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Have you received a letter from your KiwiSaver manager to say your fund is changing?

What do you do?  ...

KiwiSaver Fees and Returns - an inverse relationship?

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KiwiSaver Performance - Morningstar Survey to 31/03/2013

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Fleecing the elderly

This is a good insightful series of articles in Sunday Star Times that we recommend you read. Door-to-door scammers are roaming the Waikato using dodgy goods and services to fleece unsuspecting victims of thousands of dollars. And consumer watchdogs say "toothless" legislation is letting them and others get away with dozens of scams. Just this week, an 83-year old Ngaruawahia woman was left to pay for shonky work after "gypsies", believed to be in the country on work visas, knocked on her door ...

So, you are 49 - time you don't need insurance? NAH!!

Things are getting tight.  Inflation is still there.  Costs are increasing, the family is getting older.  ...

Everyone needs a fighting fund for lean times [Martin Hawes]

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Mighty River Power, Energy Companies, Politics

Should our electricity supply and politics mix? This is a worthwhile read from JB Were, it is thought provoking and gives you some good background into the debate that will be ongoing for some time.The unintended consequences of the Labour/Greens power policy will be negative for New Zealand says JBWere. If you have any thoughts or opinions that you would like to share, visit us at our Twitter, Facebook or Linked In pages, and comment. ...

Random and expensive fees - how can you avoid them?

How often do you get frustrated by a fee that just seems stupid? This article by Diana Clement looks at some excessive fees and makes some suggestions abo ...

House Insurance- Probably the most important financial issue for you in the next year

The radio advertising has just started. TV and print advertising will probably start soon You will be getting a flier in the mail with your house insurance renewal statement.  Why?  What is it all about? ...

Do it yourself investment planning

While we are full service financial planners, we realise that not everyone wants to sit down with a 'coach' and pay for the advice that we give. Sorted have developed a tool to assist those people who want to do it themselves.  This gives you assistance in working out your relevant assumptions, but doesn't recommend the investments that you should use.  You will need to sort that out on your own, or get advice for that part of the equation.Sorted targets new investors If you have any thought...

Can the Government 'steal' your KiwiSaver?

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How does your thinking affect your financial success?

At Moneyworks, we have worked with people for nearly 20 years, helping them work out what their goals are and how to achieve them. Along the way we have done seminars for many corporates and their employees and had a lot of face to fact meetings with people where it was decided (by them or by us) that working together would not be successful. One of the reasons that a number of these people weren't likely to have success working with a financial planner was the way that they thought about money...

Insurance policies and 'churning'

'Churning' is a dirty word in the financial advisory industry.  For ethical advisers, to be accused of 'churning' can be a slur on your character. ...

KiwiSaver - unit pricing - only one non unit pricing provider left

With the launch of KiwiSaver in 2007, Gareth Morgan managed to get a lot of publicity criticising the unit pricing method of the fund managers in New Zealand.  He created a range of scenarios and information that led to doubt about the veracity of this ...

When insurance works... this one was travel insurance

It is rare that the media covers 'good news' stories about the effects of insurance. ...

Commissions for insurance - why? and how do they work?

Yes, insurance advisers/specialists generally get paid by commission.  Isn't that dodgy? ...

Why on earth would you want to SELL insurance?

Arrgghh - an insurance salesperson!!! If I am at a party and don't feel like talking to someone, I tell them I sell insurance.  It is funny how often that is all I have to say to get rid of them. Having received payments from four different kinds of insurance (life, trauma, income protection and health insurance), I don't understand the reluctance to talk to someone about what they do as an insurance expert. Having seen the benefit of the work that I have done with clients - when they suffer a...

Yes Health Insurance really does work!

There are a number of health insurers in New Zealand and they work in different ways.  Most people these days are after health insurance cover that covers them for the costs of major hospital costs and specialists costs. Many people have Southern Cross insurance in place - that they have put in place through their work.  With health insurance, it is important to get the best cover available to you at the time, as it is extremely difficult to move insurers if your health changes. Moneyworks re...

Should you have health insurance cover?

Health insurance is a funny thing.  We are often approached by people who only want to know about health insurance, so that when they are faced with medical bills, they can go to the insurer to get those bills covered.  Its a funny thing, because we regularly find that people want health insurance - but aren't interested in having income protection or trauma insurance. ...

KiwiSaver reporting delayed until October

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Who is your KiwiSaver manager making money for? You or the bank that owns them?

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Houseowners and insuring your house

This year from June (2013), houseowners will need to pay special attention to the insurance renewal notices for their house insurance cover. ...

Cyprus Banking, Russians and a little bit of that Fred Dagg humour [video]

Banking turmoil is set to be a feature of our global financial system for a while yet.  After the Global Financial Crisis started (in NZ it started in 2007) - there were discussions about whether this would be a single dip or double dip economic event.  However, the repercussions of the financial management of banking systems continue. To help you understand what is happening with the Cyprus situation and the Russian money - we thought it would be fun to share this short video from John Clark...

How do you take a contribution holiday in KiwiSaver?

With the increase in the minimum contribution for KiwiSaver to 3% on 1st April 2013, not all KiwiSavers will feel that they can ...

KiwiSaver changes on 1st April 2013

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