A power of attorney (POA) can be a difficult topic on several levels, especially for those who don't or won't understand it because they don't think anyone should act on their behalf. Or in the case of an offspring, have their eyes on a financial prize when the elder departs.
The top 10 excuses we make about bad money decisions
Human beings have an astounding facility for self-deception when it comes to their own money. People who make bad money decisions can often rationalise them. Here are 10 common excuses.
Q and A: Canadian pension expert Barry LaValley
Canadian retirement expert, author and founder of the Retirement Lifestyle Center Barry LaValley was in Hawke's Bay this week, talking to clients of the Hastings-based Stewart Group, and addressing about 60 people at a public meeting on retirement issues in Hastings.
Secrets to happy retirement are right here
Retirement ought to be a happy time. You can set your own schedule, take long holidays, and start spending all the money you've been saving.
The vacationer's guide to investing
Two colleagues went on holiday separately. One had a great time. The other had a miserable experience. Their respective stories provide valuable lessons, not just about taking a vacation, but about investment.
Reece's story...
Reece was a fit, healthy young guy with a busy life and a young family. He had an active, physical job as a builder and was a keen sportsman - a yachtsman, cyclist and runner who had recently completed his first marathon. At 38, life was good. Until…
Thousands of bank accounts closed due to foreign information sharing law
Thousands of bank accounts are frozen. It is now a legal requirement for banks, some investment managers, managed trusts and certain brokers to identify their customers who are foreign tax residents and send their financial information to Inland Revenue.
The Value of Portfolio Modelling Simulations in Financial Planning
As part of our financial planning process, when clients have to make important decisions, we like to “stress test” their plan. One of the tools that we may use is a Monte Carlo simulation.
Financial plan is like a voyage - so have navigator onboard
Embarking on a financial plan is like sailing around the world. The voyage won't always go to plan and there will be rough seas, but those who are prepared, flexible, patient and well advised greatly increase the odds of reaching their destinations.
FMA: Investor confidence research 2018
The Financial Markets Authority released its annual survey into the public’s attitude to financial markets. The survey highlights that the least understood investment types are those associated with high risk and 80% of respondents aged 18-29 have a KiwiSaver investment.
NZ and its ongoing property obsession
It's on TV; it's on the radio, it's in the newspapers and online. It seems everyone is buying it, making money from it or renovating it. The data providers have been pushing down the timing on their price indices from monthly to weekly to daily updates.
Let World Cup teach you investment lessons
Belgium, France, England, or Croatia? Which football team are you betting on this World Cup? If you are a stock investor and an avid football fan, the soccer field can be a good place for a few investment lessons.
Rare Te Mata Estate Coleraine Vertical donated by Stewart Group
Stewart Group has donated a Te Mata Coleraine Vertical of 32 vintages (1982–2016) from their private collection, all due to be auctioned at this year's Hawke's Bay Wine Auction pre-tasting event in October.
KiwiSaver: Can your investment path be improved?
When KiwiSaver was established on July 1, 2007, the scepticism it had faced turned out to be unfounded. In a little over a year, more than one million people had signed up.
Is health insurance worth it?
Private health insurance helps with the cost of many non-urgent procedures and provides prompt access to private hospitals for the treatment.
Your tax data is ripe for Artificial Intelligence
What if organisations could automate tax classification and verification work that currently takes thousands of man-hours to complete? Or process millions of transaction records within seconds?
The wine lover's guide to investing
Just as winemakers don't have any say over the weather, investment managers can't control the markets. Savouring a vintage wine is one of life's great pleasures. But often overlooked in the joy of consumption is the carefully calibrated journey from grape to glass. Similar levels of care are critical to good investment outcomes.
The Devil wears nada
The global fashion industry is fickle by nature, pushing and then pulling trends to keep hapless consumers forever turning over their wardrobes. Some people in the financial services industry work the same way.
Busy investing is not smart investing
A big part of the financial services industry has a vested interest in convincing you that the key to a successful investment experience is staying busy. Where you stand in the debate about staying "busy" by thinking like a trader often depends on whether you see investment as the means to an end or as an end in itself!
Take harder look at advisers' cosy commissions
Have you ever asked your financial adviser a raft of questions like ... "In the advice you are giving me today are there any benefits you are going to receive?" It's is worth asking!
