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 · 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 amount with no proof needed. Here is how to choose in 2026.
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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 · 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 · 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 · 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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 · 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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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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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 · 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 · 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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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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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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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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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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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 · 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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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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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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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 · 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 · 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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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 · 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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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 · 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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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 · 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 · 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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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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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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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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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 · 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 · 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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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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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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