http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz en-us Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:18:21 +1300 Rocketspark http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/170906/open-banking--how-might-it-work-for-you/ Diana Clement – NZ Herald, 20 September 2026Open banking is here. What can you do to make the most of it?For years, using third-party financial apps in New Zealand meant breaking your bank’s terms of service and handing over private passwords.Not anymore. Driven by new law, open banking has quietly arrived, giving Kiwis a safer, seamless way to budget, borrow and build wealth without the traditional paperwork.After years of a slow crawl, New Zealand’s banking system has officially been dra... Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:43:03 +1200 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post170906 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/170903/kiwisaver--tough-for-self-employed/ Nadine Higgins – NZ Herald, 2 August 2026Sole traders save half as much as employees due to scheme designKiwiSaver has become a hot topic before November’s election, after National’s policy sparked debate about compulsion, contribution rates, and the retirement age.But no one is talking enough about the large and growing number of New Zealanders being left behind in retirement savings: the self-employed.KiwiSaver was designed around the payroll system and its strongest features – automat... Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:33:03 +1200 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post170903 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/170902/investment-market-update/ Investment markets have remained surprisingly resilient during 2026, despite continuing geopolitical uncertainty, higher oil prices and renewed concerns about inflation and interest rates.International share marketsThe US share market continues to be supported by relatively strong corporate earnings and substantial investment in artificial intelligence, data centres and technology infrastructure. Technology and semiconductor companies have been particular beneficiaries.However, valuations in par... Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:27:36 +1200 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post170902 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/167465/why-auckland-public-hospital-specialists-should-maintain-meaningful-exposure-to-growth-investments-throughout-retirement/ By John Tonkin, July 2026Auckland’s public hospital specialists occupy a unique financial position.Whether you work at Auckland City Hospital, Greenlane Clinical Centre, Starship, Middlemore, North Shore, Waitākere or one of the region’s specialist services, your career has probably followed a familiar path—many years of university, specialist training, fellowships, relatively late entry into peak earning years and an exceptionally demanding workload.Unlike many professionals, most specia... Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:59:22 +1200 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post167465 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/167463/why-every-new-zealand-public-hospital-specialist-should-have-a-current-will-and-enduring-power-of-attorney/ By John Tonkin, July 2026As a financial adviser, I spend a great deal of time helping public hospital specialists build wealth, protect their families, and prepare for retirement. One area that is often overlooked, however, is estate planning.Many doctors have excellent investment portfolios, substantial KiwiSaver balances, insurance cover and valuable family assets. Yet surprisingly, some have Wills that are years out of date—or no Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) at all.These documents are j... Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:43:10 +1200 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post167463 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/167462/health-wealthy-and-wise/ Mary Holm - NZ Herald, 13 June 2026Should you pay the rising health insurance premiums or bank the money to fund future premiums? Mary Holm explains the savviest approach for your wallet and well-being.Is health insurance worth it? It's a frequent question. Whether it's friends asking over coffee, people attending seminars, or writers to my Weekend Herald Q&A column, people ask me whether they really need health insurance.“After all, you can get free healthcare in this country,” the argu... Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:32:50 +1200 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post167462 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/163104/should-you-nuke-your-mortgage/ ... Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:36:29 +1300 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post163104 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/163102/the-benefits-of-a-pie-structure/ The Benefits of a PIE Structure which is what your Superannuation and KiwiSaver plans are.If you’re a Senior Medical Officer (SMO) working at Health NZ in Auckland, you’re likely in a high-income tax bracket (33% or 39%)­ — and that’s exactly where Portfolio Investment Entities (PIEs) can be especially useful.Here’s a clear breakdown of the key benefits, tailored to your situation:1)       Lower tax rate (biggest advantage)PIE income is taxed at your Pres... Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:24:13 +1300 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post163102 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/163101/does-buying-an-ev-make-financial-sense/ Petrol crisis is seeing many drivers eyeing a green alternativeNadine Higgins - Herald on Sunday. March 29, 2026.If you're having a coronary every time you visit the petrol station, you're probably — like me — considering whether now is the time to buy an electric vehicle. The last fill of our family car cost $200 (after four stops to even find fuel when the tank was empty — a new kind of range anxiety).I am the last person you should turn to for car advice (as evidenced by the fact I rece... Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:14:42 +1300 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post163101 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/post/159423/wall-st-bets-on-fourth-year-of-gains/ All 21 strategists surveyed tip S&P 500 to rise in 2026Sargarika Jaisinghani and Alexandra Semenov – Weekend Herald, 3 Jan 2026... Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:42:51 +1300 http://www.tonkinfinancial.co.nz/blog/#post159423