Enduring Powers of Attorney (“EPAs”)
What Happens if Someone Loses Mental Capacity Without EPAs? With September having been Wills month, it is timely to review all of your estate planning. That includes ensuring you have ...
Water Services Act – Update
We have provided updates and analysis on the Water Services Act 2021 previously, being legislation introduced to ensure safe, sustainable and equitable water services for New Zealand. The legislation followed ...
When there’s a Will, there’s a Way
Wills month is coming up. Whilst the inevitability of death can be hard to confront, taking proactive steps to get your affairs in order provides peace of mind, ensuring your ...
Businesses Use “Quiet Times” Efficiently
Some industries are experiencing a “quiet time,” due to a downturn in the market. When workflows are down, it is an ideal time for businesses to review legal compliance and ...
A brief summary of the home purchase process
A brief summary of the purchase process is: Locate a property you would like to buy. Have your three top wants. However, remember this is not your forever home. This ...
Family Trusts – Trust in our Trusts?
There has been various media coverage about the government’s announcement to increase the trustee tax rate (from 33% to 39%; with the change to take effect from 1 April 2024). ...
Buying Your First Home
Hot tips from Solicitor Adam Stobo-Wright who has recently purchased his first home in Cromwell. Congrats Adam! Consider your eligibility for Kiwisaver withdrawals and Kainga Ora first home grant. These ...
Incorporated Societies Act 2022
Key Changes to Prepare for Many of us are involved in Incorporated Societies through sporting, hobby, philanthropic and residents’ groups. The Incorporated Societies Act 2022 (the new Act) was passed ...
Covid-19 and the workplace
There is a lot of uncertainty around Covid-19 and whether businesses that are not covered by a government mandate can still require certain job positions to be performed by vaccinated ...
Are Family Trusts still useful ownership vehicles?
In our opinion Family Trusts are still useful ownership vehicles for assets, in particular assets that increase in value such as land. Reasons include: Health and safety legislation is strict ...
Terms of Trade – important when given credit in tough times
Economists are predicting tough times ahead. Now is a good time to review or put in place terms of trade if you sell goods or services on credit. “Terms of ...
Property Easements: What are they?
Easements are a property law term used to mean an interest in property that gives one person (“benefited land”) the right to use part of another person’s land (“burdened land”) ...
Key info about Relationship Property Division
What is relationship property? Relationship property includes: the family home, even if it was acquired by one partner before the relationship began or by inheritance, gift or via a trust. ...
New Trust Act 2019 – Beneficiaries Right to Information
Here in this brief article we explore some of the Beneficiary’s rights under the Trust Act 2019 (“Act”). Right to information: Historically, a beneficiary might have had no idea ...
Getting your affairs in order – Wills and POA
The recent pandemic highlights the importance of having your affairs in order. There are many things to consider including, Powers of Attorney – are they in place? Do you have ...
Protect all the value in your business with a trademark
The value of a business is not always just the value of its assets plus ‘goodwill’. Value also exists in how a business produces, delivers and markets its products. A ...