[rowells]

Hi guys,
We spent 2 hours on Saturday having a free consultation from a company called Montfort International. They advise on finances etc between UK, Aus and NZ and claim to be able to save us alot of money in tax etc when moving equity, pensions and all money matters.
Has anyone used them or any other company to help with money matters?
They sound very good, but have quite a hefty fee.

[incredible hulse]

I had the hard sell from them before coming here a few years back. I later found the scare stories they gave me on pensions, tax and trust requirements to be far from the truth so decided against using them.

Maybe worth speaking to other people, Broadbase are a company I have spoken to, to compare for yourself.

[M-Squared]

Never heard of 'em, but have heard fantastic stories about HiFX.

[Alan]

I had the hard sell from them before coming here a few years back. I later found the scare stories they gave me on pensions, tax and trust requirements to be far from the truth so decided against using them.

Maybe worth speaking to other people, Broadbase are a company I have spoken to, to compare for yourself.

And what did you think of Broadbase, were they worth using???

[Mapledrakes]

Hi,
We have been using Montfort. They have always been really helpful and respond to our queries straight away, but I think it depends on your own circumstances. If your affairs are fairly simple then the fee does seem quite hefty. We have pensions/endowments etc all over the place and they have (quite rightly) written to all the pension providers etc on our behalf, done all the paperwork and provided forecasts resulting in a comprehensive package of advice. They tell you what NZ tax laws are and highlight any pitfalls, going years down the line.

Some will decide that it's not worth the money but I imagine it takes a hell of a lot of work if your financial circumstances are not simple, and you've got everything else to do with emigrating to think about. It was about time we got some tax advice anyway so this was a consilidation exercise for us. We have yet to find out how much they have saved us but I feel informed enough now to make those decisions which may have otherwise flummoxed me.

However, at the end of the day, they will try to sell you extra life insurance etc, but you can always say no. They haven't pressurised us (yet) - which is important. I think they also link you to a financial adviser in NZ but again, you can always say no to that too.

Hope this helps. PM me if you want to know any more.
Debbie

[tea drinker]

Hi Alan
have pm'd you

[Mr Brillo]

without predjudice.

Been in NZ 2 years now and really didn't need them. Montfort scared us silly with all sorts of stories. Yes there are pitfalls but none as big as they say. I found the owner (at that time) to be rude and put undue pressure on us in an uneccessary way.

If you are financially astute and preparred to do some home work then you can do most of it yourself. If you want a reference for another (more cost effective and more friendly) person to help, I can PM this to you.

Good Luck

[victoria24]

I spose the acid test is: will any advisor save you more money than they cost?