ASB KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): The Two Biggest Bank Schemes Compared
ANZ vs ASB KiwiSaver compared: fees, fund choice, long-term returns, and whether the convenience of a bank scheme is worth staying for, or w…
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Retirement · 11 Apr 2026
Australia–NZ Super Agreement: How Pensions Work When You've Lived in Both (NZ)
If you have lived on both sides of the Tasman, a social security agreement decides whether your Australian years count for NZ Super, which c…
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Personal Risk · 17 Jun 2026
Bank Mortgage Protection Insurance NZ 2026: What the Bank Sells You at Settlement
What the bank offers you at settlement, how it differs from adviser-arranged life and income cover, and how the two compare on advice, terms…
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KiwiSaver · 10 Aug 2025
Bank vs Boutique KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): What You Trade by Staying With Your Bank
Bank vs boutique KiwiSaver for 2026: fees, fund choice, service and performance compared, plus how to decide whether leaving your bank schem…
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Financial Advice · 22 Apr 2026
Bank vs Independent Financial Adviser NZ 2026: Bank, Robo or Human?
Bank, robo and independent advice compared for Kiwis in 2026: scope, cost, conflicts and what each channel can't do, plus which one suits wh…
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Financial Advice · 10 May 2025
The Behavioural Mistakes That Quietly Cost KiwiSaver Investors the Most (NZ)
Loss aversion, recency bias, herding, action bias and performance chasing are the behavioural mistakes that quietly cost KiwiSaver investors…
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KiwiSaver · 9 Aug 2025
Best KiwiSaver Provider for First-Home Buyers in NZ (2026): What to Look For
When your deposit is only a few years away, the provider features that matter are low fees, a suitable low-risk fund and a fast, reliable wi…
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KiwiSaver · 21 Apr 2025
Best KiwiSaver Provider for Over-50s in NZ: What Matters Near Retirement
Once you are in your fifties, the right KiwiSaver provider is the one you can retire with, not just save with. Here is what to weigh up on f…
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KiwiSaver · 12 Apr 2026
Best KiwiSaver Provider for Self-Employed and Contractors in NZ (2026)
With no employer match, the self-employed lean harder on low fees, easy voluntary contributions and the government top-up. Here is what to w…
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Financial Advice · 30 Jun 2025
Blended Family Estate Planning NZ: Protecting Children From a First Relationship
Re-partnering after children changes who inherits what. Here is how relationship property can override an old will, and the practical tools …
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General Insurance · 6 Sep 2025
Body Corporate Insurance for Apartments and Units in NZ (2026): What It Covers and Your Personal Gaps
What body corporate insurance covers for NZ apartments and units, what you still need personally, how the Unit Titles Act sets the building …
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KiwiSaver · 27 Apr 2025
Bonds in Your KiwiSaver (NZ, 2026): Why the 'Safe' Part Can Still Fall
Conservative KiwiSaver funds are mostly bonds and cash, and bonds fall when interest rates rise. That's why 'safe' funds lost money in 2022 …
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
Booster vs Simplicity KiwiSaver 2026: Fees, Returns and Who Each Suits (NZ)
Booster's active, advised approach versus Simplicity's low-cost index model. Fees, returns, fund range, ownership and who each suits.
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Retirement · 22 Dec 2025
The Bucket Strategy for Retirement in NZ (2026): Cash, Income and Growth Buckets Explained
How to split your KiwiSaver, savings and term deposits into cash, income and growth buckets so a market drop never forces you to sell at the…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Mar 2026
Budget 2025 KiwiSaver Changes Explained: The Smaller Match and What to Do Now (NZ, 2026)
Budget 2025 halved the KiwiSaver government match to 25c per $1 and capped it at $260.72 a year. Here is what changed, who it hits hardest, …
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KiwiSaver · 18 Mar 2026
Budget 2025 KiwiSaver Changes: What First-Home Buyers in NZ Need to Do in 2026
Budget 2025 halved the government contribution to $260.72 and pushed default rates to 3.5% (2026) and 4% (2028). Here is exactly how that ch…
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Retirement · 22 Apr 2026
Selling Your Business as a Retirement Plan in NZ: Why Owners Need KiwiSaver Too (NZ, 2026)
A business sale is a fragile retirement plan: 74% of NZ enterprises have no employees and may not sell. Why owners need KiwiSaver and invest…
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Business · 27 Nov 2025
Business Loan Protection in NZ: Insuring the Debt if an Owner Dies
If an owner dies, the bank loan and the personal guarantee don't disappear. How business loan protection works in NZ, how much cover you nee…
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Personal Risk · 29 Jan 2026
Business Overheads Cover in NZ: Keeping the Doors Open if You're Off Sick
Income protection covers your wage, not your rent and leases. Here is how business overheads cover works in NZ, what it pays, the tax rules,…
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Business · 22 Oct 2025
Business Succession Planning NZ (2025): Planning Beyond the Buy-Sell Agreement
A buy-sell agreement is one page of a much bigger plan. How NZ owners line up valuation, funding, continuity cover and their own retirement,…
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Business · 14 May 2026
Buying a Business in NZ: The Financial Checks and Protection You Need (2026)
A 2026 guide to buying a business in New Zealand: the financial due diligence to do before you sign, how to sanity-check the numbers, and th…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
Buying a First Home With a Partner in NZ (2026): Combining KiwiSaver and Protecting Two Incomes
Two partners can each withdraw their KiwiSaver for the same first home if both meet the 3-year rule and each leaves $1,000 behind. Here is h…
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Health · 3 Jul 2025
Cancer Cover in NZ (2026): What Health Insurance, Trauma and the Public System Each Pay
What health insurance, trauma cover and the public system each pay for cancer in NZ in 2026 — surgery, drugs, the non-Pharmac gap and lost i…
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KiwiSaver · 3 Apr 2026
How to Change Your KiwiSaver Contribution Rate in NZ: 3%, 4%, 6%, 8% or 10% Explained
From April 2026 the selectable KiwiSaver rates are 3.5%, 4%, 6%, 8% or 10%. Here is how to change yours with a KS2 form, when it takes effec…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Mar 2026
Chasing KiwiSaver Returns NZ (2026): Why Last Year's Top Fund Is a Bad Reason to Switch
Last year's top KiwiSaver fund is a weak reason to switch. Why winners rarely repeat, how league tables mislead, and what to judge a fund on…
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KiwiSaver · 2 Mar 2026
How to Claim a KiwiSaver PIE Tax Refund From IRD in NZ (2026): Step-by-Step
Over-paid KiwiSaver PIE tax? For NZ-resident individuals the refund is mostly automatic at the year-end square-up. Here is how to check your…
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Personal Risk · 29 Jul 2025
Co-Owning a Home With Friends or Family in NZ 2026: Protecting the Mortgage When You Buy Together
Buy a house with friends or family and each co-borrower is liable for the whole mortgage, not just their share. Here is how joint tenancy an…
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Retirement · 3 Aug 2025
Combining KiwiSaver With Your Other Savings in Retirement (NZ, 2026): A Withdrawal Order That Works
How to coordinate KiwiSaver, term deposits, shares and rental income in retirement: which pot to draw from first, PIE tax efficiency, and ke…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
7 Common KiwiSaver Mistakes Kiwis Make in 2026 (and How to Fix Each One) | NZ
The seven KiwiSaver mistakes quietly costing Kiwis money in 2026, from missed contributions to panic-switching and the wrong PIR, plus a one…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
How to Compare KiwiSaver Fees Across Providers in NZ (2026)
The same growth fund balance can cost $50 or $720 a year in fees. Here is how to read the five KiwiSaver fees and compare every provider on …
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General Insurance · 8 Mar 2026
Contents Insurance Sum Insured NZ (2026): How to Value What You Own Without Guessing
How to set the right contents insurance sum insured in NZ for 2026: a room-by-room valuing method, the special-limits trap on valuables, new…
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Business · 10 Jan 2026
Contractor or Employee in NZ? What It Means for KiwiSaver and ACC
Worker status decides who pays your KiwiSaver, ESCT and ACC. Here is what changes between contractor and employee in NZ, for both workers an…
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Financial Advice · 12 May 2026
The Cost of Not Getting Financial Advice in NZ 2026 (What 'Set and Forget' Really Costs You)
Skipping advice is not free. Advised Kiwis hold around 52% more in KiwiSaver. Here is what the wrong fund, the missed match, fee drag, and p…
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KiwiSaver · 22 May 2025
Currency Moves and Your KiwiSaver Balance in NZ (2026): Hedged vs Unhedged
Most of a KiwiSaver growth fund sits overseas, so the value of the NZ dollar quietly moves your balance. Around half a typical growth fund i…
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Personal Risk · 6 Jan 2026
Decreasing vs Level Life Cover for Your Mortgage in NZ (2026): Which Actually Protects You?
Decreasing cover tracks your loan down and costs less; level cover stays flat and leaves a surplus for your family. Here is the real trade-o…
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KiwiSaver · 12 Nov 2025
Default KiwiSaver Providers vs Choosing Your Own in NZ (2026): Are You in a Default by Accident?
There are six appointed default KiwiSaver providers in NZ. Many people landed with one by accident at a new job. How default allocation work…
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Personal Risk · 11 Jan 2026
Do You Need Income Protection if You Have Life and Trauma Cover in NZ? (2026)
Already have life and trauma cover? Here is how income protection, trauma and life cover layer together in NZ, why a lump sum is not the sam…
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Health · 19 Jul 2025
Do You Need Health Insurance in NZ If There's a Public System? (2026)
New Zealand has a free public health system, yet about one in three New Zealanders also pays for private cover. Here is an independent cost-…
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Retirement · 14 Mar 2025
Downsizing the Family Home to Fund Retirement in NZ (2026): The Numbers and the Traps
Downsizing is the most common way New Zealanders release home equity, but selling costs, retirement-village ORA deductions and the care-subs…
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Health · 3 Jun 2026
Employer and Group Health Insurance in NZ (2026): What Happens When You Leave the Job
Work health cover usually stops when the job stops. Here is how NZ group health insurance works, what a continuity option does, and why your…
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KiwiSaver · 23 Oct 2025
Setting Up a Workplace KiwiSaver Scheme: An NZ Employer's Guide (2025)
Auto-enrolment, the opt-out window, the 3% match (rising to 3.5%), and how ESCT is deducted — the full NZ employer KiwiSaver setup guide, pl…
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KiwiSaver · 2 Jun 2025
My Employer Isn't Paying My KiwiSaver: How to Check and What to Do in NZ
Think your employer isn't paying your KiwiSaver? Here's how to check myIR and your payslips, where contributions can get stuck on the way to…
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KiwiSaver · 24 Mar 2026
ESCT KiwiSaver Explained 2026: The Hidden Employer Tax on Your Match (NZ)
ESCT is deducted from your employer's KiwiSaver contribution before it ever reaches your account. Here are the 2026 bands, why your 3.5% mat…
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Financial Advice · 20 Apr 2025
Estate Planning Documents Checklist NZ: Will, EPOA and KiwiSaver Nomination (2025)
The full NZ estate document checklist — a will, two enduring powers of attorney, and your KiwiSaver and life insurance nominations — and how…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
Ethical & Responsible KiwiSaver Funds in NZ: A 2026 Guide
Not every 'ethical' KiwiSaver fund is what it claims. Here is how to spot genuine screening from greenwashing in NZ, who actually offers it,…
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Health · 12 May 2026
Family Health Insurance NZ 2026: Direct (Society) Plans vs Adviser-Led Plans
Buying family health cover direct can cap you at claim time. Here is what an adviser-led plan adds in NZ in 2026: non-Pharmac drug cover, me…
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Financial Advice · 22 Apr 2026
Fee-Only vs Commission Financial Advisers in NZ (2026): How Advisers Get Paid and Why It Matters
Most NZ advisers are paid by the product provider, not you. Here is how fee-only, commission and hybrid models work, what the 2025 Code make…
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KiwiSaver · 1 Mar 2026
FIF and KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): How Overseas Shares Are Already Taxed Inside Your Fund
Your KiwiSaver fund is a PIE, so it applies the FIF rules on overseas shares at fund level using the fair dividend rate — which is why you n…
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Financial Advice · 2 Aug 2025
The Financial Advice Process in NZ: The 6 Steps From First Meeting to Written Plan
What actually happens when you get financial advice in NZ: scope, fact-find, written recommendation, implementation and review, walked throu…
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Retirement · 31 Jul 2025
FIRE in New Zealand (2025): Can You Really Retire Early With KiwiSaver Locked Until 65?
The FIRE movement works differently in NZ because KiwiSaver is locked until 65. Early retirement here relies on accessible, non-KiwiSaver in…
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KiwiSaver · 14 Sep 2025
Fisher Funds vs Booster KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): Active Managers Compared
Two of New Zealand's larger active KiwiSaver managers compared: fees, fund range, ethical options, scale and long-term performance, and who …
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Retirement · 21 Feb 2025
Will NZ Super Still Exist When You Retire? The Affordability Debate and Your Plan B (NZ)
NZ Super is one of the government's largest costs, and it is set to grow as the population ages. Here is what the affordability debate reall…
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KiwiSaver · 21 Aug 2025
Generate vs Fisher Funds KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): Two Big Active Schemes Compared
Generate vs Fisher Funds KiwiSaver compared: fees, fund range, scale and long-term performance, plus who each tends to suit and whether acti…
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Financial Advice · 1 Dec 2025
Going Self-Employed in NZ: What Changes for Your KiwiSaver and Cover
Leaving a salaried job means you lose the employer KiwiSaver match, sick leave and group cover, and ACC starts working differently. Here is …
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Health · 11 Apr 2025
GP and Everyday Health Cover vs Major-Medical in NZ (2026): Which Is Worth Paying For?
Everyday GP, dental and optical modules cap out at a few hundred dollars a category. Major-medical absorbs surgery bills running tens of tho…
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Business · 2 Feb 2026
Group Health and Life Insurance for Small NZ Businesses: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Group cover is not just for big firms. Here is how group health and life insurance works for small NZ businesses in 2026 — the underwriting …
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Retirement · 26 May 2026
Building a Guaranteed Income Floor in Retirement (NZ, 2026): NZ Super, Term Deposits and Beyond
How to build a retirement income floor in NZ: use NZ Super, a term-deposit ladder and managed income to cover your essentials, and keep Kiwi…
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Health · 18 Jun 2025
What Does a Health Insurance Excess Actually Save You in NZ (2026)?
A higher excess lowers your premium, but only saves you money if you stay relatively claim-free. Here is how a $250, $500, $1,000 or $2,000 …
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Health · 7 Feb 2026
Health Insurance for Over-65s and Retirees in NZ (2026): Keeping Cover When Premiums Climb
Premiums rise steeply once you pass 65, just as your income drops to NZ Super. Here is why they climb, whether private cover is worth keepin…
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Health · 20 Jun 2025
How Health Insurance Underwriting Works in NZ (2026): What Insurers Ask and Why
When you apply for health insurance in NZ, the insurer underwrites your application — asking about your health, lifestyle and family history…
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
Health Insurance vs Trauma vs Income Protection: Which First in NZ (2026)
Can only afford one type of cover? Here is how health insurance, trauma cover and income protection compare in NZ in 2026, and the priority …
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Financial Advice · 22 Apr 2026
How Advisers Compare Insurers in NZ (2026): The 6 Things a Price-Comparison Site Can't Check
A price-comparison site sorts on premium. An adviser reads the wordings, exclusions, future insurability, financial strength and claims reco…
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
How to Structure Life Insurance NZ (2026): What an Adviser Does That DIY Misses
Two people with the same $500,000 sum insured can have completely different policies. Here is how a NZ adviser structures life cover — owner…
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Retirement · 25 Feb 2026
How Long Will Your KiwiSaver Last in Retirement? Making a Balance Stretch to 90 in NZ
Worried about outliving your savings? How long a KiwiSaver balance lasts at different withdrawal rates, how NZ Super carries most of the loa…
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Personal Risk · 9 Mar 2026
How Much ACC CoverPlus Extra Cover Should You Choose? NZ 2026 Guide
Your CPX agreed value sets your payout. Here are the 2026 cover bands, why the minimum often falls short, and how to match cover to your rea…
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Retirement · 18 Mar 2026
How Much Do You Need to Retire in NZ? (2026)
There is no single retirement number. Massey's 2025 data shows the lump sum you need above NZ Super ranges from $46,000 to $1.03 million. He…
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Financial Advice · 5 Nov 2025
How Much Does a Financial Adviser Cost in NZ? Fees, Commissions and What You Actually Pay
Hourly fees, fixed plan fees, a percentage of your assets, or insurance commission, here is what financial advice really costs in New Zealan…
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Business · 28 May 2026
How Much Key-Person Insurance Does a Business Need in NZ?
Sizing key-person cover is a method, not a guess. Here are the three ways to work out a sum insured — lost gross profit, replacement cost, a…
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KiwiSaver · 21 May 2026
How Much KiwiSaver for a House Deposit in NZ (2026)
Your real KiwiSaver deposit is your withdrawable balance minus the $1,000 you must leave behind and any excluded Australian-super funds. Her…
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Personal Risk · 22 Jan 2025
How Much Life Insurance Do You Actually Need in NZ? (2026 Sum-Insured Calculation)
A real NZ method to size your life insurance sum insured — debts to clear, income to replace, children's costs and final expenses, minus exi…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
How Much Should Your KiwiSaver Fee Be? A 2026 Benchmark by Fund Type (NZ)
The industry-average KiwiSaver fee in 2026 runs from about 0.90% for conservative funds to 1.23% for growth. The cheapest funds charge under…
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Retirement · 12 May 2026
How Much Do You Need to Retire in NZ in 2026, and Is Your KiwiSaver on Track?
NZ Super pays a single person about $28,868 a year, well short of a comfortable retirement. Here is what you need, the balance-by-age benchm…
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Personal Risk · 30 Oct 2025
How Much Trauma Cover Do You Need in NZ? (2026 Sum-Insured Method)
A real NZ method to size your trauma cover — treatment and non-Pharmac drugs, income while you recover, mortgage breathing room and extra co…
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Retirement · 23 Jan 2026
How Is NZ Super Taxed? Tax Codes, M vs S, and Avoiding an End-of-Year Bill (NZ)
NZ Super is taxable income and tax comes out before it reaches you. Here is how it is taxed, which tax code applies (M vs S, SH, ST), how a …
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
How PIE Tax Works on Your KiwiSaver NZ (2026): Why It's Capped at 28%
KiwiSaver is a PIE, so your returns are taxed at your PIR — capped at 28%, below the top 39% income tax rate. Here is how PIE tax works and …
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Financial Advice · 22 Apr 2026
How to Choose a Financial Adviser in NZ (2026): 9 Questions That Reveal a Good One
Nine questions that separate a good NZ financial adviser from a salesperson, plus the three checks that must pass before you sign anything: …
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
How to Choose a KiwiSaver Fund in NZ (2026): A 6-Step Method
Choosing a KiwiSaver fund comes down to six questions. A simple method to match your timeframe, risk and fees to the right fund - with a fre…
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KiwiSaver · 23 Dec 2025
How to Read a KiwiSaver Fund Update in NZ (2026): A Section-by-Section Guide
Every KiwiSaver fund publishes a standardised quarterly update. Here is how to read the asset mix, fees, returns versus index, top-ten holdi…
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General Insurance · 4 Jun 2025
How to Calculate Your Home's Sum Insured in NZ (2025): The Rebuild Cost Method
How to calculate your house sum insured in NZ using rebuild cost, demolition, professional fees and an inflation buffer — and how to check w…
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Personal Risk · 23 Mar 2026
How a Trauma Insurance Claim Actually Gets Paid in NZ (2026): Definitions, Severity and Timing
What trauma (critical illness) cover really pays for in NZ, how the policy definition and severity threshold decide your claim, and why some…
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Retirement · 25 Apr 2025
What Happens to a Couple's Income When One Partner Dies (NZ, 2026): The Retirement Income Drop
When one partner dies, household NZ Super drops to a single rate and their KiwiSaver goes to the estate, not automatically to the survivor. …
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Personal Risk · 5 Feb 2025
Income Protection When You Change Jobs or Go Self-Employed in NZ (2026): Keeping Your Cover Valid
Change jobs or go self-employed in NZ and your income protection may not work the way you expect. Here is what occupation class, pay changes…
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Personal Risk · 20 Feb 2025
Why Income Protection Claims Get Declined in NZ (2026): The Real Reasons and How to Avoid Them
Most income protection claims in NZ are paid. The ones that aren't usually fail for a handful of avoidable reasons — non-disclosure, definit…
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Personal Risk · 2 Jun 2026
Income Protection for Commission and Variable Income in NZ (2026): Proving Earnings That Move
Commission, bonuses and seasonal pay make income protection harder to get right. Here is how insurers average a moving income, why agreed va…
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
Income Protection for Contractors in NZ 2026: Filling the Gap ACC Leaves Behind
ACC covers accidents, not illness. For NZ contractors that means no income if you get sick. Here is how income protection fills the gap and …
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2025
Indexation and CPI Increases on Income Protection in NZ (2026): Keeping Your Cover Worth Something
Every year your insurer offers a CPI increase to your income protection benefit. Here's what indexation does, what it costs, what happens if…
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Personal Risk · 3 Oct 2025
Income Protection for Mental Health and Stress Claims in NZ (2026): What's Covered and What's Excluded
Does income protection cover mental health, stress, anxiety or burnout in NZ? A plain guide to what insurers pay, the exclusions and sub-lim…
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Personal Risk · 29 Aug 2025
Income Protection Occupation Classes in NZ (2026): Why Your Job Sets Your Premium and Cover
Occupation class is one of the biggest things that sets your income protection premium and terms. Here is how NZ insurers grade jobs from pr…
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Personal Risk · 17 Jan 2026
Income Protection Offset Clauses in NZ (2026): How ACC and Other Income Cut Your Payout
Offset (integration) clauses can quietly cut your income protection payout when ACC, sick pay or other cover already pays. Here is how they …
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
Income Protection vs Mortgage Protection NZ (2026): Which Actually Guards Your Home?
Income protection can be set to cover up to 115% of your mortgage; mortgage protection guards the repayment itself. Here is which one actual…
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Personal Risk · 18 Sep 2025
Income Protection vs Mortgage Repayment Holiday in NZ (2026): The Trap of Relying on Your Bank Instead
A mortgage repayment holiday pauses your payments but not your debt. Here is why a repayment holiday is a deferral rather than income cover,…
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Personal Risk · 12 May 2026
Income Protection vs Savings Buffer in NZ (2026)
Should you buy income protection or self-insure with a savings buffer? This guide models the wait-period vs buffer trade-off, where each one…
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Personal Risk · 21 May 2026
Income Protection Wait Period vs Benefit Period in NZ (2026): The Trade-off That Sets Your Premium
The wait period and the benefit period are the two levers that decide what your income protection costs. Here's how each one works, how they…
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Financial Advice · 13 Aug 2025
Independent vs Tied Financial Adviser NZ: Why Where Advice Comes From Changes What You're Sold
What 'independent' really means in NZ advice, how to spot a tied or bank adviser, and why an adviser's product range changes what you can be…
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General Insurance · 27 Apr 2026
Inflation and Underinsurance in NZ 2026: Why Your House Sum Insured Falls Behind Each Year
Why NZ house sum insured falls behind in 2026 — construction-cost inflation, the lag in CPI-based indexation, the shortfall it can leave at …
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KiwiSaver · 20 Dec 2025
Inflation and Real KiwiSaver Returns in NZ (2026): What Your Money Actually Earns
A positive return is not always a real gain. With inflation at 3.0%, here is how to work out your real, after-inflation KiwiSaver return and…
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Retirement · 12 May 2026
Inflation and Retirement in NZ (2026): Why Your Nest Egg Has to Keep Growing
Inflation erodes a 25-year retirement. At 4% a year, a fixed $50,000 income buys roughly half as much by year 18. Here is why all-cash at 65…
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Personal Risk · 16 Dec 2025
Insurance Commission Clawback in NZ: Why Your Adviser May Push Back on Switching Cover
A clawback means your adviser repays part of their upfront commission if you cancel cover early — usually within two years. Here is how that…
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Personal Risk · 23 Mar 2025
Insurance After Separation NZ (2026): Rebuilding Cover on One Income
When a household splits, two incomes become one and a shared insurance plan stops fitting. Here is how a NZ adviser thinks about restructuri…
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Personal Risk · 15 Aug 2025
Insurance Loadings and Exclusions in NZ (2025): What They Mean and Can You Get Them Removed?
A loading raises your premium; an exclusion carves out a condition. Here is what each does to your cover, what commonly triggers them in NZ,…
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Business · 17 Feb 2025
How to Insure a Sole Trader in NZ: The Whole Cover Picture
A sole trader has unlimited personal liability, no employer cover and no sick leave. Here is the full NZ cover map, in priority order: perso…
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General Insurance · 13 Apr 2025
Insuring an Off-the-Plan or Newly Built Home in NZ 2026: Cover From Deposit to Code Compliance
Who insures a new build while it's going up, when risk passes to you, and when your own house policy has to start. A timeline for off-the-pl…
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Retirement · 5 Jul 2025
How Rising and Falling Interest Rates Change Your Retirement Income (NZ)
Term deposit income rises and falls with the OCR. We explain reinvestment risk, why an all-cash retirement is more fragile than it feels whe…
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Financial Advice · 11 Sep 2025
Investment Scams NZ 2026: The Red Flags and How to Check Before You Invest
The most common NZ investment scams in 2026, the red flags to watch for, how to check the FMA warning list and FSPR, and what to do if you h…
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KiwiSaver · 21 Jul 2025
InvestNow vs Sharesies for KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): Two Platforms Compared
InvestNow vs Sharesies KiwiSaver compared independently: fund choice, platform and underlying fees, control versus simplicity, and who each …
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KiwiSaver · 13 Jan 2025
Kernel vs Simplicity Index Funds in NZ (2026): Which Low-Fee Builder Wins?
Kernel and Simplicity are New Zealand's two low-fee index leaders. Here is how their index methodology, hedging, all-in costs and KiwiSaver …
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Business · 16 Jan 2026
Key Person Insurance for NZ Small Businesses (2026): Sizing Cover When One Person Holds It Together
Most NZ firms hinge on one or two people. Here is how key person insurance works — who counts as a key person, how to size the cover, who sh…
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Business · 16 Apr 2025
Key-Person Insurance Tax in NZ: Deductible Premiums, Taxable Payouts
Are key-person premiums deductible and is the payout taxed in NZ? It all turns on one thing — IRD's revenue-versus-capital test. Here is how…
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Health · 31 Jan 2026
Kids Health Insurance NZ (2026): How Children and Families Are Covered
How children are added to a New Zealand health policy in 2026: when kids are covered at no extra cost, dependant age limits, what is commonl…
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KiwiSaver · 13 May 2025
Why Your KiwiSaver Balance Dropped When Markets Were Up (NZ, 2026)
Your KiwiSaver can fall even on a day the news says markets rose. Six plain-English reasons — fees, PIE tax, bonds, the NZ dollar, unit-pric…
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KiwiSaver · 5 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver and Your Bonus or Lump Sum in NZ: How Contributions Come Out of Extra Pay
Yes, KiwiSaver is deducted from a bonus, commission or most lump sums. Here is how the 3% deduction, the employer match, extra-pay tax and E…
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KiwiSaver · 18 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Changes in 2026 NZ: How the New Rules Affect Your Life Events
The government contribution is now 25c per dollar, gone over $180,000 income, and default rates rise to 3.5% in April 2026. Here is what the…
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KiwiSaver · 8 Dec 2025
Buying a First Home With Family in NZ (2026): KiwiSaver, Co-Ownership and Who Owns What
Several people buying a first home together can each make their own KiwiSaver withdrawal if they each meet the 3-year rule. Here is how co-o…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Contribution Rate Increase 2026 (NZ): What 3.5% Then 4% Means for Your Pay
KiwiSaver's default rate rises to 3.5% on 1 April 2026 and 4% in 2028. Here is the take-home-pay cost, the temporary 3% opt-down, and what i…
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KiwiSaver · 28 Oct 2025
KiwiSaver After 65 in NZ: Can You Still Contribute and Does Your Employer Still Match?
Working past 65? KiwiSaver deductions only continue if you opt in, the employer match is no longer compulsory, and the government top-up sto…
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KiwiSaver · 21 May 2026
KiwiSaver Decumulation NZ 2026: How to Turn Your Balance into Retirement Income
Saving was the easy part. Turning a KiwiSaver balance into income that lasts is harder. Here are the NZ drawdown strategies, safe withdrawal…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Default Funds Explained (NZ, 2026): Why Most People Should Leave
How KiwiSaver default funds work, the six government-appointed providers, and why staying in one could cost you over time.
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KiwiSaver · 16 Jan 2025
Why Doing Nothing Is Often the Smartest KiwiSaver Move (NZ)
Action bias pushes us to tinker with KiwiSaver, but doing nothing usually wins. Here is the line between healthy patience and harmful neglec…
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Retirement · 8 May 2026
KiwiSaver Drawdown in Retirement 2026: Lump Sum or Leave It Invested? (NZ)
At 65 you can take the lot as a lump sum, or leave it invested and draw a regular income. For most New Zealanders, leaving it invested and d…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
KiwiSaver During an Income Protection Claim in NZ (2026)
On an income protection claim your salary keeps coming, but your KiwiSaver stops: no member, employer or $260.72 government contribution. He…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver Fees and Your Retirement: The Real Cost of 1.23% (NZ, 2026)
The average KiwiSaver growth-fund fee is 1.23% a year. Compounded over 30 years, a 1% fee gap can cost a saver tens of thousands of dollars.…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
KiwiSaver Fees vs Performance NZ (2026): What Actually Grows Your Balance
Low fees or high performance? Using real net-of-fees KiwiSaver data to settle the debate and weigh both for your timeframe.
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KiwiSaver · 1 Jan 2025
Using KiwiSaver to Build a New Home in NZ: Section, Build Contract and Code of Compliance Timing
You can use your KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal to build, not just buy. But the money moves differently for a new build. Here is when it co…
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KiwiSaver · 9 Dec 2025
KiwiSaver First Home Grant Ended in NZ: What Replaced It and What You Can Still Get (2026)
The First Home Grant closed to new applications on 22 May 2024 and is gone for good. Here is what actually replaced it for NZ first-home buy…
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KiwiSaver · 7 Apr 2025
How First-Home Income and Price Caps Work With KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): What Disqualifies You
The KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal has no income cap and no house-price cap. The caps that trip people up live in a different scheme, the F…
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KiwiSaver · 24 Jul 2025
Using KiwiSaver With a Low-Deposit First Home Loan in NZ (2026): How They Work Together
A KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal and a 5% First Home Loan are built to work together: the withdrawal helps fund the deposit, and the govern…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
KiwiSaver First-Home Mistakes in NZ (2026): The Five That Cost You Deposit
Five KiwiSaver first-home mistakes that can cost New Zealanders deposit in 2026, from leaving the withdrawal too late to staying in a growth…
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KiwiSaver · 29 Jun 2025
Why Was My KiwiSaver First-Home Withdrawal Declined? (NZ, 2026)
The real reasons a KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal gets declined in NZ — short membership, prior ownership, document gaps and ineligible pro…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver First-Home Withdrawal in NZ 2026: The Full Rules, Process and Timeline
You can withdraw almost all of your KiwiSaver for a first home after 3 years' membership, leaving just $1,000 behind. Here are the 2026 rule…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
Should You Move Your KiwiSaver Fund to Cash at Retirement? (NZ, 2026)
Going all-cash the day you turn 65 is rarely the right move. With a 20-year retirement ahead, here is how to choose a KiwiSaver fund and com…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
What KiwiSaver Fund Should You Be in by Age? (NZ 2026 Guide)
What fund should you be in at 25, 35, 45, 55 or 65? A by-age NZ guide built around the one rule that matters more than your birthday: your t…
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KiwiSaver · 10 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Fund Choice vs Contribution Rate: Which Wins? (NZ 2026)
With the contribution rate rising to 3.5% and the government contribution halved, which lever moves your balance most? The numbers on fund b…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver Fund Risk Profile by Life Stage 2026: From Cash to Growth (NZ)
Your KiwiSaver fund should match when you'll spend the money, not your age. De-risk before a first home, stay in growth mid-career, glide ne…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
Choosing a KiwiSaver Fund for a Short Timeframe (First Home or Retirement Soon): NZ Guide 2026
If you'll spend your KiwiSaver within a few years, a growth fund can cost you. Here's how to match your fund type to your timeframe and swit…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
Should You Move Your KiwiSaver to a Lower-Risk Fund Before Buying a House? (NZ, 2026)
When your deposit is 1-3 years away, a growth fund stops being a long-term play and becomes a short-term risk. Here is how to weigh a switch…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Fund Types Explained: Defensive to Aggressive (NZ 2026)
Defensive, conservative, balanced, growth or aggressive? How the five KiwiSaver fund types compare on risk, growth-asset split and 10-year N…
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KiwiSaver · 11 Mar 2026
How Glidepaths Work in Lifestages KiwiSaver Funds (NZ 2026)
A glidepath is the schedule an age-based KiwiSaver fund uses to shift you from growth assets into safer ones as you age. How the age bands w…
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KiwiSaver · 18 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Government Contribution 2026: What $260.72 Means for You (NZ)
From 1 July 2025 the government contribution halved to $260.72. Here is exactly how much to put in ($1,042.86), who the $180,000 rule now sh…
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KiwiSaver · 20 May 2026
Self-Employed KiwiSaver Government Contribution 2026: How to Still Get the Full $260.72 (NZ)
No employer means no automatic KiwiSaver top-up. Here is exactly how much self-employed Kiwis need to put in, and how to claim the full $260…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
KiwiSaver Government Contribution Top-Up 2026: How to Get the Full $260.72 Before 30 June (NZ)
The government contribution is now $260.72 a year, paid at 25c per $1. Contribute about $1,042 of your own money before 30 June 2026 to get …
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KiwiSaver · 1 Apr 2025
What Are Growth and Income Assets in a KiwiSaver Fund? (NZ 2026)
Growth assets vs income assets is the split that defines your KiwiSaver fund type and risk. Here is what each bucket holds, where shares, pr…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver Hardship Withdrawal NZ 2026: When You Can Access Your Money Early
A KiwiSaver hardship withdrawal is possible if you are in significant financial hardship, but it is limited, evidence-heavy, and supervisor-…
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KiwiSaver · 23 May 2025
How KiwiSaver Returns Are Calculated and Reported (NZ 2026)
Your statement return rarely matches the number in the ads — and that is normal. Here is how published KiwiSaver returns are worked out, aft…
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KiwiSaver · 1 Feb 2026
What Happens to Your KiwiSaver in a Recession (NZ, 2026)
Recessions rattle KiwiSaver balances but rarely your long-term plan. What happened in 2008, 2020 and 2022, why panic-switching is the real c…
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Personal Risk · 12 May 2026
What Happens to KiwiSaver When You Die NZ (2026)
KiwiSaver has no beneficiary. The full balance falls into your estate, follows your will or intestacy, and over $40,000 it waits for probate…
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KiwiSaver · 12 Dec 2025
What to Do With Your KiwiSaver in a Market Crash: A NZ Action Plan
In the 2020 COVID crash, 88,112 KiwiSaver switches were made in three months — most into lower-risk funds, and 90.9% never switched back. Wh…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Moving to Australia 2026: Transfer or Leave It Invested in NZ?
Moving across the Tasman? You can transfer your KiwiSaver to an Australian super fund, but you cannot cash it out. Here is how to decide tra…
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KiwiSaver · 10 Nov 2025
KiwiSaver With Two Jobs in NZ: How Contributions and the Government Match Work Across Multiple Employers
Working two or more jobs? Each employer deducts KiwiSaver and pays the employer match separately. Here's how the deductions, the match, ESCT…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
What Happens to Your KiwiSaver When You Die? The 2026 Estate Rules (NZ)
Your KiwiSaver does not go to a named beneficiary like life insurance. On death it is paid to your estate. Here is how the 2025 $40,000 prob…
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KiwiSaver · 1 Aug 2025
Paying KiwiSaver While on Parental Leave in NZ: Keeping Contributions and the Government Top-Up Going
KiwiSaver does not come out of Paid Parental Leave automatically, and there is no employer match while you are on leave. Here is what happen…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Apr 2025
What Happens to KiwiSaver PIE Tax at Retirement Withdrawal in NZ (2026): Is Your Lump Sum Tax-Free?
Withdrawing KiwiSaver at 65? Your lump sum is not taxed again on the way out, because PIE tax was already deducted from earnings every year.…
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KiwiSaver · 30 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver PIE Tax End-of-Year Square-Up in NZ (2026): Why IRD Sends a Bill or Refund After Filing
IRD now squares up your KiwiSaver PIE tax at year-end against your real income. This explains why a bill or refund appears in your assessmen…
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KiwiSaver · 2 Apr 2026
How to Calculate Your KiwiSaver PIR With Two Jobs or Multiple Income Sources (NZ, 2026)
Got a second job, rental or contracting income? Your PIR is based on your total income, not one payslip. Here's how to combine everything to…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver Previous Home Owner Withdrawal NZ 2026: The 'Second Chance' Rule Explained
Owned a home before? You may still withdraw your KiwiSaver via Kainga Ora's previous home owner provision, if your realisable assets sit und…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver Providers List NZ: The Full 2026 List & How to Choose
There are more than 40 KiwiSaver provider entries on the official IRD list and 25 managers tracked by Morningstar. Here is the full 2026 lis…
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KiwiSaver · 20 Oct 2025
KiwiSaver and Redundancy in NZ: What Happens to Contributions, Your Match and Your Balance
Made redundant in NZ? KiwiSaver is generally not deducted from a redundancy payment, your deductions just pause when your pay stops, and you…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver and Separation: How It's Divided in a Relationship Property Split (NZ, 2026)
KiwiSaver built up during your relationship is usually relationship property and split 50/50 when you separate. Here is how it's classified,…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver Returns Before vs After Fees and Tax 2026 (NZ): What You Actually Keep
The return on the brochure is not the return in your account. Here is the gross-to-fee-to-tax waterfall, with real 2026 fees and PIR figures…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
How to Read KiwiSaver Returns (NZ, 2026): Why Last Year's Winner Misleads You
Last year's top KiwiSaver fund is rarely next year's. Here is how to read returns properly: after fees, after tax, like-for-like, over 10 ye…
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KiwiSaver · 18 Mar 2026
KiwiSaver Savings Suspension 2026: How a Contribution Break Really Works (NZ)
A KiwiSaver savings suspension lets you pause contributions for 3 to 12 months, but you lose your employer match and the government contribu…
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KiwiSaver · 28 Apr 2026
KiwiSaver Second-Chance Buyer NZ 2026: How to Buy Again After Divorce or Loss
Owned a home before? You may still use your KiwiSaver to buy again. Here is the second-chance (previous home owner) assessment, the realisab…
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KiwiSaver · 29 Oct 2025
KiwiSaver When Starting a New Job in NZ: Your Day-One Checklist
Starting a new job in NZ? A plain checklist for KiwiSaver: auto-enrolment, carrying your fund over, the KS1 and KS2 forms, default-fund trap…
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KiwiSaver · 26 May 2026
5 KiwiSaver Mistakes to Fix Before 30 June 2026 (NZ): The Tax & Fee Checklist
Wrong PIR, a missed top-up, fee drag and a fund that no longer fits — fix the five most common KiwiSaver tax and fee mistakes before the 30 …
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Personal Risk · 12 May 2026
KiwiSaver First Home Plan NZ 2026: From Deposit to a Protected Mortgage in 12 Months
The 12-month path from your KiwiSaver balance to a first mortgage in New Zealand, including the 3-year withdrawal rule, deposit strategy, an…
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KiwiSaver · 23 Aug 2025
KiwiSaver Unit Pricing Explained (NZ 2026): Why Your Balance Moves Daily
Your KiwiSaver balance changes every day because your money is held as units, and the unit price moves with markets. Here is how units, pric…
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Retirement · 12 May 2026
Withdrawing Your KiwiSaver at 65 in NZ (2026): What Actually Happens to Your Money
At 65 your KiwiSaver unlocks, but you do not have to take it. Here is exactly what happens to your money, your contributions and your tax, a…
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KiwiSaver · 5 May 2025
KiwiSaver Withdrawal Timing vs Settlement Day in NZ (2026): How to Avoid Missing the Money
Your KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal must reach your solicitor before settlement, or it cannot be paid out at all. Providers process a compl…
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KiwiSaver · 4 Mar 2026
Is Your KiwiSaver Too Conservative? 5 Signs You're in the Wrong Fund (NZ, 2026)
Most Kiwis never actively choose a KiwiSaver fund, and too many sit in conservative options that quietly cost them money. Here are five sign…
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KiwiSaver · 17 Nov 2025
Koura KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): Is the Self-Build, Bitcoin-Option Scheme Right for You?
Koura's robo-advice model lets you build your own KiwiSaver from index funds and add a small Bitcoin allocation. How it works, the fees, the…
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General Insurance · 22 Aug 2025
Landlord Insurance in NZ 2026: What It Covers That Standard House Cover Doesn't
What landlord insurance covers in NZ that a standard house policy may not — loss of rent, malicious tenant damage and limited meth contamina…
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KiwiSaver · 31 May 2025
Late Starter KiwiSaver: Joining or Restarting After 50 in NZ
Over 50 and not in KiwiSaver, or stopped years ago? Here is what joining or restarting late still gets you — the government and employer mon…
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Personal Risk · 1 Jul 2025
Level vs Stepped Premiums in NZ (2026): Which Costs Less Over the Life of Your Policy?
Stepped premiums start low and rise every year; level premiums lock in higher and stay flat. Here is how each works, when level works out ch…
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
Life Insurance for Parents NZ 2026: Protecting the Family When You're Gone
How much life cover parents actually need, why the stay-at-home parent matters, who gets the money if your kids are minors, and why KiwiSave…
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Personal Risk · 28 Apr 2026
Life Insurance Cover for a Stay-at-Home Parent in NZ (2026): Why the Unpaid Work Needs Insuring
A stay-at-home parent earns no salary but does work that costs real money to replace — childcare, household running, transport and admin. He…
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Personal Risk · 26 May 2025
Should Your Life Insurance Be Owned by a Trust in NZ? (2026)
Having a family trust own your life cover can change who controls the policy, who gets the payout, and how it sits against your estate and c…
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Personal Risk · 4 May 2026
Should You Index Your Life Insurance to Inflation in NZ? (2026 CPI Indexation Guide)
Most NZ life policies offer to lift your sum insured each year in line with CPI. Here is how indexation works, why fixed cover quietly shrin…
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Personal Risk · 23 Jul 2025
How Life Insurance Pays Out When You Die in NZ: The Claim Process for Your Family
A plain adviser's guide to the NZ life insurance death-claim process — who notifies the insurer, the documents needed, how long it takes, an…
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Personal Risk · 23 May 2026
Who Should Own Your Life Insurance Policy in NZ? (2026 Ownership and Beneficiary Guide)
Who legally owns a life policy decides who controls it and where the payout lands. Here is how self-ownership, cross-ownership and nominated…
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Personal Risk · 10 Apr 2026
How Life Insurance Underwriting Works in NZ (2026): From Application to Decision
Underwriting is how a NZ insurer decides whether to offer you cover, on what terms, and at what price. Here is what insurers ask, when they …
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
Lifestages KiwiSaver Funds NZ 2026: Should Your Fund Get Safer Automatically?
Lifestages (age-based) KiwiSaver funds de-risk you automatically as you get older. Here is when that discipline helps, when it quietly costs…
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General Insurance · 15 Sep 2025
Lifestyle Block Insurance in NZ (2026): Where Standard House Cover Stops
Insuring a lifestyle block or rural home in NZ: outbuildings and fences, water supply and effluent, fire and access risk, how Natural Hazard…
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Retirement · 26 Aug 2025
NZ Super Living Overseas: Can You Keep Getting It Abroad? (NZ)
Most people can keep NZ Super while living overseas, but how much you receive depends on where you go. General portability pays a slice base…
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Personal Risk · 20 Mar 2025
Locum Cover for NZ Health and Trade Professionals: How It Works
If you run a solo practice, locum cover funds a replacement so revenue keeps flowing while you recover. Here is how it works in NZ, and how …
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
Low-Fee KiwiSaver Providers in NZ: Do Cheaper Funds Win? (2026)
Simplicity (0.24%), Kernel (0.25%) and InvestNow are NZ's cheapest KiwiSaver funds. But after a decade of returns, do low fees actually win?…
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Retirement · 16 Jun 2026
Lump Sum vs Dollar-Cost Averaging NZ: Invest It All at Once or Drip It In?
Got a windfall, inheritance or house-sale money to invest? The evidence usually favours investing a lump sum all at once, but drip-feeding i…
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KiwiSaver · 25 May 2026
Market Volatility and Your KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): How to Handle the Swings
Sharp market swings are normal for a KiwiSaver fund. Here is what volatility really means, how to read the FMA risk indicator, and the calm …
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Health · 9 Mar 2025
Maternity and Pregnancy Cover in NZ Health Insurance: What's Included and the Waiting Period
What NZ health insurance does and doesn't cover for pregnancy and birth: routine antenatal care and normal delivery are usually excluded, th…
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Health · 25 May 2025
Mental Health Cover in NZ Health Insurance (2026): What Is and Isn't Paid For
NZ health insurance does cover some mental health treatment, but usually with dollar caps, sub-limits and pre-existing exclusions. Here is w…
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Personal Risk · 6 Feb 2026
Will Mental Health Affect Your Life or Income Insurance Application in NZ? (2026)
Anxiety, depression or counselling on your record? Here is how NZ insurers underwrite a mental-health history, why severity and recency matt…
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KiwiSaver · 5 Apr 2026
Milford vs Generate KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): Two Active Managers Compared
Milford vs Generate KiwiSaver compared: fees, long-term returns, fund options and who each tends to suit, with a clear look at whether an ac…
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Personal Risk · 27 May 2026
Mortgage Repayment Cover vs Income Protection in NZ (2026): The Difference That Matters at Claim Time
The bank's mortgage repayment cover protects the loan. Full income protection protects your income. Here is how they differ on benefit basis…
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Personal Risk · 15 Nov 2025
Mortgage Repayment Insurance vs Income Protection in NZ 2026: The Difference at Claim Time
Mortgage repayment insurance and income protection both pay when you cannot work, but they are calculated differently and pay different amou…
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General Insurance · 3 Jan 2026
The Natural Hazards Cover Cap in NZ (2026): What's Covered and Where Private Insurance Takes Over
Natural Hazards Cover (formerly EQC) in NZ: what the $300k dwelling cap pays, the land and levy rules, which hazards are covered, and where …
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Personal Risk · 16 Mar 2025
Income Protection for the Self-Employed New Parent in NZ: Protecting a New Baby and a New Business (2025)
Starting a family and a business at once stacks two financial risks on top of each other. Here is how income protection, ACC, parental leave…
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Personal Risk · 16 Aug 2025
The Real Cost of a New Baby in NZ and the Cover New Parents Need
What a new baby actually costs in the first year, how paid parental leave leaves an income gap, and the life, income and KiwiSaver moves new…
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Retirement · 18 Mar 2026
No-Frills vs Choices Retirement in NZ (2026): What Each Lifestyle Actually Costs
No-frills and choices are NZ's two retirement lifestyle benchmarks from Massey. Here is what each costs per week (latest 2025 Massey edition…
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Personal Risk · 7 Jun 2026
Non-Disclosure and Life Insurance Claims in NZ (2026): What You Must Tell the Insurer
Most NZ life insurance claims are paid. The ones that aren't are usually declined for non-disclosure — something left off the application. H…
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Health · 1 Feb 2025
Non-Pharmac Cancer Drug Cover in NZ Health Insurance (2026): Caps, Limits and the Fine Print
The dollar caps and fine print on non-Pharmac cancer drug cover in NZ health insurance for 2026 — how much Southern Cross and nib actually p…
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
The Non-Pharmac Drug Gap NZ 2026: How Trauma and Health Cover Fund Cancer Treatment You'd Otherwise Pay For
Some cancer drugs aren't Pharmac-funded, and the bill can top $100,000 a year. Here is how health plans and trauma cover fund treatment NZ w…
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Retirement · 8 Apr 2026
NZ Super Rates and Eligibility 2026
The exact 2026 NZ Super rates, the residency rule rising from 10 to 20 years, how your tax code changes what you bank, and why the pension a…
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Retirement · 17 Dec 2025
NZ Super Residency Rules in 2026: The 10-Year and 20-Year Requirements Explained
How many years you need to have lived in NZ to get Super, why the minimum is rising from 10 to 20 years, the 'after age 50' rule, agreement …
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Retirement · 26 Nov 2025
Can You Live on NZ Super Alone? Super vs the 2026 Cost of Living
NZ Super pays a single living alone about $538 a week after tax. A no-frills metro single spends about $705. This puts Super line-by-line ag…
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KiwiSaver · 29 Mar 2026
NZ vs Global Shares in Your KiwiSaver (2026): How Much Home Bias Is Too Much?
New Zealand is less than 0.1% of the world's share market, yet many KiwiSaver funds hold far more than that at home. Here's what 'home bias'…
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KiwiSaver · 6 Apr 2026
How the OCR Affects Your KiwiSaver in NZ (2026)
The Official Cash Rate doesn't land in your KiwiSaver as a single number — it moves bond yields, cash returns and share valuations different…
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Personal Risk · 22 Apr 2026
Off Work Due to Illness, Not Injury: What Actually Pays Your Income in NZ (2026)
ACC covers accidents, not illness — yet illness causes most long-term absences. Here is how fast NZ households run out after sick leave, and…
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KiwiSaver · 14 Aug 2025
How to Opt Back Into KiwiSaver After Opting Out in NZ: Restarting Contributions
Opted out of KiwiSaver and want back in? Here is how to rejoin in NZ, when employer and government contributions restart, and what the time …
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Retirement · 16 Oct 2025
Working While on NZ Super Tax (2026): How Part-Time Work Past 65 Affects Your Super, Tax and KiwiSaver in NZ
Working part-time after 65 does not reduce your NZ Super, because Super is not income-tested. But your tax code does change, and your employ…
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Retirement · 30 May 2026
Your Partner Isn't 65 Yet: How NZ Super Works for Couples With an Age Gap
Since November 2020 you can no longer include a partner under 65 in your NZ Super. Here is what the household actually receives in the gap y…
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KiwiSaver · 23 Feb 2025
Pathfinder vs Booster Ethical KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): Two Responsible Funds Compared
Pathfinder and Booster both run ethical KiwiSaver options, but they screen, engage and price very differently. Exclusions, impact, fees, ret…
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KiwiSaver · 12 Jan 2026
How a Pay Rise, Bonus or New Job Changes Your KiwiSaver PIR (NZ, 2026)
A pay rise, bonus or new job can change your KiwiSaver PIR, but not always straight away. Here is how the two prior income years rule create…
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Retirement · 19 May 2025
Phased Retirement in NZ (2026): Part-Time Work With NZ Super & KiwiSaver
Winding down to part-time at 60+? Here's how NZ Super (not income-tested), KiwiSaver employer contributions after 65, and tax codes work whe…
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KiwiSaver · 15 Apr 2026
PIE vs RWT NZ (2026): Why Your KiwiSaver Is Taxed Differently to a Bank Term Deposit
Your KiwiSaver PIE income is capped at a 28% PIR, but term deposit interest can be taxed at 39% RWT. Here is the after-tax comparison that s…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
PIR Too High? On 28% but Earn Less? You May Be Overpaying KiwiSaver Tax (NZ, 2026)
If you defaulted to the 28% PIR but earn less than the thresholds, you are overpaying tax on your KiwiSaver. Here is the dollar gap, how the…
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KiwiSaver · 17 May 2025
PIR Too Low? How an Under-Set KiwiSaver Tax Rate Leaves You With an IRD Bill (NZ, 2026)
An under-set KiwiSaver PIR does not save you tax — it defers it. Here is how the year-end shortfall is calculated, who is most at risk, what…
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Health · 30 Aug 2025
Pre-Existing Conditions on a Family Health Policy in NZ (2026): When One Person's History Affects the Cover
How one family member's medical history affects a joint NZ health policy in 2026 — why exclusions and loadings attach per person, when they …
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Health · 22 Apr 2026
Pre-Existing Conditions and Health Insurance NZ 2026: Excluded, Loaded, or Reviewable After Three Years?
Disclose a health history and an NZ insurer does one of three things: excludes the condition, loads the premium, or covers it after a contin…
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Personal Risk · 15 Feb 2026
Pre-Existing Conditions and Life Insurance NZ (2026): Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, BMI and More
Diabetes, high blood pressure or a high BMI rarely mean no cover — they usually mean a loading, an exclusion, or a different insurer. Here i…
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Personal Risk · 12 May 2026
Protect Your New Mortgage NZ 2026: Life, Income or Mortgage Protection First?
Just bought your first home? Protect your income first, then your debt, then lump sums. The order of priority for a brand-new, stretched fir…
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Personal Risk · 17 Oct 2025
Protecting a Mortgage on a Single Income in NZ 2026: Cover When One Earner Carries the Loan
When one wage services the mortgage, the household has no second income to fall back on. Here is how to think about life and income cover on…
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Health · 28 May 2026
Stuck on a Public Hospital Waitlist in NZ 2026? What Private Health Cover and Trauma Insurance Actually Do
NZ's official FSA waiting list hit 198,812 people in late 2025. Here is what private health insurance and trauma cover actually change about…
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Financial Advice · 15 May 2026
Questions to Ask a Financial Adviser in NZ (2026): The Disclosure Document Checklist
The information an NZ adviser must disclose to you by law, how to check their licence on the FSPR, and the exact questions to ask before you…
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Financial Advice · 11 Jun 2026
Recovery-Room and Fake-Adviser Scams in NZ: How Investors Get Targeted Twice
Clone firms, impersonated advisers and fake fund-recovery services explained: how NZ scam victims get targeted a second time, the warning si…
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Personal Risk · 13 Oct 2025
Redundancy Cover in NZ 2026: Does It Actually Exist, and What Will It Really Pay?
Standalone redundancy insurance is rare in NZ, and income protection generally excludes redundancy. Here is what redundancy cover actually p…
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Financial Advice · 14 Feb 2025
Made Redundant in NZ: A Financial Survival Plan for 2026
Made redundant in NZ? A clear plan for what to do first: entitlements, Jobseeker Support and stand-downs, pausing or withdrawing KiwiSaver, …
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Financial Advice · 29 Jan 2025
Replacing a Life Insurance Policy in NZ (2026): When Switching Insurers Helps and When It Backfires
A cheaper quote isn't always a better deal. Here is what you can lose when you replace a life, trauma or income-protection policy in NZ — re…
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Retirement · 27 Dec 2025
Residential Care Subsidy in NZ: Asset and Income Thresholds Explained
How the Residential Care Subsidy works in NZ: the 2025/26 asset thresholds, how your home, NZ Super and KiwiSaver are assessed, and the Resi…
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Financial Advice · 12 May 2026
Retirement Calculator NZ Accuracy 2026: Are Free Tools Like Sorted Enough?
Free NZ retirement calculators give you a number in two minutes. But they bake in 2% inflation, a flat 2.5% post-65 return and a drawdown to…
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Retirement · 12 May 2026
The Retirement Income Gap NZ 2026: What NZ Super Leaves You Short Each Week
NZ Super pays a single about $555 a week. A no-frills metro single needs roughly $705. That weekly gap is the retirement income gap, and Kiw…
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Retirement · 18 Jan 2025
Retirement Planning for Contractors in NZ: No Employer Match, No PAYE, No Safety Net
Contractors get no employer KiwiSaver match and no auto-deduction. Here is how to systematise retirement saving on lumpy income and still cl…
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Retirement · 13 Feb 2025
Retirement Planning in Your 50s in NZ: Is It Too Late to Catch Up?
Behind on retirement in your 50s? You still have 10-15 years of compounding before 65. Here are the realistic catch-up levers: contributions…
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Retirement · 17 Jan 2025
Retiring as a Renter in NZ: How Much More You Need When You'll Never Own a Home
Most NZ retirement numbers quietly assume you own your home outright. If you'll rent for life, rent becomes a permanent line for 25 to 30 ye…
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Retirement · 28 Sep 2025
Retiring Before 65 in NZ: How to Bridge the Years Before NZ Super and KiwiSaver Kick In
Stop work before 65 and you can't touch KiwiSaver or NZ Super yet. Here's how the bridge years work, where your income comes from, and how t…
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Retirement · 26 Oct 2025
Retiring Overseas From New Zealand: What Happens to Your NZ Super and KiwiSaver
Planning to retire abroad? Whether you keep NZ Super depends on where you go, and your KiwiSaver options range from transfer to withdraw to …
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Retirement · 18 Apr 2025
Retiring With Debt in NZ: Credit Cards, Car Loans and Buy-Now-Pay-Later at 65
Carrying credit cards, a car loan or buy-now-pay-later into retirement? How consumer debt hits a fixed NZ Super income, whether to clear it …
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Retirement · 12 May 2026
Retiring With a Mortgage or Renting in NZ (2026): How It Changes Your Plan
The standard retirement numbers quietly assume you own your home, mortgage-free. If you'll still be renting or paying a mortgage at 65, your…
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KiwiSaver · 26 Feb 2025
Returning to NZ After Years Abroad: Rebuilding KiwiSaver, Cover and Retirement (2025)
Back in NZ after years away? Here is the order to sort your money: tax residency, KiwiSaver re-enrolment, transferring Australian super, NZ …
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Retirement · 11 May 2025
Reverse Mortgages and Equity Release in NZ (2026): How They Work and What They Really Cost
A reverse mortgage lets you stay in your home and borrow against it, with nothing to repay until you leave. But compounding interest at rate…
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Health · 6 Nov 2025
Reviewing Your Health Insurance Plan in NZ (2026): When to Adjust, Switch or Keep It
With NZ health premiums climbing double digits, an annual review pays off. Here is how to check your excess, non-Pharmac drug caps and modul…
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Financial Advice · 17 May 2026
Reviewing an Old or Inherited Life Insurance Policy in NZ (2026): What to Check Before You Keep It
An old or inherited life insurance policy can quietly stop matching your life. Here is an adviser's audit — sum insured, premium creep, date…
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General Insurance · 24 Apr 2025
Risk-Based Home Insurance Pricing in NZ 2026: What Flood and Earthquake Risk Now Does to Your Premium
Why NZ home insurance premiums increasingly vary by property: how risk-based pricing works, why flood and earthquake exposure pushes premium…
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Financial Advice · 8 Apr 2026
Robo-Advice NZ 2026: What It Can and Can't Do, and Who It Suits
How robo-advice works in NZ, which platforms offer it, how it's regulated, what it can't do, and who it actually suits, an honest 2026 guide…
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Retirement · 12 May 2026
Safe Withdrawal Rates in NZ 2026: The 4%, 6% and Spend-Down Rules Explained
Does the US 4% rule work in New Zealand? The NZ rules of thumb, the 6% rule, divide-by-years, and how NZ Super lets you safely draw more fro…
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Business · 8 Nov 2025
Salary or Dividends? How NZ Owners' Pay Choices Hit KiwiSaver and ACC
Paying yourself in dividends can be tax-smart, but it skips KiwiSaver contributions and shrinks your ACC cover. How NZ company owners' salar…
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Financial Advice · 15 Dec 2025
A Second Opinion on Your Financial Plan NZ: When It's Worth Getting and What to Expect
A second opinion checks your KiwiSaver, insurance and retirement plan against your goals, without locking you into switching anything. Here …
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Retirement · 3 Mar 2026
Section 70 NZ Super and an Overseas Pension: How the Deduction Works (NZ)
If you hold an overseas state pension, Section 70 means it is deducted dollar-for-dollar from your NZ Super. Here is which pensions count, h…
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Financial Advice · 12 May 2026
The Self-Employed Financial Checklist for NZ 2026: KiwiSaver, ACC and Income Cover in One Plan
Self-employed in NZ? Here is the one-page money plan: contribute $1,042.86 to KiwiSaver by 30 June, set the right ACC cover, and fill the il…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
KiwiSaver for the Self-Employed in NZ 2026: Get the Full $260.72 Without an Employer
No employer match means no automatic deductions, so the government contribution is entirely on you. Here is exactly what to pay, and when, t…
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Retirement · 12 May 2026
Self-Employed Retirement Planning NZ 2026: Building a Nest Egg Without Employer Contributions
No employer paying into your KiwiSaver? Here is the four-move plan to build a real retirement on your own terms, using KiwiSaver, your busin…
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Retirement · 19 Feb 2025
Sold Your Business in NZ: How to Plan the Proceeds for Retirement
A 2026 guide to turning business-sale proceeds into reliable retirement income in NZ — tax, a safe drawdown rate, KiwiSaver, NZ Super and pr…
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Financial Advice · 11 Jun 2025
What Happens to Your Money in a Separation in NZ: The Full Financial Checklist Beyond KiwiSaver
Separating changes more than your KiwiSaver. Here is the full NZ money checklist - relationship property, joint debt, insurance beneficiarie…
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Retirement · 11 Jan 2025
Sequencing-of-Returns Risk in Retirement (NZ, 2026): Why the First Five Years Decide Everything
Two retirees can earn the exact same average return and end up with wildly different outcomes — purely because of when the bad years land. H…
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Retirement · 17 Aug 2025
Sequencing Risk and Your KiwiSaver in NZ (2026): Why a Crash Near Retirement Hurts Most
A market fall just before or after you retire does far more damage than the same fall at 40. Here is what sequencing risk is, why cash is no…
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Business · 22 Apr 2026
Buy-Sell Agreement Funding NZ (2026): What Happens to the Business if a Co-Owner Dies?
If a co-owner dies, their shares usually pass to their estate, not to you. Here is how a funded buy-sell agreement lets surviving owners buy…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
Simplicity vs Kernel KiwiSaver 2026: Low-Fee Index Funds Compared (NZ)
Simplicity and Kernel are New Zealand's two low-fee index leaders at 0.24% and 0.25% p.a. Here is how their fees, fund range, ethical screen…
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Business · 12 Feb 2026
Small Business Health Insurance Schemes in NZ: A Guide for Employers (2026)
How a small NZ business sets up a staff health insurance scheme in 2026 — what it costs per head, the FBT rules, group underwriting, the ret…
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Health · 24 Jun 2025
Southern Cross vs nib in NZ (2026): How the Two Big Health Insurers Actually Differ
An independent NZ comparison of Southern Cross vs nib in 2026: market size, surgical plans, the Affiliated Provider network model, non-Pharm…
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Health · 8 Mar 2025
Specialist and Diagnostics Cover in NZ Health Insurance (2026): What's Actually Included
What NZ health insurance actually pays for specialist consults, MRI and CT scans and tests in 2026 — the annual limits, the GP referral and …
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Financial Advice · 5 May 2026
Supporting Aging Parents in NZ Without Wrecking Your Own Retirement
A practical 2026 guide for the sandwich generation: how the Residential Care Subsidy and asset testing work, why your parents need EPOAs bef…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
How and When to Switch KiwiSaver Funds or Providers in NZ (2026)
Switching KiwiSaver funds or providers is free and keeps every dollar you have saved. Here is when it makes sense, the timing traps to dodge…
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KiwiSaver · 1 Jun 2025
Do You Pay Tax When You Switch KiwiSaver Funds or Providers in NZ? (2026)
Switching KiwiSaver funds or providers in NZ does not trigger a capital gains tax bill — New Zealand has no general CGT. Here is how PIE tax…
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KiwiSaver · 1 Apr 2026
Total Remuneration KiwiSaver in NZ: When Your Employer Match Comes Out of Your Own Pay
On a total-remuneration package, the KiwiSaver employer match is funded from your own total pay, not added on top. Here is how to spot it, w…
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Personal Risk · 7 Jan 2025
Total vs Partial Disability in Income Protection NZ (2026): How Returning to Work Part-Time Pays
Total disability cover only pays when you cannot work at all. Partial (proportionate) cover pays when you ease back part-time — here is how …
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Personal Risk · 30 Apr 2026
TPD Insurance in NZ (2026): Own-Occupation vs Any-Occupation and How Claims Are Decided
Own-occupation vs any-occupation TPD in NZ — which definition is harder to claim under, why one costs more, how a TPD claim is actually asse…
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Personal Risk · 2 Feb 2025
How to Read Your ACC Levy Invoice as a Self-Employed Kiwi (NZ)
Got an ACC invoice and not sure what half of it means? Here is a line-by-line walkthrough of the Work, Earners' and Working Safer levies, th…
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Retirement · 10 Oct 2025
Variable vs Fixed Drawdown in Retirement (NZ, 2026): How to Decide How Much to Take Each Year
Fixed-dollar, fixed-percentage or guardrails? Here is how the main retirement drawdown methods behave in good years and bad ones, and how to…
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KiwiSaver · 3 May 2025
Voluntary KiwiSaver Contributions in NZ: How Much to Add and When It's Worth It
How to make voluntary KiwiSaver contributions in New Zealand, lump sum versus regular top-ups, the lock-in trade-off, and when extra KiwiSav…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
What Does a KiwiSaver Review Involve? A Step-by-Step Walkthrough (NZ, 2026)
A plain-English walkthrough of what a KiwiSaver review actually checks in NZ: fund type, contributions, fees, performance and withdrawal tim…
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KiwiSaver · 28 Feb 2025
What Does Your KiwiSaver Fund Actually Hold? (NZ 2026)
Most KiwiSaver money sits in listed shares and bonds traded around the world. Here is what the asset classes mean, how much is NZ versus ove…
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KiwiSaver · 12 May 2026
What PIR Should I Be On? KiwiSaver Tax Rates (NZ, 2026)
Your PIR (10.5%, 17.5% or 28%) decides how much tax your KiwiSaver pays. Here are the 2025/26 thresholds, the two-year rule, and what the IR…
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Financial Advice · 4 Feb 2025
You've Received an Inheritance in NZ: What to Do With a Lump Sum in 2026
An inheritance is not taxed on receipt in NZ, but what you do with it matters. A clear 2026 plan for debt, mortgage, KiwiSaver, investing an…
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Financial Advice · 18 Mar 2026
What to Do Financially When a Partner Dies in NZ: The First Steps for Money, KiwiSaver and Claims
A plain NZ adviser guide to the money side of losing a partner: what to do in the first 90 days, how to claim on life insurance, what happen…
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Retirement · 19 May 2026
When Can You Retire in NZ? A Readiness Checklist (2026)
NZ Super starts at 65, but eligible and able to afford it are two different questions. Here is a 7-point readiness checklist plus how to bri…
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Financial Advice · 4 Mar 2026
When Should You See a Financial Adviser in NZ? 12 Life Events That Trigger Advice (2026)
The 12 life events that should trigger a conversation with a financial adviser in NZ, what an adviser actually does, and when you can safely…
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KiwiSaver · 22 Apr 2026
When to Switch KiwiSaver Funds in NZ (2026): Good Reasons and Bad Reasons
Switching KiwiSaver funds can be the right move or a costly reaction. The good reasons to switch, the one bad reason that locks in losses, a…
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Health · 6 Jun 2025
Why Health Insurance Premiums Keep Rising in NZ (2026) and What You Can Do
NZ medical inflation hit 14.5% in 2025, and that flows straight into your renewal. Here is what actually drives a health insurance premium i…
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Retirement · 30 Jan 2026
The Women's Retirement Gap in NZ: Why Women Retire With Less and How to Close It
Women in NZ retire with materially less than men: KiwiSaver balances average $34,185 for women versus $42,664 for men, a gap of about 25%. H…
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Retirement · 5 Jun 2025
Working Past 65 in NZ: Can You Get NZ Super and a Salary at the Same Time?
You can draw NZ Super and keep earning a wage — Super is not income-tested, so a job does not reduce it. What changes is your tax code, your…
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KiwiSaver · 11 Mar 2026
Are You in the Wrong KiwiSaver Fund? Conservative vs Growth (NZ, 2026)
Conservative funds returned 4.1% a year over the past decade; growth funds 7.8%. For a long-horizon saver that gap compounds into six figure…
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Health · 12 Nov 2025
The Importance of Medical Insurance in New Zealand
Rising healthcare costs and longer public wait times have made medical insurance more essential than ever.
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Personal Risk · 12 Nov 2025
Why a Personal Risk Review Matters in NZ Right Now
With most New Zealanders still struggling with the cost of living, there will never be a better time to review your Personal Risk Covers. A …
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General Insurance · 18 Dec 2024
Holiday security checklist for your house, contents and vehicle insurance
With Christmas and the holiday period fast approaching, now is the time to make sure your covers are in place.
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Health · 10 Sep 2024
The Real Risks of Switching Insurance Providers
Changing insurance providers can look simple on the surface. A new premium, a fresh policy document, and the promise of a better deal. But i…
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KiwiSaver · 10 Sep 2024
Simple Adjustments to Build your Wealth with the Right KiwiSaver Fund
Selecting the right investment fund is crucial to achieving your financial goals. In KiwiSaver, the main question is not just how much risk …
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Business · 10 Sep 2024
Safeguard Your Business From Every Angle
If you are running your own business, you are not just trying to make sales and keep customers happy. You are also carrying legal, financial…
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Personal Risk · 27 May 2024
Why Income Insurance Matters More Than You Think
Ask yourself a simple question: what is your biggest asset, your house or your earning potential? For most people, the house feels obvious b…
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General Insurance · 27 May 2024
House insurance is not about the land
Is your home insured correctly? Have you insured your house for what you paid for it, what you think the market value is, or what the Govern…
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KiwiSaver · 27 May 2024
KiwiSaver Government Contributions: Don’t Leave Free Money in Your Account
Remember the end of June is the deadline to contribute to your KiwiSaver account if you want to receive $260.72 of Government money. That is…
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KiwiSaver · 27 Mar 2024
KiwiSaver: Don’t Leave the Government Contribution on the Table
Many New Zealanders leave real money on the table by not engaging with KiwiSaver, whether by sitting out of the scheme, not contributing reg…
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Personal Risk · 27 Mar 2024
Trauma Cover and Personal Insurance, why the numbers matter in real life
Trauma cover is designed to pay a lump sum if you suffer one of the serious medical events covered by your policy, such as cancer, a heart a…
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General Insurance · 27 Mar 2024
Why home insurance under-insurance still catches too many NZ homeowners out
In New Zealand, under-insurance is still a common problem. Research has found a large share of homes are under-insured, often by a significa…
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