How to Choose the Right New Zealand Accountants & Lawyer
If you are not residing in New Zealand, but have dealings (or are about to have dealings) there, then picking the right New Zealand accountants and lawyers will be important.
In New Zealand there can be a fair degree of cross over between the services that lawyers and accountants offer.
That’s why when picking a professional, it makes sense to choose someone who for the large part possesses skills of both a lawyer and an accountant.
That’s what we at Gilligan Rowe & Associates (GRA) do and why we have staff solicitors and accountants working together under one roof.
What does this mean to you?
It means faster service, higher quality advice, better value and the peace-of-mind knowing that your affairs are being handled in the best way possible.
Here’s an example of why we provide both of these services…
An offshore investor or a potential migrant to New Zealand will want three things from a professional:
- Advice on the tax implications of moving to New Zealand or investing in New Zealand
- Advice on the best ownership options available to them
- Advice on the asset protection merits of ’structures’ to help minimise tax.
Typically tax advice is provided by an accountant, whereas asset protection and relationship property advice is provided by a lawyer.
There are however a select group of professionals based in New Zealand such as GRA, who can straddle both disciplines.
Following this, when choosing a professional you want a New Zealand company who specialises in helping people with financial interests outside of NZ. They could be migrants, Kiwi expats returning home, property buyers or investors, or business owners.
As recognised property accounting and investment experts, we at GRA are familiar with all the ins and outs to do with tax minimisation and compliance.
There are certain areas where the two disciplines do not intersect. Conveyancing is an example of this and generally should be handled by a lawyer. Conveyancing occurs when property is purchased or sold and involves transferring the funds from the purchaser or receiving them on behalf of the vendor as the case may be and dealing with the banks and the correct registration of the new ownership on the title.
You will also find that lawyers generally have limited knowledge when it comes to tax and accounting issues.
As a result, of this, offshore investors or new or returning migrants will choose GRA because we provide the core tax and accounting services PLUS broader asset protection and structure advice which you would typically get from a solicitor.
We’re ready to help. If you have a technical question, go ahead and use our free Ask the Experts service or for a free initial consultation by email, phone or Skype, please Contact Us now.
New Zealand Accountants
