Mortgages
Should I fix or float my mortgage in 2026?
The textbook answer is "fix when rates are falling, float when they're rising." The real answer is more interesting and depends on what you can stomach.
Craig Coupland · CFP
10 May 2026 · 8 min read
Reference
NZ finance jargon glossary
LVR, DTI, OCR, swap rate, CCCFA, Bright-line, PIR, FAP, FSP, FDRS, MIE. Thirty-odd terms, plain-English definitions, and what each one means for you.
Craig Coupland · CFP
2 May 2026 · 14 min read
First home
The First Home Withdrawal mistake we see most often
It's not the size of your KiwiSaver. It's the timing of when you tell the bank about it. Three real client examples and the fix.
Craig Coupland · CFP
22 Apr 2026 · 7 min read
KiwiSaver
Why most NZers are in the wrong KiwiSaver fund
About a third of KiwiSaver members are in a default conservative fund they were auto-enrolled into. For most of them, that costs roughly six figures by retirement.
Craig Coupland · CFP
8 Apr 2026 · 8 min read
Insurance
ACC vs income protection: what you're actually covered for
If you're employed and earning, you have ACC. You might think that covers you. It covers about a third of the things that stop people working long-term.
Craig Coupland · CFP
26 Mar 2026 · 7 min read
Mortgages
Breaking a fixed mortgage early: when the maths actually works
Banks calculate break costs to discourage you. Sometimes the cashback and new rate still make it the right call. Here's the calculator we use.
Craig Coupland · CFP
19 Mar 2026 · 8 min read
Mortgages
How much can I really borrow in NZ?
Online calculators give you a fantasy number. Banks use a servicing test rate of around 9% on the loan and a UCCC living-cost figure that may not match yours. Here's the real maths.
Craig Coupland · CFP
4 Mar 2026 · 8 min read
OCR Watch
Swap rates, OCR, and what actually moves your mortgage
The OCR moves seven times a year. Your mortgage rate moves with swap rates, which move daily. Here's the linkage in plain English.
Craig Coupland · CFP
26 Feb 2026 · 7 min read
First home
The Kāinga Ora First Home Loan, explained plainly
Buy with a 5% deposit at the same interest rate. Caps, eligibility, the LMI question, and the three traps we see at application.
Craig Coupland · CFP
14 Feb 2026 · 8 min read
Life events
Just made redundant? The first three money moves.
Before the next job hunt, before the LinkedIn post, before anything: there are three financial things to do in the first 48 hours. Most people skip two of them.
Craig Coupland · CFP
3 Feb 2026 · 7 min read
Mortgages
The refinance cashback math, explained
Banks are offering $4,000 to $7,000 of cashback to switch. When is it worth the break cost? Here's the simple formula we use.
Craig Coupland · CFP
28 Jan 2026 · 7 min read
Investment
The Bright-line test for property investors: what 2026 looks like
The Bright-line period for residential property is now two years. Interest deductibility is back to 100%. Here's how the picture has changed for an investor in 2026.
Craig Coupland · CFP
20 Jan 2026 · 8 min read
Insurance
Health insurance in NZ, explained without jargon
What it pays for. What it doesn't. The five major insurers. Why premiums climb every year. And when it's worth it.
Craig Coupland · CFP
15 Jan 2026 · 8 min read
KiwiSaver
KiwiSaver at 65: what changes, what to do
At 65 the rules quietly change. Employer contributions become optional. Member tax credits stop. Withdrawal becomes possible. Most people don't notice and lose money quietly.
Craig Coupland · CFP
15 Dec 2025 · 7 min read
Insurance
Why $110,000 of surgery cost one of our clients nothing
A real claim from our book, real timeline, real numbers. What private health cover actually does when public waitlists run to 18 months.
Craig Coupland · CFP
4 Dec 2025 · 6 min read