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Fat Pocket Blog

Financial education and insights for New Zealand investors.

Featured Articles

FeaturedKiwiSaver

Understanding KiwiSaver: A Complete Guide for 2026

Everything you need to know about KiwiSaver - how it works, choosing funds, and maximizing your returns for retirement.

24 Feb 20263 min read

FeaturedProperty

First Home Buyer Guide: Everything You Need to Know in NZ

Navigate the NZ property market as a first home buyer. Learn about deposits, grants, KiwiSaver withdrawals, and getting mortgage-ready.

20 Feb 20264 min read

All Articles(22)

RBNZ calls for better data sharing between banks and insurers on home cover

The Reserve Bank is pushing for banks to track home insurance coverage across the full life of a mortgage, not just at settlement. The concern: affordability pressures and climate-driven insurance retreat could create hidden pockets of risk in bank loan books. [The Bank released its latest Financial Stability Report this week.](https://www.interest.co.nz/insurance/138373/reserve-bank-says-it-wants-banks-have-much-broader-sense-insurance-coverage-across)

7 May 20263 min read

reserve-bankinsurancebanks

RBNZ flags slower recovery as financial stability risks remain elevated

The Reserve Bank's six-monthly Financial Stability Report warns that global uncertainty and subdued domestic growth mean risks to the financial system remain higher than in recent years, even as banks and farmers show resilience.

6 May 20263 min read

reserve-bankfinancial-stabilityhousing-market

Personal Finance

NZ passes solar tipping point — what the numbers mean for households

Research from Rewiring Aotearoa suggests New Zealand has crossed the threshold where most households installing solar now save more than they spend. But accessing those savings depends heavily on financing arrangements.

5 May 20263 min read

solarenergyelectricity

Two-thirds of retailers expect to miss quarterly targets as fuel crisis bites

A Retail NZ survey finds most retailers have shifted from optimism at the start of the year to deep pessimism, with the Middle East fuel crisis now weighing on consumer spending and foot traffic.

4 May 20263 min read

retailfuel-crisisconsumer-confidence

Rental market at nine-year high for new tenancies — but rents edge slightly lower

February saw the most new residential tenancy agreements in nine years, with Auckland CBD apartments hitting a record high. Yet median rents dipped slightly, suggesting tenants have more choice than a year ago.

4 May 20263 min read

rental-markettenancy-servicesauckland

NZ vs Australia: who got the better deal from their EU trade agreements

New Zealand's EU trade deal has been running since May 2024, delivering an extra $3 billion in exports. With Australia's own EU agreement nearly finalised, the details of how the two deals compare are now public.

3 May 20264 min read

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Personal Finance

New free tool: calculate your FIF tax liability under all three IRD methods

A new browser-based calculator lets New Zealand investors compare their FIF tax bill under FDR, CV, and RAM methods — and see which approach is likely to produce the lowest liability for their situation.

2 May 20263 min read

fiftaxcalculator

NZ building consents rise for first time in three years — what's driving the uptick

The total value of building work consented rose 7.2% to $28.4 billion in the year to March — the first annual increase in three years. But the headline number doesn't tell the whole story about the sector's health.

1 May 20264 min read

building-consentsconstructionhousing-supply

ANZ business confidence tumbles as firms face a 'wall of worry'

ANZ's April business outlook survey showed a sharp swing from optimism to pessimism, with inflation expectations rising and firms warning hiring and investment decisions may be paused.

30 Apr 20264 min read

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ANZ forecasts small house price decline as mortgage rates keep rising

ANZ New Zealand's economists are sticking with a 2% house price fall this year, citing OCR hikes starting in July and persistent inflation pressure from oil prices as the main drags.

29 Apr 20263 min read

house-pricesocrmortgage-rates

Mum and dad investors pull back: what shrinking landlord activity means for the housing market

A record share of small investors plan to sell, with few looking to buy. The forces behind that shift — and what it means for market dynamics — go beyond sentiment.

28 Apr 20263 min read

housing-marketproperty-investorslandlords

Personal Finance

NZ's savings rate: bottom of the world — but is the comparison fair?

A widely shared graphic ranks New Zealand last among OECD nations for household savings. The picture is more complicated than the ranking suggests — and the long-term trend matters more than the snapshot.

27 Apr 20263 min read

savingshousehold-financeskiwisaver

NZ business sales hit record — who's buying and what's changed

A record 514 small and medium-sized businesses sold in the year to March 2026, up 21% on the prior year. The buyer profile is shifting, and AI anxiety is now showing up as a purchase driver.

26 Apr 20263 min read

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Personal Finance

FMA tracks bank OCR pass-through — but has no power to force changes

The FMA publishes how much of the OCR cuts banks pass through to mortgage borrowers, but acknowledges it has no legal power to make them pass on any particular amount.

25 Apr 20263 min read

banksmortgage-ratesocr

India-NZ free trade deal passes: what the $20 billion investment clause means

Labour's backing has given the India-New Zealand free trade agreement the numbers it needed to pass. One contested clause — a commitment to promote $20 billion of NZ private investment in India — has become the defining fight.

24 Apr 20263 min read

free-tradeindiafta

Moody's downgrades NZ outlook: what the credit rating change means

Moody's has shifted New Zealand's credit outlook to negative from stable, while keeping its top AAA rating. Here's what that distinction means and why it matters.

23 Apr 20264 min read

credit-ratingnew-zealand-economymoodys

How CPI Inflation Is Measured in New Zealand

How Stats NZ compiles the Consumers Price Index, what the basket actually contains, and how the CPI feeds into Reserve Bank policy decisions.

21 Apr 20262 min read

inflationcpistats-nz

Understanding Imputation Credits on NZX Dividends

Imputation credits are a key feature of the New Zealand tax system for shareholders. This article explains how these credits work to prevent double taxation on company profits distributed as dividends.

21 Apr 20263 min read

dividendsimputationnzx

How the Official Cash Rate (OCR) Is Set in New Zealand

A short explainer on how New Zealand's Official Cash Rate is decided, who decides it, and the mechanical path from an OCR change to commercial interest rates.

21 Apr 20262 min read

ocrrbnzmonetary-policy

Understanding KiwiSaver: A Complete Guide for 2026

Everything you need to know about KiwiSaver - how it works, choosing funds, and maximizing your returns for retirement.

24 Feb 20263 min read

kiwisaverretirementinvesting

First Home Buyer Guide: Everything You Need to Know in NZ

Navigate the NZ property market as a first home buyer. Learn about deposits, grants, KiwiSaver withdrawals, and getting mortgage-ready.

20 Feb 20264 min read

first-homepropertymortgage

ETFs vs Index Funds: Which is Right for NZ Investors?

Understand the differences between ETFs and index funds, and learn which investment vehicle suits your goals.

15 Feb 20264 min read

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