Law Corner

09/09/2026

Do you have a special place to keep all your important papers? Maybe it is a box under your bed or that dusty shelf above the fridge. Or is your Birth Certificate folded into 16 little squares and slowly wearing away? (Yes we have seen it all! 😁)

If you have a teenager about to finish school, how about putting together a Turning-18 Pack? It could be a clear folder that includes their birth certificate, IRD number, proof of citizenship/residency, and school achievement certificates. Having these original documents kept safe will help when they apply for their first job or home loan.

03/09/2026

Hooray for Spring! So good to have the warmer weather back with us.

Something that's even better than warmer weather for our team is the wonderful comments and feedback we receive from you every week. Thank you! 🥰

26/08/2026

Wills are like insurance, in that they both provide certainty around uncertain future events.

Except when insurers talk about the possibility of a total loss situation, we all nod our heads and tell ourselves that it won’t happen to us.

We know it is not always easy to talk about making a Will. But we also know that having these conversations early can save a lot of cost and stress for you and your family later on.

If you are 18 years or older, and have KiwiSaver or any other asset worth $40,000 or more, get in touch! We don't have any forms for you to fill out. Instead, we will connect you to one of our lawyers to have a discussion with you about what you want to include in your Will.

19/08/2026

Want to know some of the options available to you for your future? Information sessions are being held at Palmerston North City Library and other venues all across the country for . This is an opportunity to hear important and relevant information, and you can bring your family or friends along.

The Lychway Funeral Directors are also hosting an open day on 12th September (see link for more information). It's much easier to take in what they have to offer when you aren't there for a service. Link is in the comments.

Big thanks to our local, Laura Sweetman Independent Funeral Director for all your work around this. You're amazing! 🥰

17/08/2026

How does settlement day work anyway?

Settlement day is the agreed day that the property changes ownership. Most probably you will have already signed all the paperwork with your lawyer and made sure your keys (if you are the seller) and your money (if you are the purchaser) are all in the right hands ready to be exchanged. Your lawyers exchange binding promises with each other to swap the purchase monies for the ownership and keys as soon as both of them are ready. The deadline is 4pm but many settlements are completed before lunchtime.

Both of your banks are working hard in the background as well. Settlement cannot be completed until they are ready too. The purchasers' new loans need to be activated on settlement day and if your bank offered you a cash contribution, that will usually be paid to you at the same time. Banking teams start this work from as early as 3am! Once the banks finish setting up all the new loans, they set to work on the final work to be done to allow the sellers' old mortgages to be taken off the title. Exact repayment amounts are calculated and advised to the sellers' lawyers before settlement can go ahead.

We cannot usually predict what time your settlement will be completed and the keys to your new home released to you. However you can be sure that everyone is working hard to prioritise getting it completed. Late afternoon settlements are usually able to be avoided through careful coordination, and anytime before lunchtime is a win!

12/08/2026

Did you know this is how rural street addresses are numbered? Many of our local clients will know!

Rural road numbers have a hidden logic. They aren't picked out of a hat. 🎩

Unlike many urban streets, where numbers often run 1, 3, 5 on one side and 2, 4, 6 on the other, rural property numbers are usually based on distance along the road.

That's why numbers on rural roads can sometimes look like they "skip".

For example:

Property number 630 🏡

Approximately 6.3 kilometres from the start of the road 📍

And because 630 is an even number, it will usually be on the right-hand side of the road. An odd number would usually be on the left. ↔️

The numbering works in 10 metre increments, helping make rural properties easier to find.

That matters more than you might think. A well-designed addressing system helps emergency services, delivery drivers, utility providers, contractors and visitors get to the right place quickly and accurately. 🚑📦🚚⚡

So next time you pass a rural letterbox with a large number on it, you'll know it's doing more than identifying a property. It's helping people find it.

Local councils allocate property numbers and road names. LINZ helps make sure they meet national addressing standards and keeps the official national record.

What's the highest rural property number you've seen? 💬

10/08/2026

More and more of our younger Kiwis have growing KiwiSaver balances but have not put a Will in place. Are you one of them?

If you pass away without a Will, your immediate family can request that your KiwiSaver balance be paid towards your funeral costs and to your family. If you don't leave a valid Will, default legal provisions will apply and your family will need to cooperate with each other to make sure your assets are directed where the law says. This is usually to your creditors, then your partner or spouse, then your children, and if you have neither then to your parents, or your siblings. It won't matter if you got on well with them or not.

If any of your assets have a value of $40,000 or more, your family will require approval from the High Court before they can access your accounts. This is where our younger friends and family members often forget that their KiwiSaver balance can trigger this requirement. The process is similar to Probate (proving/confirming your Will) but it is more expensive, and takes longer, as your family will need to prove to the Court who your entitled family members are according to the law and that you didn't leave a Will.

We can help you create a Will that nominates the people you want to administer your estate and the people you want to benefit from it. You don't have to have this all figured out before you talk with us. Contact us for a confidential chat and we will identify your wishes together.

05/08/2026

To everyone who likes our posts, gives us feedback, leaves a Google review, and refers their friends, thank you!

🌟 "we always felt well-informed"
🌟 "attention to detail"
🌟 "professional, friendly, relaxed"
🌟 "explains things clearly"

Your comments and referrals mean a lot to us 🥰

02/08/2026

Our clients often comment on our pens and our sunny location, and we love it! It is our aim to always serve our clients with legal services that are people-focused and easy to understand.

We help people all across the country make sense of the legalese so they can buy and sell homes in an informed way. Our costs are value-based so you do not need to worry about asking "just one more question". We also help to simplify the barriers that come with making Wills, so your estate can be administered in a way that matters to you.

Check out our website for more info: www.lawcorner.nz