30 July 2019 was an important milestone in the land of trusts. That was the date the Trust Act 2019 became law in New Zealand. One of the objectives of this new law is to provide for greater transparency and accountability by trustees to beneficiaries. This..
Read ArticleTrusts hail from medieval times and one can be forgiven for thinking current trust law has been on our statute books since that time too. A combination of legislation, common law judgements and equity maxims result in the law being antiquated and complex. This frequently..
Read ArticleA labyrinth case, involving legal proceedings spanning a decade, has finally made its way through four courts. The ultimate judgement delivered by the Supreme Court is probably one of the most ground breaking decisions in respect of trusts and relationship property that this country has..
Read ArticleIt is a common misconception that you have to live with someone for three years or more, and they have to make a direct contribution to the assets acquired during the relationship, before they're entitled to bring a relationship property claim. Possibly this mistaken belief..
Read ArticleEvery parent wants their children to have an equally good if not better life than what they've lived. To achieve that objective, parents tend to work hard to build up assets so they have something to leave their children when they die. This is done with..
Read ArticleWe all know trust law is a moving beast. The Court of Appeal recently demonstrated this when it released a judgement that had professional trustees using their little grey cells and thinking hard about their clients. The case involved a fairly traditional marriage, of reasonably..
Read ArticleMost people are aware that from 1 October 2015, residential property (with some exceptions) that is bought and sold within a two-year period will attract tax payable on capital gains made. This rule will apply to equally to individuals, companies and trusts. If a property..
Read ArticleMost people understand that when a motor vehicle is sold, the owner of the car has to sign the sale papers. These days, the buyer also has to sign the sale papers. The same analogy applies to houses owned by a trust. Vendors and purchasers have to..
Read ArticleOne of the largest value assets most people hold is their home. Trusts are no exception to this. Frequently, the biggest asset a trust holds is the family home and bach the beneficiaries live in. Trustees have lots of legal duties they must satisfy and one..
Read ArticleMy wife and I attended the Leaders event. It was a good day and a really good range of topics were included. Thank you for putting it on. - Graham C, May 2018
Investing in residential property?
If you're investing in residential property, seeking to maximise your ability to succeed and minimise risk, then this is a 'must read'.
Matthew Gilligan provides a fresh look at residential property investment from an experienced investor’s viewpoint. Written in easy to understand language and including many case studies, Matthew explains the ins and outs of successful property investment.