Journal · Page 4
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.
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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