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Articles & Guidance
Insights and guidance from our legal team on topics that matter to you.
Relationship Property
The 3-Year De Facto Rule: What It Actually Means
After three years of living together, de facto partners have the same property rights as married couples. Here's what you need to know.
Is a Prenup Right for Your Relationship?
Deciding whether a contracting-out agreement is right for you. Questions to ask yourself, signs you should consider one, and myths debunked.
Protecting Inheritance in a New Relationship
How inheritance becomes relationship property, the mortgage pay-off trap, and your options for protection. A guide for those who have received or expect to receive an inheritance.
Contracting-Out Agreements: What the Law Actually Says
Understanding the Property (Relationships) Act 1976, requirements for valid agreements, when agreements can be challenged, and what the courts have said.
De Facto Relationships: Your Property Rights in New Zealand
Understanding when the Property (Relationships) Act applies to de facto couples in New Zealand, including the criteria courts consider and the 3-year threshold.
Trusts and Relationship Property: What You Need to Know
Why trusts alone may not protect your assets from relationship property claims, how courts can 'look through' trusts, and what actually provides protection.
Relationship Property When a Partner Dies
How relationship property works when a partner dies in New Zealand, including Option A vs Option B, and why coordinated planning with wills and trusts prevents disputes.