Restraint of trade clauses are common in the sale and purchase of a business and in some employment agreements. In a business context, they offer protection to a buyer who has acquired a business and prevent the seller from directly competing against the buyer
Read MoreWith tightening rules on residential tenancies, people making greater use of flatmates and boarders to help pay the mortgage and the rise of apps such as Airbnb, it was only a matter of time before people would start querying their income tax and GST obligations around property that had previously not been used to derive income.
Read MoreImmigration Minister Iain Lees- Galloway has announced significant changes to New Zealand’s employer-assisted work visa framework. These changes will affect the way employers recruit migrants for temporary work in New Zealand. Introduced in stages, the changes will be fully implemented by 2021.
Read MoreMeetings have become an unavoidable aspect of a manager's role. Fortunately, it is possible to eliminate unnecessary meetings and to make the remaining ones more effective. An important ingredient is planning and preparation, as the following points reveal…
Read MoreThe following discussion reflects the adage that GST is 95% easy and 5% difficult.
Read MoreA recently reported decision of the Taxation Review Authority (TRA) emphasises the need for shareholder/employees to carefully document financial transactions with their own companies, to be clear about what those amounts are paid for, and to ensure they pay tax when required. Failing to do so led to a large tax bill for one particular taxpayer.
Read MoreIn a typical small company scenario, the profit the company derives is usually split between being retained by the company and being distributed to the shareholders.
The final decision is typically being made at the end of the year once the final results are known. Allocating a shareholder salary has been a very convenient way in improving the taxpayer’s overall annual position.
Read MoreIt is important that trustees and beneficiaries are aware of the changes and the impacts on their rights and obligations and that trustees use this 18 month transition period to ensure their practices align with the provisions of the new Act.
Read MoreWith phishing attacks on the rise, and stories of New Zealand organisations loosing hundreds of thousands of dollars due to cyber security breaches becoming increasingly common, never has it been more important to ensure that your security is sufficiently effective to prevent you becoming a victim.
Read MoreMedical incapacity issues with employees can be notoriously challenging to manage. Helpfully, the Employment Court recently provided some useful guidance in Amcor Flexibles (New Zealand) Ltd v Gillan.
Read MoreThe Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill (No 2) received its Royal Assent on 30th July 2019 bringing about significant changes for landlords to pay attention to. One such change concerns careless damages caused by tenants at rental properties.
Read MoreIf you want to change your professional or personal life for the better, you must start with resolve and determination, and the following resolutions are provided to help you improve the way you function as a leader. Refer to them at the start of each month, photocopy and decide which you will focus on. How determined are you to improve?
Read MoreThis article focuses on GST issues relating to short - stay accommodation providers to whom I have offered advice recently.
Read More"As any internet user knows, website terms and conditions are burdensomely long. One rarely reads the fine print when they create a social media account, buy an e-book or movie, use a ridesharing service, or download a mobile app." - A New Zealand take.
Read MoreA recent decision of the Commerce Commission again sends warning bells to businesses about misleading their customers… intentionally, unintentionally or by omission.
Read MoreThe healthy homes standards (HHS) became law on 1 July and landlords will need to start preparing to ensure that rental properties comply by the due dates, which begin on 1 July 2021.
Read MoreIf you have a family trust set up a number of years ago, it’s good practice to review it to ensure it is still ‘fit for purpose’. Leading on from that is the question that is often asked of us, “Should I bring my trust to an end?”
Read MoreIt is reasonably common to make mistakes when completing a contract.
Read MoreNew Zealand and Australia have comparatively broad tests for tax residency under domestic law that include place of incorporation as well as where a company is managed or controlled. This means New Zealand subsidiaries are at risk of being tax resident in Australia and vice versa.
Read MoreThere are some particular quirks and rules that apply when it comes to claiming a tax depreciation deduction. In this article we take a look at some of the common myths that prevail and tax rules that apply in this area.
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