Growing older is expensive - much more expensive than most people realise.

When you or a loved one either decides to move into aged care or is forced to do so, the Ministry of Social Development will quickly swoop in to flip through all their finances.

Any assets, gifted funds, trusts, even living rent free - it's all looked at and impacts their chances of government-subsidised care.

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Relationships cost money.

It's not just about date nights at expensive restaurants, fancy shoes, or a new watch for Valentine's Day.

It's moving in together, splitting the power bill, signing on to the rent. At what point in the relationship should you join your finances, and how should you go about it?

Then there's the other side of the relationship - the part no one tends to plan for. The end of it.

Are prenups just for the ultra-wealthy, or should we all have gotten one?

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As you get older, your health becomes more and more of a worry, so life insurance seems like a no-brainer. But is it? Do you really need it after the mortgage is paid and the kids are on their own?

And what policies are must-haves, against ones that are just nice to have?

Financial Author Martin Hawes joins Tim Beveridge to give his insurance advice and explain the pros and cons of different policies.

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Confidence in New Zealand's rural sector has really started recovering over the past year or so.

Stabilising interest rates, great dairy results, and promising meat exports have formed a foundation for what will hopefully be a successful 2026.

Confidence dropped slightly in the last quarter of last year, but it's still much higher than it has been over previous years.

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Often trust have been seen to be province of the uber wealthy. But are they? And often people don't think about this issue until it is too late

So when should we think about these issues - our family. inheritances and what's gonna happen to our money when we aren't around to look after it?

Managing Director for New Zealand Family Trust Services Limited Janet Xuccoa joins Tim Beveridge to give her advice on trust accounts, and how they should be used.

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Last week the Reserve Bank dropped the OCR 25 basis points to 2.25%, but their tone was a bit more hawkish than usual.

Some analysts are thinking it's a signal that rates have gone as low as the RBNZ is willing to drop them - and the new Governor may be wanting to turn a new leaf in 2026.

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We got another OCR cut this week - now down to 2.25% - the lowest it's been since June of 2022.

That was the last one for the year, so a lot of us mortgage holders are trying to figure out whether things are slowing down, and if it's time to fix for a longer term this time around.

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Queues at budgeting services are getting longer, and financial advisors are finding households with increasing incomes are seeking help.

Kiwis with a household income of over $200,000 a year and likely with a mortgage are struggling to make ends meet.

It feels like it was only a few years ago that being on a six figure salary meant you were fairly well off, but it seems it's barely enough to get out of living paycheck to paycheck these days.

So what actually is a liveable wage these days? Do we truly need to be making half a million a year just to pay our bills and still have a bit left over for savings and fun?

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