Financial advice
How financial advice works in New Zealand, what a licensed adviser does, how advisers are paid, and how to get the most out of a review of your cover and savings.
12 May 2026 · 9 min read
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 Zealanders.
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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 which decision.
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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, with NZ evidence and a calmer response to each.
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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 NZ parents use to provide for their own children directly.
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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 panic-switching really cost over a working life.
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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 they fit together so your wishes actually hold.
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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 makes them disclose, and the questions to ask.
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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 through step by step.
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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 what changes when you go self-employed, and how to replace each piece, with a 90-day checklist.
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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 record. Here is what changes when you compare cover that way — and how it ties back to your KiwiSaver.
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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 Zealand, who ultimately pays in each case, and how to tell if it is worth it.
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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: FSPR registration, FAP licence, and a named dispute resolution scheme.
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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 recommended, especially for insurance and KiwiSaver.
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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 have been caught.
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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 sign, with a 2026 before-you-sign checklist.
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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 signs, and how to verify before you trust anyone.
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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, what happens to your insurance, and protecting your mortgage without panic decisions.
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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 — reset stand-downs, fresh underwriting, narrower definitions — and the FMA replacement rules an adviser must follow.
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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 zero at 90. Here is where they help, where they fall short, and when an independent adviser adds real value.
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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, dated definitions, ownership and exclusions — and when replacing it is smart versus risky.
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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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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 is when it is worth getting and what a good one looks at.
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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 illness gap ACC leaves open.
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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 beneficiaries, wills and cover on one income - and the order to work through it in your first 90 days.
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