Articles

Richard and Sally thought they had everything sorted – Wills in place and legal affairs in order. But life happened and things changed. Richard’s executor moved overseas, making estate management difficult. Their daughter Sarah developed a gambling problem, raising concerns about her inheritance and Sally inherited a holiday home in Australia, only ...

Summer is finally here and property purchasers and vendors are coming out of the woodwork and are eager to move! The Reserve Bank announced a further drop in the OCR (official cash rate) to 4.25%. With the warmer weather and drop in the OCR we should see a positive increase in activity ...

After years of remote working in the wake of Covid, how feasible is it for employers to order their employees to return to the office? In recent months, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced his expectation that government departments enforce stricter rules around working from home, citing that it would boost productivity. ...

Christmas is all about family, but for separated parents, the holiday season can bring its own set of challenges. Ensuring a joyful holiday for your children starts with understanding your rights and responsibilities. Under the Care of Children Act 2004, the welfare and best interests of the child are paramount. If you ...

In New Zealand around 1500 people die every year without a Will. If this is you, and your estate is worth more than $15,000, this could cause more headaches and stress for your loved ones. It can also be expensive, delay distribution and complicate the Administration process. Furthermore, when you die without ...

How many of us have accepted a job offer, received the employment agreement to peruse, only to notice that the agreement includes a restraint of trade clause? How many of us hold the belief that such clauses are not worth the paper they are written on? If you have held this belief, ...

Refinancing your mortgage is a decision that should be made carefully, considering both the current economic environment and your personal financial situation. With the recent decrease in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from 5.5% to 5.25%, many homeowners are asking if now is the right time to refinance. There are signs that ...

With the wave of changes implemented by Governments over the last few years and legal cases where former partners have successfully attacked an ex-partner’s Trust, it may have crossed your mind whether Trusts still have a purpose and if so, are they worthwhile. There has also been a noticeable increase in the ...

Gone are the days of handshake deals and simple paper agreements. In today’s digital era, contracts have moved online, making it more crucial than ever to understand the fine print—the terms and conditions often glossed over in the rush to click “agree.” This shift to electronic contracts offers numerous benefits but also ...

Airbnb and other similar peer-to peer accommodation platforms are a great way to earn income by renting out your whole property or an unoccupied space in your home. However, listing a property comes with several responsibilities which the owners, being individuals or trustees, must watch out for. Income Tax Airbnb rental income ...

While most of us don’t think about it, we will all pass away. And most of us don’t know when. So it is important to have our affairs in order just in case the unthinkable happens. Many young people in particular will argue that they have so few assets they don’t need ...

The Sale and Purchase Agreement can be a daunting document for first home buyers. That is why we strongly recommend first home buyers seek independent legal advice from us before making an offer. Here, we have provided seven tips that ca n help ensure you’re sorted before signing an agreement to buy ...

To guarantee or not to guarantee… It seems impossible for the current and upcoming generation of young adults to enter the property market with the cost of housing in today’s market and the stringent rules put in place by New Zealand’s banking institutions. The current rules surrounding deposits for any prospective buyer ...

Schnauer and Co has been providing pro bono assistance to Julie Chapman and the Pet Refuge to get this most worthwhile cause off the ground. You can read more about New Zealand’s first shelter for pets affected by domestic violence here.

If you have a trust or are a trustee of a trust, you need to be aware of the changes to trust law that will be brought by the Trusts Act 2019 which will apply to new and existing trusts. The Act will come into force on 30 January 2021, replacing the ...

Each year approximately $1.35 billion from the proceeds of fraud and illegal drugs is laundered through every day New Zealand businesses. For this reason and since the introduction of Anti-Money Laundering Legislation that has applied to lawyers since 1 July 2018, we have drastically expanded our efforts to better protect you, your ...