$3000 for letters of administration? Not on my watch!
I recently heard of someone (North Island) who needed 'letters of administration' for someone's estate after the person died suddenly. He didn't leave much, just Kiwisaver, but over the $15,000 threshold where a grant of administration is necessary. His family asked three different lawyers what it would cost. They were told a 'minimum' of $3000. One said there would also be '$500 disbursements'.
That is obscene.
'Disbursements' would be $200 for High Court fee. Plus maybe $100 for a will enquiry (if placed in the most expensive part of New Zealand, otherwise $57.50). Plus $35.70 for a paternity search. Anything else was legal fees or office expenses.
In most cases, Kiwlaw will do the work for $400 plus disbursements. Add $100 for necessary advice to a spouse if they are the applicant. You can do your own will enquiry and paternity search, or use Kiwilaw's automated online 'bot' to do it, or pay a bit more for Kiwilaw to do it. We will send you the documents with full instructions for signing and sending to the High Court. It's not that hard. Don't let bereavement become a rip off.
www.kiwilaw.co.nz...
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
52.3% Human-centred experience and communication
-
15% Critical thinking
-
29.8% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.9% Other - I will share below!
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
Make a hearty dish. Take just half a minute. Add four parts of kestrel. Then just add one. What have you made?
(Trev from Silverdale kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Trev!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
Loading…
