BANK ON LIVING

Adam Stewart of Compound Wealth reveals the four retirement regrets he sees time and time again.

PHOTO DEBORAH DE GRAAF

I’ve spent years sitting across the table from Kiwis planning their retirement, and one thing I’ve noticed is that the regrets tend to sound the same.

The first is waiting too long to stop. People work hard and do everything ‘right’, then retire late, only to find their health or energy has already slipped away. I think of my own father here. He passed in his early sixties, and was a hard worker by choice, but there were trips he talked about and never took. I’ve learned through others that retirement’s a window that’s worth protecting.

The second regret is not spending enough early enough. I read Die With Zero by Bill Perkins this year and it put words to something I already believed, which is that most of us are too cautious during the years we’re healthiest and most capable of enjoying what we’ve built. I’ve watched people leave money behind and a bucket list unfinished. To be clear, spending well doesn’t mean ending up with nothing. It means bringing some of that spending forward into the years in which you can enjoy it most.

Third is not tracking progress early enough. This one usually surfaces as anxiety. People ask, “Have I done enough?” and “Can I actually stop?” Without visibility over where you stand, you either over-save and miss out on living now, or under-save and carry that stress for years. The clients who feel calmest are the ones who defined early what a meaningful life actually looks like to them, then built a plan toward it for the years leading into retirement.

The fourth regret is leaning on KiwiSaver alone. Kiwisaver’s a solid tool, but it’s not a full strategy, because you can’t touch it before age 65 unless you’re buying a first home. Investing outside KiwiSaver gives you flexibility. You can access income earlier if you want it, and decisions are made on your terms, rather than your Kiwisaver scheme’s.

Here in the Mount, I meet plenty of people who’ve done the sensible thing their whole lives. The biggest regret I see among them is a missed life. If you’re able to retire part-time, take the trip and spend a little more while you’re well. Security matters, but a life well lived alongside it matters more. COMPOUNDWEALTH.CO.NZ

Grounded and growing

Five years on, BCH Law continues to deliver trusted, down-to-earth legal support with a team clients know and rely on.

WORDS JO-MARIE BAKER | PHOTOS QUINN O’CONNELL

From left to right: Jude Spicer, Holly Hawkins, Tom Castle, Nikki Burley and Brittany Ivil.

Walking into a lawyer’s office can often feel daunting. But for many who step out of Burley Castle Hawkins Law in Tauranga or Te Puke, there’s a noticeable sense of relief.

The team at BCH Law are known not just for their legal expertise, but for their calm, grounded approach to often complex and stressful situations. With decades of experience between them, they’ve built a reputation for solving tricky legal problems without losing sight of the human side.

“We are grounded, normal people who live grounded, normal lives,” explains director Nikki Burley. “We want our clients to know everything is under control and they’ve got someone on their side.”

Nikki is one of the most highly-respected and longest- serving lawyers in the Bay, and has been involved in several partnership arrangements during her 35-year career. But her dream was to own a firm that was bigger than just the name on the door.

“I wanted to run a law practice that wasn’t about any one person – a firm that had a good reputation and solid systems in place so every team member can provide excellent service to clients whenever they need help.”

Senior lawyers Tom Castle and Holly Hawkins shared that vision, and went into partnership with Nikki in 2020, followed by senior lawyer Jude Spicer in 2024. BCH is now celebrating its fifth anniversary, and while five years have zipped by, the firm has many decades of legal experience to draw on.

Several of BCH’s 34 staff members have worked together for over 25 years. The firm’s outstanding team of lawyers, legal executives, and support staff, handle business, family, property, trust and estate law along with litigation and mediation. “Our assurance to clients is ‘life is a journey – with you all the way.’ Whether you’re a first home buyer, a property developer, or someone who is in the midst of a complicated employment dispute or messy relationship breakdown, we’re here to support you.”

The four directors, whose ages span four different decades, each specialise in different areas of law and have a close working relationship. They are ably supported by senior associate Brittany Ivil and practice manager Deborah Palmer. “It’s wonderful having such diverse ages and opinions, and collective shared responsibility,” Nikki says. “I feel very lucky to work alongside such wonderful people and to see them grow wise and flourish in their own legal careers.”

While most staff are based in BCH’s Tauranga office in Monmouth Street, the firm also has a Te Puke office in Jellicoe Street. In 2018 Nikki's former partnership bought long-standing Te Puke law firm Manning Gibbs Brown, which now trades under BCH. “We are Te Puke’s only full service law firm and cater for everyone from elderly clients wanting to update a will, to clients needing to be represented in court matters, to multi-million dollar kiwifruit and farming operations,” she says.

“The thing I love most is that every single day is different. Every person and problem is different. You can learn so much from your clients and your staff. Law makes you think objectively and ethically, and many of my

clients have become good friends.”

BCH’s five-year milestone is also an opportunity for Nikki and her colleagues to reflect on where the firm is heading next.

Fellow director Holly Hawkins says stability and longevity are shared goals, and the firm is proud to offer such a wide and diverse range of legal services. “What I love is that we don’t pigeonhole ourselves. Every file is so different.”

It’s also significant that the majority of BCH’s leadership team is female. “There are lots of excellent female lawyers, but not many make partnership. We’ve got three female directors and we genuinely care about our staff and our clients. We provide a lot more flexibility than other law firms do.”

Community connections are also a priority at BCH, with all four directors actively involved in school boards, trusts, sports coaching and many other good causes. Nikki also holds a voluntary position with the NZ Law Society.

While she isn’t retiring anytime soon, BCH will be in good hands when the time is right for Nikki to step back from directorship. “She is well-respected and such a hard worker,” Holly reflects. “She set out to create a firm that serves clients well, where great staff can flourish.” She’s definitely succeeded in that, and we are all proud of the firm BCH has become.”

BCHLAW.CO.NZ

Split decision

Rachael from Rotherham Law knows about divorce, from the legalities to the emotional impact it can have. Here she tells you what you need to do if you’re thinking about saying ‘I don’t’.

For some, separation comes as a shock, and for others it’s a slow burn. It can often be comparable to a partner passing away. You can go through similar stages of grief, fluctuating between shock, denial, anger, depression, bargaining, testing and acceptance. 

Family lawyers can assist with legalities, as well as personal matters, that range from contracting out (prenups), separation, childcare, spousal maintenance, child support, family violence, adoption and surrogacy. At the other end of life, they help with enduring Powers of Attorney, Wills and capacity matters like helping family members get orders to make decisions for elderly relatives when they have lost capacity. 

Here's a rundown of what to expect in divorce proceedings and advice on how to make it easier for everyone.

Pick your battles

It is possible to separate with dignity, compassion and understanding. It doesn’t have to be The War of the Roses. Most people who hire a lawyer do not go near a courtroom and many choose a collaborative approach. Court is there when you need it, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The starting point is dividing property after all the debts are repaid 50/50. But not always, as sometimes there are circumstances that lead one party to be entitled to more based on their situation. When you come to an agreement without the Court’s intervention it is called a Separation Agreement. It needs to be in writing to be legally binding, and the parties must have had independent legal advice from a lawyer who explained the effects and implications of it.

Know your audience

Make sure when you get legal advice that you are comfortable with the lawyer you are instructing. You need to be able to talk to them and feel listened to. But you also need to feel comfortable and trust them when they tell you something you don’t necessarily want to hear. They are always acting for your interests but what you are entitled to may not necessarily marry up to your expectation (pun intended). You know when you walk into a room and start talking to someone in that first minute if they are the right fit. Go with your gut instinct. We all have the same qualifications but different lawyers have different approaches, so it needs to feel right to you.

Get organised

Go to your meetings prepared so that you make the most of your time. Make a list of what you want to talk about. If you are instructing on a separation, have a list ready of what assets and debts you have so when you get asked this question you have that information. As difficult as it might be, try to remove the emotion so you’re making the most of your time with your lawyer, and they can gather all the necessary details needed the first time. 

Don’t sweat the small stuff

As with any breakup, emotions are high and it can be hard to separate yourself from those feelings. But try to think about what is most important, like having somewhere to live and paying the bills, or the children’s care arrangements and what is best for them. I have been that lawyer who wrote a letter about returning the Cirque du Soleil umbrella that held emotional attachment, but was it worth the cost of my time to do it? That’s an individual decision, but my advice is to focus on the big picture. Your emotional wellbeing and moving forward are more important. 

A qualified mediator and collaborative family lawyer, Rachael Rotherham spent the majority of her working life in Auckland at a large commercial firm before deciding to move her family out of the city and here to the Bay. Now, Rachael has created a boutique law firm specialising in family law and separations.

Rotherhamlaw.co.nz