Often trust have been seen to be province of the uber wealthy. But are they? And often people don't think about this issue until it is too late

So when should we think about these issues - our family. inheritances and what's gonna happen to our money when we aren't around to look after it?

Managing Director for New Zealand Family Trust Services Limited Janet Xuccoa joins Tim Beveridge to give her advice on trust accounts, and how they should be used.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While a lot of people will be running around doing some last minute shopping for presents - they'll also be working out what to put on the table.

But as Kiwis, we waste almost as much as we eat.

A survey by Love Food Hate Waste NZ found that binned leftovers made up 42% of food waste across the holiday season, and too-much cooked food making up a further 26.1%.

Chef Allyson Gofton joins Tim Beveridge to discuss the less-wasteful alternatives to staple Christmas dishes.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year's international politics have been unstable to say the least.Trump's Tariffs, Gaza, Ukraine and the Epstein Files have been gifts that keep giving...or not.

But closer to home we've managed to dodge declarations of war. However, there's still lots to reflect on and discuss.

Former Speaker of the House Sir Lockwood Smith and Auckland Councilman Richard Hills join Tim Beveridge to wrap the year's politics, and give an insight into what to expect next year. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all seen the videos - we may have even seen it in our own living rooms on Christmas morning... 

A child, even teenager, opens a gift their loved one has especially picked out for them, and they proceed to complain about how it's not the one they wanted. 

The wrong colour bicycle, wrong model phone, it could be anything. 

So how do we teach our children to be grateful for anything they're given this Christmas? 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From tax changes to interest rates to regulation changes, there's an ever growing list of reasons for kiwis to be a bit more hesitant to invest in property. 

Now with changes to foreign buyers laws, we may be staring down the barrel of a completely different  property market. 

So here's the question, has the model for property investment fundamentally changed? How are investors going about it these days, and is it even worth it? 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Panel, Tim Beveridge is joined by producer and journalist Irene Gardiner, and councillor for Waitakere Shane Henderson, to discuss the biggest stories from the week that was. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know how damaging loud or constant sounds can be to our hearing - but there are a lot of factors that can impact hearing that most of us would never consider. 

Things like smoking - even secondhand smoke, cold wind, too much water - countless things, most of which we'd hardly consider to be dangerous.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nato chief Mark Rutte warns Western allies to prepare for war with Russia. 

He said that within the next five years, Nato countries will need to be prepared for a scale of war that hasn't been seen since our grandparents or great-grandparents. 

Donald Trump is due to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly regarding a peace deal. 

And the U.S. is keeping very busy as they've also seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela this week. 

The tanker went off course two days after its departure, listed to head for a Cuban port but rather off-loading part of its load to another ship before heading toward Asia. 

It was seized shortly after this. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a week of back and forth for the Taxpayers' Union and the Finance Minister. 

Nicola Willis has challenged Union chair and former finance minister Ruth Richardson to a debate, which was met with a sweet treat sent to Nicola and media. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the essential life skills our kids truly need to know before they head out into the real world? 

How often to wash their sheets, how to cook a basic meal, managing bills and payments, doing laundry without turning their white shirts pink - these are things that most of us learnt well before we moved out, but they don't seem to be as common today. 

Only 21% of parents of children aged 5-17 years say their kids are often involved with cooking. That's 79% of kids that will likely leave home not knowing how to cook much more than a toasted cheese. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.