The ‘Money’ Category

For some time now, we’ve been talking to our clients about investing in emerging markets. There is no doubt that emerging market investments should form an integral part of a ‘growth’ portfolio.

Emerging markets are changing the way the world works by developing into global powerhouses.

Take your current level of income and multiply it by 70%. That’s what many people say they will need as a minimum to have a comfortable lifestyle in retirement. On top of that you will also need to allow for one off items such as replacing the family car every 5 years or so, as well as the occasional offshore adventure.

Healthier lifestyle choices and continual improvements in our medical care mean we are living longer, so our retirement provisioning will have to last a little longer than maybe it did for your parents

From the time the Tax Working Group released its long-awaited report on the design of the tax design, speculation has been rife on how the budget would fix a tax system which was widely regarded as “broken.”

Fundamentally for businesses, the enigma faced by government was how to balance the “big brother” comparisons with Australia, significant constraint through falling revenues and increasing expectations with the need to set businesses on the path to recovery.

New Zealand’s healthcare system has undergone significant changes in the last decade, some of which have lumbered primary healthcare providers with far greater administrative duties than before. The establishment of Primary Health Organisations and restructuring of ACC are classic examples.

Add increasingly complex healthcare regulations into the mix, and it’s clear that healthcare providers need a new level of practical business knowledge. Guess where that burden falls? That’s right – on the Practice Manager.

The property investment sector has been getting a hard time lately. In particular, criticism has been directed towards it by various groups reviewing or critiquing the tax system. Much has been made of the fact that, despite being an industry worth $200 billion, residential rental property owners have nonetheless recorded tax losses of $500 million.

An average of 32,000 new members have joined Kiwisaver each month in the last year. That’s an impressive growth rate of 54% over the last 12 months, exceeding most peoples expectations. At current growth rates by 2015 (in just five years) Kiwisaver funds under management are predicted to have reached the same level as retail funds, however there is still plenty of room for growth. Out of the 3.8 million New Zealander’s eligible to join Kiwisaver, so far only 1.2 million or 34% have signed up. Or to look at it another way there are still 66% of eligible New Zealanders missing out on the long term benefits that come from preparing themselves for retirement one day. From as early as 2012 Kiwisaver members will start to become eligible to receive their savings, and that is when they will be looking for high quality advice and service.