The Retire Well Podcast (NZ)

In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox are joined by Anna Bodman, director and co-founder of Arcwell Legal, a specialist family-law practice in Christchurch, to explore relationship property law and the important role legal planning can play in protecting your wealth, relationships and future.

Coming up in this episode, they discuss:

• What relationship property law means and some of the common misunderstandings.
• The conversations couples should have before combining homes, finances or investments.
• The role of family trusts and why they may not always provide the protection people expect.
• What can happen to KiwiSaver, investments, businesses and other major assets when a relationship ends.
• How lawyers and financial advisers can work together to help protect wealth during difficult life changes.

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys website or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below.👇

🌐 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

📔 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

A big thank you to Anna Bodman for joining us on this episode! If you'd like to learn more about Anna and her work, you can find her using the links below.👇

🌐 Website: https://www.arcwellpartners.co.nz

📞 Phone: +64 27 200 8280

📧 Email: [email protected]

In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox are joined by insurance consultant Andrew Pender to explore the important role of insurance and retirement planning in protecting your financial future.

Coming up in this episode, they discuss:

• The different types of personal insurance, including life, trauma, disability, and income protection cover
• How insurance needs change through your 40s, 50s, and into retirement
• Whether there is a simple way to calculate how much life insurance you actually need
• Why your ability to earn an income may be one of your most valuable financial assets
• When it may be appropriate to reduce insurance cover or begin self-insuring
• Why regular insurance reviews are an essential part of long-term retirement planning

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys website or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

Retirement village options in New Zealand can feel overwhelming, especially when you are weighing up independence, care, lifestyle, costs and community. In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox explore the choices available as we age, including staying at home, moving into a retirement village, and understanding when rest home or hospital-level care may become part of the journey.

🏠 Coming up in this episode, they discuss:

• The difference between retirement villages, rest homes and hospital-level care
• What an Occupation Right Agreement is and how Deferred Management Fees work
• The typical accommodation options, including villas, serviced apartments and care units
• How government funding for long-term residential care is assessed
• What Jim and Martin learned from visiting Summerset Prebbleton, Ryman Anthony Wilding and Burlington by Qestral
• Why many residents say they wish they had made the move sooner

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys website or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox are joined by Jo Robertson to explore relationships in retirement and why emotional connection can be just as important as financial security.

Coming up in this episode, they discuss:

• How relationships evolve through mid-life and beyond • Intimacy, connection and maintaining healthy relationships • The importance of communication and avoiding assumptions • Common relationship challenges during major life transitions • Dating and finding connection later in life • Why retirement is a significant relationship transition, not just a financial one • The role emotional wellbeing plays in creating a fulfilling retirement

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys website or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

This episode of Retire Well features Mary Holm, one of New Zealand's most trusted personal finance commentators, joining Jim and Martin for a thoughtful discussion about shifting from accumulating wealth to using it confidently to support a meaningful, enjoyable life.

Together, they explore some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing people in mid‑life and beyond, including:

• Why many retirees struggle with retirement spending
• How tools like reverse mortgages can help those who are asset‑rich but cash‑flow poor
• The role of property investing in a balanced retirement plan

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox are joined by Dean Anderson, CEO and founder of Kernel Wealth, to explore simple investing strategies and what really matters when building long-term wealth.

Coming up in this episode, they discuss:

• Why most investors overcomplicate things (and how to simplify)
• The real impact of fees on long-term returns
• Active vs passive investing, and why it's not a binary choice
• How to build a simple, effective investment portfolio
• Why behaviour matters more than picking the "perfect" fund
• The evolution of KiwiSaver and what may change in the future
• Why property may no longer be the default path to wealth in NZ

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox are joined by Tom Hartmann from the Retirement Commission. Tom is a personal finance lead and the driving force behind tools many Kiwis already use, including Sorted, the KiwiSaver Fund Finder, and the Retirement Navigator. Together, they unpack how relatively simple decisions, made consistently over time, can lead to very different retirement outcomes.

Coming up in this conversation, Tom Hartmann shares:

• How KiwiSaver fits into New Zealand's retirement income system
• Why being in the right fund matters more than chasing returns
• The four key KiwiSaver fund criteria: risk, fees, services, and performance
• Behavioural traps, and the idea of a "future us", and thinking long-term
• How tools like Sorted can help people get started and have better conversations

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys website or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

Welcome to episode 4 of Retire Well, today Jim Smith and Martin Fox dive into the truth behind retirement spending, exploring what research shows about how costs change over time for New Zealanders planning their future. They'll also be joined by Ian Perera, from the Retirement Income Interest Group, who brings valuable insight and research.

Coming up in this episode, they discuss:

• Ian's work with the Retirement Income Interest Group
• What the research tells us about spending patterns in retirement
• How spending patterns change over time
• Common misconceptions people have before they retire

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox take a wide-angle look at both the financial and human sides of retirement planning. For the main conversation, we're then joined in-studio by Jane Davis, Director of The Flourishing Institute in Christchurch and a specialist in positive psychology. Jane explores how retirement is not just a financial transition, but a psychological and emotional one, and introduces the PERMA + 4 framework for planning a retirement that feels meaningful, connected, and energising.

Jim and Martin start by looking back at 2025, covering:

• Global market performance
• Interest rate cuts in New Zealand and the United States
• Currency movements and the NZ dollar
• The impact of geopolitics, AI investment, and market volatility

They then share investment outlooks for 2026, including:

• Expected returns for global shares, bonds, and term deposits
• Whether markets can continue rising despite high valuations
• Why returns may broaden beyond big tech and AI stocks
• Key risks to watch, such as inflation, geopolitics, and central bank policy

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well

During this episode on Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox take a practical and thoughtful look at what's happening in the economy, investment markets, and interest rates. They are then joined by Martin Hawes, for an insightful interview on financial planning and living well in retirement. Martin is the author of more than 20 books on money and retirement, a long-time financial adviser and a weekly columnist read by Kiwis across the country.

In this wide-ranging and insightful conversation, Martin Hawes shares:

• His personal experience of transitioning into semi-retirement
• Why retirement is best seen as a process, not a single event
• Common misconceptions about retirement spending and lifestyle
• Why the early years of retirement are often the most active — and expensive
• Lessons he's learned about investing, risk, and delegation
• Why many New Zealand family trusts no longer serve the purpose people expect
• Reflections on health, purpose, and giving yourself permission to enjoy life earlier

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys website or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well