Articles
Search our articles, tools, and resources.
Coronoavirus: Should I be changing my Investments?
As the Coronavirus epidemic enters it's eighth week, Investors around the world continue to assess the long-term economic effects of the epidemic, with mixed verdicts.
The Myth of 2020 Vision
Jim Parker, Vice President of Dimensional Fund Advisors, looks at how this years political and economic events could shape the financial markets, however he advises to err on the edge of caution if your usual investment behaviour is determined by what you read in the press.
7 Reasons You Need an Emergency Fund
Being financially prepared for the unexpected with a healthy emergency fund is a cornerstone of managing your finances. And here's the inconvenient thing about emergencies - they don't discriminate. You might have a stable job and enough income today, but those factors won’t protect you completely from financial catastrophe tomorrow.
Get Retirement-ready with KiwiSaver
Most of us can expect to live a long life these days. You can help make your old age a healthy one through good lifestyle habits, but to be really comfortable after you retire, you need to have saved some money, on top of your NZ super.
What that means for people under 65 is: start saving, right now. A regular little bit put away today can add up to a lot over a few decades.
Considering Retirement Village Living?
You might have been considering, or already feel ready to leave the family home for something smaller and more manageable, and a retirement village could be exactly what you want. But buying or leasing a dwelling in a retirement village is not the same as buying a house – there are complicated legal issues, and villages are not all the same in what they offer.
Are you one of the 'sandwich generation'?
Once upon a time, baby boomers were the privileged generation, growing up in the welfare state. But as we live longer and the economy gets tougher, have you found yourself caught in the middle, looking after aging (and sometimes impoverished parents) as well as propping up the younger generation?
The benefits of Estate Planning
As the old saying goes "you can't take it with you''. Having a plan in place before you die (or lose your marbles) for what happens to you and your property is both good for you and your family. Leaving it too late means you can't decide, and that's no good for anyone.
Can you afford to buy a home?
So you've done the maths, scraped every last dollar together and have all the money you need for any house buying costs. Or have you? You don't just pick a house, pay for it and move in. Home ownership brings with it a raft of setting-up and ongoing expenses you may not have even considered as a renter.
SFO Awareness - Scams
The Serious Fraud Office is integral to New Zealand’s reputation for transparency, integrity, fair-mindedness and low levels of corruption. They have put together this sort video to get you to stop and think before you click the link!
Protect Your Biggest Asset – Your Home
As a newly minted homeowner, you probably know how important insurance cover is, for your house and its contents, and for your mortgage repayments. Your home is likely to be your biggest asset, and you'll want to protect it if the worst happens – to you, your partner or to your home.