Why Kiwi families need to talk more about money!
11 November 2019
My family never used to talk about money. It wasn’t until my Dad, who was well respected in Estate Planning, was diagnosed with a terminal illness that we first spoke about it. ...
Why women live longer than men
30 September 2019
Women, it seems, live longer than men. The mortality statistics confirm this. We explore this topic by looking at a place like Sardina. There, men live as long as women, and the chance of living to be 100 is six times more likely than in the US! ...
The best deal in town!
13 September 2019
Paying off your home loan is one of the most under-rated investment choices there is. Plus, lowering your home loan lowers the need for insurance, which lowers the premiums you have to pay. ...
Cash is always king
09 September 2019
Back in the day when we worked with cash, day-to-day control of cash was easy. Simply take some money out of the bank at the start of the week, and make it last all week. It was simple to see how you were tracking. How times have changed....
When bank deposits just aren't enough
13 August 2019
Interest rates are low and look set to stay that way for a while. What is obvious is that for depositors, this is not good news....
Winter Insights 2019
25 July 2019
In NZ, the slowing global economy and downside risks should be seen as less of a concern. Current annual growth is running around 2.5% and the RBNZ in its latest Monetary Policy Statement expects this rate to pick up to around 3% over the next year....
Brain fitness - what you can do about it
27 June 2019
Jude Walter, an accredited Brain Fit Coach, was interviewed by Newstalk ZB on the subject of brain fit. The interview deals with the brain and strategies to improve its performance, particularly as we grow older. The link - if you want to listen to the interview - is here: https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/the-health-hub/jude-walter-how-to-combat-alzheimer-s-and-dementia/......
Autumn Insights 2019
25 April 2019
Despite a cooling housing market and weak business confidence levels, upside growth potential remains in New Zealand given the huge backlog of housing and infrastructure spending that is in the pipeline. ...
Facebook and what responsible investors can do
09 April 2019
The notion that Facebook and other social media providers need not take responsibility for what is broadcast on their platforms was shattered following the Christchurch shootings. One of the strongest admonishments has come from NZ Privacy Commissioner....
Taxing Times
08 March 2019
Most commentaries in the media since the TWG released its final report has been negative, to say the least. The government itself has also been quick to distance itself from any specific recommendations. Politics will clearly be the major deciding factor ...
The real cost of clutter
05 February 2019
The New Year is a time for reflection, for change, for making plans. This is the best time of year to reflect on what’s been going on and what you would like to do differently. It can be a very dynamic time with shifts and changes taking place. ...
Summer Insights 2019
31 January 2019
The very strong returns markets have enjoyed since around 2011 came to a crashing halt in the December quarter. Large declines occurred in equity markets in the month of October and then again in December....