Leading into 2020, not many would have predicted a year like we’ve had. December is a time to take stock and look to the year ahead. 

The New Privacy Act is set to transform how businesses treat personal data. The Privacy Act 2020 is an important step toward providing Kiwis with the data security they need to confidently operate in a data-driven digital society. In this article we discuss what you need to know about the new act.

It’s rare to be able to get everyone together at the same time and place. For many of us, the holidays are the only time that we can count on to see one another. While it might not be the most pleasant topic for discussion around the BBQ this Boxing Day, a clear and updated estate plan may well be the greatest gift you can offer your family.

Nine months after COVID-19 first caused the global economy to go into crisis, its economic effects in New Zealand have proven persistent, with both inflation and employment expected to remain below the remit targets. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s monetary policy statement for November indicates that despite this, the country has proven more resilient than expected. 

Other Material Information disclosure documents (OMIs) should not be relegated to playing poor cousins of Product Disclosure Statements (PDSs).  These additional disclosure documents do not get their fair share of credit due for the invaluable role they play in the creation of effective financial product disclosure, informed investors, and efficient markets.

For many New Zealanders the dream of achieving financial freedom, protecting the wealth they built, and passing it on intact feels unattainable. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. People who make use of professional financial advice reliably achieve much better outcomes, saving 3.7% more of their earnings, and holding 50% more in their KiwiSaver than those who don’t.

Recent drivers of the share returns in the US and NZ are the large companies that make up a significant portion of each market. In this article we delve deeper into the ways market concentration can affect your portfolio now and, in the past, and how we can try to manage the risk this presents.

2020 has been at best a turbulent year for people and businesses in New Zealand as it has been around the world. This has affected every aspect of our lives, including our investments. For many New Zealanders, the largest and most important of these is their KiwiSaver accounts.

In this article we examine the significance of SIPOs and review the FMA’s messaging on what it expects of fund managers and their Supervisors in relation to this important form of public disclosure.

Trustees Executors Limited (‘Trustees Executors’) has formally removed Fund Managers Otago Limited (‘FMO’) as the manager of three managed investment funds.