Transitional Financial Advice Provider Licence
In November we were granted our Transitional Financial Advice Provider Licence. This licence is an important milestone and is required as part of new legislation that is coming in to practice from March 2021. This legislation aims to improve access to high quality financial advice for all New Zealanders. Regardless of any legislation, our focus […]
What negative interest rates actually mean
Written by Martin Hawes – Director and shareholder, Lifetime Retirement Income Negative interest rates. Now there’s a phrase that would turn any income investor’s blood to ice. Things are bad enough now but what will it be like if we have to pay the bank to look after our money? How are we going to […]
New Year: New You? Top Tips to Make Your Financial Goals stick
Finances are regularly in the top 3 New Year resolutions, and after the rollercoaster of 2020, it’s likely this year is no different. The top goals we usually see include; I want to: Whatever your specific target, making financial progress is always a worthy goal. The fishhook is that the research shows 80% of New […]
Dealing with Christmas Debt – Key Tips From Financial Adviser Hannah McQueen
December to February can be one of the trickiest times of year for your finances – there’s the cost of Christmas, the cost of a summer holiday, and then back-to-school costs quickly follow. If you’ve blown the budget over this period it can put all your goals for the year ahead seriously on the backfoot […]
The Booming Property Market & FOMO – Financial Tips For Investing Success
They say financial markets are driven by the basic human instincts of fear and greed. Right now, I’d suggest that doesn’t quite cover what’s going on in the New Zealand property market, where nationally prices are up 20% this year (and in Auckland the median price just hit a cool 1 million) – despite a […]
Spring has Sprung – Time For a Financial Spring Clean!
The daffodils are out, lambs are finding their feet, and the days are getting longer – spring has finally arrived. Spring, like the New Year, signals new beginnings. It’s the traditional time of year for an annual spring clean, but don’t limit that clean out to your winter wardrobe – it’s also the perfect time […]
A Foot on the Property Ladder: Tips for Getting Into the Property Market Faster
Updated 30.08.2023 It won’t be news to you that getting a foot on the first rung of the property ladder is harder than ever, particularly in bigger urban centres like Auckland. No amount of avocado on toast you go without will cut it (in fact you’d have to not eat it every day for roughly […]
Money is Cheap! If You Can Get it. Your Guide to Getting a Mortgage Amid Tougher Lending Conditions
It feels as though it’s getting cheaper to borrow money by the day, and low-deposit restrictions have been nixed – so you’d think getting a mortgage would be a cinch. Except – it isn’t… While interest rates are at bargain-basement levels, the banks have seldom been stricter primarily as a result of Covid – meaning […]
Reverse Mortgages & Retirement – What You Need to Know.
Paying off your mortgage is a key part of provisioning for retirement, but ultimately it’s only one part – because you can’t eat your house! People often rely on downsizing to release the cash they need to help them with big bills, or just to help fund their retirement. However, some people want the money […]
Small Business Financial Support Post Covid-19 Requires a More Nuanced Response – Financial Adviser Hannah McQueen
The new leader of the opposition, Todd Muller, has clearly indicated small business is where he thinks more support should be directed in order to help the economy recover from Covid-19. He’s right – but the support required is a little more nuanced than he might think. Small businesses have had support with the wage […]
