News and Helpful Articles

Protect your assets in 2025 with a family trust in New Zealand. With rising Auckland property prices and Trusts Act 2019 rules, a trust secures your Pukekohe farm or home. Arnet Law’s trust lawyers in Pukekohe guide you through setup: define purpose, choose trustees, draft a deed, and register with IRD. Avoid pitfalls like poor trustee selection. Learn trustee duties. Contact Arnet Law today to start your trust!

The overall concept of a Trust is simple. It is an arrangement that allows for a third party (i.e., Trustee), to hold assets on behalf of and for the benefit of another person or persons (a beneficiary or beneficiaries). A trustee might be appointed by someone to hold property in a family trust (also known as an inter vivos trust) or alternatively may be appointed in a person’s will (testamentary trust) to hold property and undertake duties in relation to it after a person h

Relationship Property DIY – It can be costly! As they say at Mitre 10: “DIY…it’s in our DNA!” But, when it comes to dividing relationship property following separation, DIY can be a costly mistake. The Property (Relationships) Act 1976 sets out the law relating to the division of property in the event of separation. It lays out the general expectation of equal sharing between couples. The Act also provides that couples can make their own rules relating to the division of prop

What is a Will? Your will is your last wishes detailing how you would like your assets to be distributed and who will look after the people you love. This legal document also specifies who you appoint to be responsible for carrying out these wishes when you are gone. Why do you need a Will? Everyone should have a valid will to ensure the management of your estate is handled with no complications and makes for an easy administration process following your death. If you pass w

What’s happening? The new Trust Act 2019 (“the Act”) comes into effect from January 2021. It is estimated there are over 500,000 trusts in New Zealand and the Act will have an extraordinary impact on thousands of New Zealanders This is a considerable time of change and there is significant work to be carried out in getting prepared for the changes, We want to ensure that our clients are ready for the changes before January 30, 2021 deadline, this leaves us less than 10 month

The Trusts Act 2019 , which came into effect in January 2021, introduced important changes affecting trustees and beneficiaries across New Zealand. If you’re a trustee or beneficiary in Pukekohe, South Auckland, or Waiheke, understanding these changes is crucial to ensure your trust complies with the law. Key Duties Imposed on Trustees The Act clearly defines mandatory duties that trustees must follow, some of which cannot be modified or excluded by a trust deed. These includ

Family trusts were once seen as the ultimate tool for asset protection. Many asset holders believed that by establishing a trust and transferring their assets into it, they could protect wealth from rest home care fees and reduce tax liabilities. However, the landscape has changed significantly. Changes in Gift Duty and Rest Home Care Subsidy Since gift duty was abolished in New Zealand, the amount that can be gifted to a family trust without being considered a deprivation of