Yesterday (9 September 2020) Labour announced a new tax rate of 39% on personal income exceeding $180,000 per annum. Key points that we know so far:•    Applies to individuals only, i.e. an individual on a salary of, say, $200,000 will pay an additional $1,200 per annum•    It does not apply to combined household income, i.e. a couple each earning ... More 

Often business owners need to approach the bank for money, for example to put into their business. This is a perfectly normal part of running a business. However, there is something that many business owners are unaware of, which could jeopardise their relationship with the bank and therefore their chances of borrowing any more money in the future.  When ... More 

While some people are still concerned about the property market and are cautious about investing, it is my opinion that now is a great time to invest in Auckland. Why do I say that? For a number of reasons, which I outline below.  1. Low interest rates Interest rates are at record lows, and chances are they will stay ... More 

Depreciation is the reduction in value of an asset over time due to wear and tear. In New Zealand, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) allows depreciation on certain items to be claimed as a type of expense for income tax, so it is beneficial to understand what it can be applied to.  In accountancy, depreciation refers to two aspects ... More 

Last week the Government introduced the Covid-19 Response (Taxation and Other Regulatory Urgent Measures) Bill. This bill contains a number of provisions, including the introduction of a loss carry-back scheme whereby a business can carry a loss back to a prior period to offset the prior period’s profits. Thus the business can get a refund of the tax paid ... More 

It is a requirement in New Zealand for parties to provide their IRD numbers when buying or selling real estate (whether as an individual or through another entity such as a company or trust). Normally this does not pose any sort of problem. However, there will be significant issues if you are selling a property that has been generating ... More 

Recently New Zealand passed legislation which we are finding is affecting many clients, especially individuals, trusts and companies. For this reason, it's important you are aware of the new law and how it will affect you. Purpose and objective of new legislation  The law recently enacted is called the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009, commonly ... More 

As investors become increasingly aware of how much the lending landscape has changed from that of a few years ago, a question I am receiving a lot is, “When will we see the banks relax mortgage lending criteria again?” Whilst we saw the slight relaxing of LVR restrictions at the start of the year, over roughly the same period ... More 

At Property Ventures we are increasing our focus on new builds as investments because we see tremendous advantages from a financing perspective. Not only do investors get pristine new and low maintenance properties in better areas, they get the benefit of 80% LVRs and tax advantages from higher chattel depreciation.   These smart tax and finance benefits make investing ... More