Frequently asked questions

A financial adviser helps you make informed decisions about your money. We provide guidance on insurance, KiwiSaver investments, mortgages, budgeting, and overall financial planning. Our role is to understand your goals, explain your options in plain language, and help you choose the right products and strategies for your whānau. We're here to educate, support, and advocate for your financial wellbeing.

KiwiSaver is a voluntary savings scheme designed to help you save for retirement or your first home. You contribute a percentage of your income (3%, 4%, 6%, 8%, or 10%), your employer adds at least 3%, and the government may contribute up to $521 per year if you meet certain criteria. Your money is invested by a KiwiSaver provider in different types of funds (conservative, balanced, or growth). You can withdraw your savings at age 65 for retirement, or earlier for your first home purchase (after 3 years of membership).

Insurance helps protect your whānau financially if something unexpected happens. The types you might need depend on your situation: Life insurance provides a lump sum to your family if you pass away. Trauma insurance pays out if you're diagnosed with a serious illness like cancer or have a heart attack. Income protection replaces your income if you can't work due to illness or injury. Health insurance gives you access to private healthcare. Not everyone needs all types, and we'll help you figure out what makes sense for your family and budget.

A mortgage (or home loan) is money you borrow from a bank to buy a house. You pay it back over time (usually 25-30 years) with interest. We help you understand how much you can borrow, what interest rates mean, how repayments work, and what banks require from you. We can guide you through the first home buying process, help you compare different loan options, and support you with refinancing if you already have a mortgage. We explain everything in plain language so you feel confident making decisions.

For most of our services, there's no upfront cost to you. We usually get paid through commissions from the product providers (insurance companies, KiwiSaver providers, banks) when you take out a policy or investment. This means you can get professional advice without paying fees out of pocket. We'll always be transparent about how we're paid and ensure our recommendations are based on what's best for you, not what pays us the most. For some specialised services like comprehensive financial planning, we may charge a fee, which we'll discuss with you upfront.

We receive commissions from product providers (insurance companies, KiwiSaver funds, and banks) when you take out a policy, investment, or mortgage through us. This includes both an initial commission when you start and ongoing commissions while you maintain the product. This commission model means you don't pay us directly for most services. We're completely transparent about this and our recommendations are always based on what's best for your situation, not what earns us the highest commission. If we ever charge a direct fee for specialised advice, we'll discuss this with you clearly before proceeding.

That's completely fine and very common. Many of our clients have never worked with a financial adviser before. We make the process easy and comfortable. Your first consultation is free and there's no obligation. We'll have a relaxed talanoa about your situation, goals, and concerns. We speak in plain language, not financial jargon, and we'll take the time to explain everything clearly. There's no pressure and no judgement. Our goal is to help you feel more confident about your financial decisions, not to sell you something you don't need.

Yes, absolutely. We provide practical support with family budgeting and debt management. We'll help you create a cashflow plan that works for your household, identify areas where you can save, and develop strategies to manage or reduce debt. We also provide financial education in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. Whether you're struggling with debt or just want to get better at managing your money, we're here to help you build a stronger financial foundation.

It's easy. You can contact us by phone at +64 21 834 104, email us at akili@outriggerfinancial.co.nz, or fill out the contact form on our website. We'll arrange a time that works for you, either in person, over the phone, or via video call. The first consultation is free and there's no obligation. We'll have a chat about your situation and see how we can help. If you decide to work with us, great. If not, that's fine too. No pressure, just a friendly talanoa about your financial future.