Legal

It’s one of the biggest challenges facing the country’s health system – one that will cost the economy $4.5 billion and affect more than 170,000 New Zealanders by 2050. It’s dementia, and 91% of New Zealanders are frightened of it, according to a new survey by Public Trust and Dementia …

The number of people aged over 65 years is predicted to grow to over one million and to make up more than 20% of the population by 2020. New Zealand’s aging population has resulted in new and complex legal issues. Longer lifespans, blended families, sunset relationships and a variety of …

With advances in medicine resulting in people living generally longer, there is a greater need for robust procedures to be in place to protect us as we age. A common concern is what happens when we are no longer able to make our own decisions. Loss of capacity brought on …

People may know that they are entitled to have funds set aside for a pre-paid funeral. What many people may not be aware of are the different options that exist and the amount that each person is allowed to set aside for their funeral which will not be included in …

The current legal landscape in New Zealand For many years trusts have been used as an important tool for asset protection and estate planning in New Zealand. In the 1990s there was a boom in the number of family trusts established in New Zealand. A significant reason for this was …

Many people put off making a Will – but if you die without a properly made Will, you are said to have died intestate. In this situation your estate will be settled according to the provisions of the Administration Act. The Act divides your estate in set proportions amongst your …

As lawyers, we are required to meet with our clients and take their instructions in order to help them complete the particular legal task(s) they are planning.  Sometimes when we do this, we need to take a little extra time to consider our client’s legal or mental capacity to make …