Are you considering buying an avocado orchard, or selling the one you have?  If so, it is important that you obtain the right legal, accounting and industry advice, and carry out comprehensive due diligence before proceeding.

​What is the new Trusts Act 2019 all about?
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The Trusts Act 2019 (Act) came into force on 30 January 2021 replacing the 1956 Act and reforming trust law in New Zealand.  The intention is to simplify trust law and ensure that it is more transparent and more accessible to the general public.

​If you have a trust which has either come to the end of its life or you wish to wind up early, we can assist and take you through the steps to bring that trust to an end.

​Not every dispute goes to a court.  Many are dealt with at tribunals.  Tribunals are not like a formal court.  You represent yourself at the hearing and the hearing does not involve lawyers or a judge.  A third (independent) party - an adjudicator - listens to each party’s information about the dispute and looks at any documentation provided then makes a decision.  

​Buying or selling a farm is a major undertaking.  It is a complex matter and, if buying, it is essential that comprehensive due diligence is carried out before any decision is made to proceed.  In this article we will discuss the areas which a due diligence should cover.

Doing anything for the first time can be daunting and the process of purchasing your first home is often no exception; but it doesn’t have to be! At Hamertons, we work with everyone from first home buyers to experienced investors, and we understand that first home buyers often need help when it comes to entering the market. With so much to learn throughout the process we want your first home purchase to be an exciting and rewarding learning experience.

​Are you starting a new relationship and bringing assets into that relationship which you want to protect?  Are you and your spouse separating and in need of assistance in dividing your property?  What is the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 (PRA) and does it affect you? 

​Are you thinking about setting up Enduring Powers of Attorney for yourself? Do you understand why these are even necessary? Maybe you are waiting for the “right time” to put them in place. Whatever the case, forward planning when it comes to EPAs means that you have them in place well before they need to be used. 

​On 1 July 2021, the new Purchase Price Allocation Rules (PPA) came into effect. These new rules are aimed at stopping taxpayers from allocating asset values in a way that gives them a more favourable tax outcome when buying and selling assets. The rules do this by allowing one party to decide the price allocation if the parties do not record the allocation in a written agreement.  

​Our friends at Mata Brewery have had an amazing business success story that’s too good not to share. From brewing as a passionate hobby back in 2004, to today where the team medalled at the recent NZ Cider Awards, the company’s successes go from good to great!
 
Tammy Vitakangas and her team (including her Mum and Dad) put good old Kiwi ingenuity to work and managed to purchase second-hand brewing equipment in Wellington and decided to set up their brewery in Kawerau in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.  They sold their first bottle of Mata beer in December 2005 and Mata beer was born. 

​If you are driving over the holiday period, it pays to ensure you are not caught out by drink driving laws.
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In Aotearoa New Zealand the alcohol limit for drivers under the age of 20 is zero.  For drivers aged 20 and over, the legal alcohol limit is 250 micrograms (“mcg”) of alcohol per litre of breath.  If you elect to give a blood sample, the limit is 50 milligrams (“mg”) per 100 millilitres (“ml”) of blood.

​As a Family Lawyer, I often see clients at their lowest points, particularly when they are feeling the most vulnerable, anxious and stressed. These negative feelings may be felt during a parenting dispute, relationship breakup, family violence, death of a loved one or when someone important to them has lost mental capacity.  Even if you are not going through one of these struggles the events of the past year and a half as well as the lead up to the silly season may lead you to feel increasingly fatigued and worried about the future.  For this reason, I have compiled a list of top tips I use and often tell my clients about to keep myself mentally well and prepared for my next challenge.