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8 Tips on arranging your mortgage and reducing your interest cost

Interest costs on mortgages are a large cost, and if you can manage your financial planning so that you pay less interest over the life of a mortgage, your financial situation will gain a big benefit.  You should be aware of how your mortgage is set up, what your mortgage interest rates are, whether you are getting a 'carded' rate, or a better deal. Your mortgage is likely to be your largest financial commitment for a big part of your right.  It is important to get it right. ...

Fix or Float - decisions around your mortgage structure

Over the life of your mortgage, the amount of interest that you pay is likely to be more than you like to imagine. One of the ways that you can manage your interest liability is to be aware of the structure of your mortgage. Are you getting the best value with your mortgage? Traditionally the long term average interest rate on mortgages in New Zealand has been 8%.  For the last few years, we have had low mortgage interest rates and many people have had their mortgages on floating rates.  This...

Mortgages - use us to get the best value for your or your family and friends

Moneyworks NZ now have a fully accredited Mortgage Broker.  Carey Church is licensed to assist you and your family and friends with managing and arranging and structuring your mortgages. Carey is supported by Paul Swarbrick, Client Relationship Manager - who has in excess of 20 years experience in providing people with assistance in organising and managing their mortgages. ...

Foreign Super Tax legislation passed

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The what, the why, and the how of your premiums - Partners Life

This article from a recent Partners Life publication raised my interest.  I thought it would be useful for you to read. ...

Insurance Cover- Don't assume....

Fro most people, having insurance cover in place is a 'grudge' purchase.  You know that you need it, and you have the cover 'just in case'.   This can easily lead to a decision to settle for 'the cheapest' insurance cover.  After all - something is better than nothing right?? Wrong.   ...

What is a 'Balanced' KiwiSaver fund?

The recently published Morningstar KiwiSaver Survey December Quarter 2013 (access here KiwiSaverSurvey31-12-2013) raises interesting questions about what makes up a 'Balanced' Fund.  ...

Research shows KiwiSaver investors are irrational in chasing non-recurring past returns and accepting higher fees

This article on www.interest.co.nz is an interesting review of a research paper.  We don't necessarily agree with all the findings, but will be of interest to those technocrats who are following KiwiSaver trends.   ...

How much does it cost to educate your child?

A key expense in most family's financial planning is that relating to childrens education.  And this is not just when the children are getting 'private' education. ...

Investing and the New Zealand dollar impact

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100 things we didn't know before 2013 - courtesy of the BBC News

Some fun things to mull over.  Our favourites are numbers: 2 -Hot things taste different according to the cup colour (with Carey's favourite colour - orange - coming out tops!!) 8. Women look their oldest every Wednesday at 3.30pm 13. Fidgeting is good for men's concentration but bad for women's 20. Monkeys avoid selfish people 34. "Lucifer" and "." (full stop) are banned baby names in New Zealand 57. Scientists still don't really know how bicycles work 83. Nervous dogs wag their tails to the ...

What are Fixed Interest Investments in New Zealand?

There are three main 'asset classes' when investing.  Fixed Interest, Property and Equities (Shares).  These are then often separated into New Zealand, Australian and International sub categories.  It is easy to think that the Fixed Interest asset class is straightforward and the easiest to understand, but unfortunately, it is actually the most complicated. ...

Fixed Interest Terminology

To understand Fixed Interest there are certain words that you need to become familiar with.  To assist you, we have given you a quick description of what they mean below: ...

Fixed Interest Secondary Market - a what????

What on earth are you talking about?? How can there be a 'secondary market for Fixed Interest? For investors used to only investing in Term Deposits, this is quite a logical question.  However, Term Deposits are a very small part of the 'Fixed Interest' market of investments.  With a Term Deposit, you are lending money to your bank/Financial Institution and they are promising to pay you a fixed rate of interest and repay your capital at a date in the future. ...

How do Credit Ratings work?

Credit Ratings are a good guide to the 'risk' involved in a financial security.  While there has been controversy during the Global Financial Crisis about the value of these credit ratings, they are still a valuable tool to assess the 'quality' of an investment that you are looking at making. ...

Should you be a 'guarantor' for someone elses debts?

Being a parent involves nurturing and caring for your children.  While it would be nice to think that this obligation ended at age 18 or 21, the reality is that it tends to exist for many many years into your children's adulthood.  My mother continually reminds me that although I am a well established adult - I am still 'her little girl'. ...

Overseas foreign superannuation and the IRD

The tax legislation around overseas foreign superannuation holdings has changed. If you have foreign superannuation (except Australia), you need to be aware of these changes and the tax liability associated with those holdings. ...

Pets at Christmas [Infographic]

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Curb your Christmas Spend

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How is your KiwiSaver going?

Our most popular KiwiSaver blog posts are when we publish a commentary on the investment returns on KiwiSaver funds. We use the publicly available Morningstar KiwiSaver Performance Survey, which is updated each quarter. Here is the latest survey. Morningstar KiwiSaver Survey to end of September 2013 ...

KiwiSaver fees - how important are they really?

With the recent release of the new Sorted KiwiSaver Fund Finder (see the following blog post How is your KiwiSaver going?) several prominent commentators have been vociferous in their opinions that 'total fees are the most important factor' in choosing your KiwiSaver provider. ...

How are you more likely to die? [Infographic]

This amusing infographic reminds us to make the most of life (and to have all our life insurance in place and up to date!).  Check out some interesting statistics on what the likelihood is that you will be killed by part of an aircraft falling on you, being eaten by a shark, or just walking across the road! ...

Do you have super in the UK or USA? Or have you brought it back since 1st January 2000?

The rules are changing on 1st April 2014 and it affects you.  This DOES NOT affect any Australian superannuation you may have in place. The tax rules around transferring your super to New Zealand have been complicated and unclear.  As a result, the Government have 'clarified' these tax rules.  Although the new legislation is effective on 1st April 2014, it is important to note that it applies to ALL TRANSFERS FROM 1st JANUARY 2000.  ...

Top 10 Bizarre Insurance Claims (with thanks to Listverse.com)

Top 10 Bizarre Insurance Claims (with thanks to Listverse.com) Have you ever been hit by a flying Christmas tree while driving? Claimed that your mobile phone got wedged in the back end of a cow? Prepare for deep immersion, readers, into the world of bizarre insurance claims – some of them spectacular, some of them sad, and some of them inviting a hearty WTF?! 10 Back End of the Beast ...

Gifting to Trusts and Residential Care Subsidies - you can gift less than what you might think...

In New Zealand, we seem to have a love affair with the Family Trust (or correctly, the Discretionary Family Trust.) It appears that we have more Trusts per head of population than other countries.  The Law Commission review on Trust law estimates that there are between 300,000 and 500,000 Trusts in New Zealand.    ...