Finance

For many New Zealanders, a new ute or work vehicle isn't a luxury—it's an essential business tool.  Whether you're a farmer, contractor, tradesperson or small business owner, the right vehicle can improve productivity, reliability and safety. But before signing on the dotted line, it's worth taking a step back and looking at the bigger financial picture. 

Making financial decisions can be overwhelming. Whether you're buying a home, financing business equipment, protecting your family with insurance, or planning for retirement, having an experienced professional in your corner can make all the difference. Here are three reasons why engaging a licensed financial adviser is a smart move. 

For many business owners, tax debt is viewed as a problem to be managed when cash flow improves.  

Receiving a ‘no’ from your bank can be disheartening. Whether you're applying for a mortgage, business finance, vehicle lending, or debt consolidation, it's easy to assume the decision is final.

In many cases, it isn't.

Applying for a mortgage can feel complex, but success often comes down to preparation and discipline.

An organisation called Death Without Debt (DWD) is holding a workshop in Taupō to show people how to arrange a funeral themselves at a fraction of the usual cost.

First quarter, March 2026 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) results announced on June 18 by Statistics NZ show strong results.

We get clients asking about bank cashback offers spurred along by social media posts stating you can get $30k cashback if you switch your mortgage.

After several years of restrictive monetary policy to control inflation, we were on a solid path to recovery. There was a clear path ahead, then someone decided to go play in the sand. 

In today’s rapidly changing financial environment, taking a “set and forget” approach to personal or business finances can prove costly.

Bridging finance can be a fast, flexible solution to secure property before you’ve sold your current property, allowing you to upgrade with certainty. 

So you have a mortgage and want to look at ways to reduce interest paid. Putting a portion on revolving credit and using offset accounts can save you interest.

So you have a mortgage and want to look at ways to reduce interest paid. Putting a portion on revolving credit and using offset accounts can save you interest.

So, you’re near to or retired, own your home, maybe an investment property, looking to release some funds for any amount of activities or projects. 

So, you’ve had enough of high fuel prices and decided to go electric but need funding.

With the volatility of the conflict in Iran developing daily as to how far it will escalate or not, its early days yet to determine the long term effects, certainly we’re feeling it at the fuel pump right now.

The effect of global tension on economic recovery

One of the country's most prominent buyers' agencies has complained to the Real Estate Authority about a rise in ‘property flippers’ making six-figures from unwitting vendors. 

While we’ve done a great job bringing down inflation and interest rates and generally setting ourselves on a path to economic recovery, the latest geopolitical events that are hopefully short-lived highlight the need for flexibility. To that end it’s timely to take a look at options available. 

Introduced in 2025 and designed to stimulate capital spending and support economic growth in the form of accelerated depreciation, the government’s Investment Boost scheme allows a further 20% depreciation on the purchase price of new qualifying assets in the financial year of acquisition, on top of standard depreciations that normally apply.

A period of stability lies ahead with mortgage rates remaining largely unchanged.

In a move set to boost access to affordable housing finance, ASB Bank has become a participating lender with Kāinga Ora, opening the door for more first home buyers to enter the property market.

First-home buyers and investors are weighing the benefits of new builds against turnkey options.

This week’s column explores how to get on the property ladder as national confidence lifts and what it means for Taupō