Retirement & Legacy
Retirement is not the end of your financial journey — it is one of its most important chapters. We help you make the transition with confidence, build a reliable income that lasts, and leave behind the legacy you intend.
Retirement & Legacy
Making sure your retirement is everything you worked for — and that your legacy outlasts you
You’ve worked your life to build wealth and create the conditions for a great retirement. Our job is to make sure you can enjoy it fully — without fear of running out of money, without sleepless nights about markets, and with a clear plan for what happens to your estate afterwards.
Introduction
Have you got a plan to not outlive your money — or your money outlive you? Do you know how to balance drawing income from your investments with preserving capital for your legacy? Who will handle your financial affairs when you are no longer able to?
These are the questions that sit at the heart of retirement and legacy planning. With over 30 years’ experience helping New Zealanders navigate these challenges, we have seen what works and what does not — and we bring that experience to every client we work with.
Our retirement and legacy services
We provide a full suite of retirement and legacy planning services tailored to New Zealanders at every stage of the journey. Each service below links to a dedicated page with full details.
Retirement Success
Comprehensive retirement planning that covers your income strategy, investment management, and risk protection — built around your goals and reviewed regularly as your life evolves.
Legacy Planning
A thoughtful strategy for protecting and passing on your wealth — balancing a great retirement lifestyle today with a meaningful legacy for the people and causes you care about.
Retirement Income Strategy
A structured plan for converting your savings and investments into a reliable income stream that lasts for the rest of your life — however long that may be.
Estate Planning
Ensure your assets are properly structured, legally protected, and transferred to the right people at the right time — coordinated with your broader financial and retirement plan.
What's Included
Retirement and legacy planning at Collaborative Consulting covers the full spectrum — from structuring your income in the years leading up to retirement, through managing your drawdown strategy in retirement, to making sure your estate is properly documented and your legacy is protected.
We work with a carefully selected number of private clients, which means you receive John’s direct attention throughout — not a junior adviser, not a rotating team, and not a generic plan off a shelf.
Retirement income planning and drawdown strategy
We build a sequenced drawdown strategy that covers all your income sources — KiwiSaver, investment portfolio, property, and NZ Super — optimised for tax efficiency and designed to make your money last as long as you need it to.
Investment management through retirement
Retiring does not mean stopping investment management — it means shifting the focus from growth to income and capital preservation. We actively manage your portfolio throughout retirement to balance these objectives.
Legacy and estate structure
We work alongside your solicitor to make sure your will, trusts, and estate structure are up to date and aligned with your investment portfolio — so your assets transfer efficiently and according to your wishes.
Ongoing support through life’s changes
Retirement brings its own changes — health events, family transitions, market volatility. We stay alongside you throughout, adjusting your strategy as circumstances evolve and always available when you need to talk.
What people say about Collaborative Consulting
“I got to know John whilst working with him in developing his company’s brand principles to strengthen the emotional connectedness with his clients. During this period, I gained a deep understanding of John’s ethics and strong desire to help people both through the good times and the bad times.
His strongest desire is to make a tangible difference for his clients and future generations of their family. John has a strong sense of family, he believes strongly in wanting to contribute back to the community.
I can honestly say I have not met a financial adviser where money is not the financial driver for him, it’s much more personal, it’s about making a difference. I’d recommend anyone who wants certainty in their financial investments talk to John.”
Michael Major BA (Hons) MDM
Property Development Consultant, Future Proofing Strategist
“John is the consummate professional in the Financial Planning and Investment sector. He has walked the talk, having successfully grown and lead businesses to achieve dramatic results. Through it all, he has helped people reach their personal and professional goals and engages with them comprehensively to ensure they achieve what they need to.
There’s no nonsense with John – if you want to succeed, he will help you do it and in doing so, you will meet and be assisted by one of the nicest and most professional people I know, who also lives by a set of principles steeped in integrity. A hard thing to find these days!
I strongly recommend you contact John and get to know him. You won’t regret it.”
Warren Cummins
Managing Director, Dale Carnegie Auckland and BRS Management
“Choosing someone to look after your money is an important decision especially if you are like me and have no idea about investments.
When I left my marriage I had money from the sale of the house. As I was now on my own financially I understood that I needed to ensure that not only was my money going to be safe but would also be working for my future.
I met with a few financial advisers but none of them really instilled me with confidence. I was feeling a bit lost and frightened about making the wrong decision.
Pam Martin
Arbonne Independent Consultant
“We are all specialists in our own area of business. We love referring our clients to an equally dedicated specialist, John Milner of Collaborative Consulting Ltd.
John has been able to help our clients leverage and re-invest their hard-won gains, made both personally, and in business. John has been working in his area of Investment Expertise for a long- time, so has ridden all of those waves in the marketplace. He is committed to helping clients mitigate their investment risk, and in these days and times, his level-head and thorough but relatable approach to Investment are exactly what we all need.
He makes investing simple, effective and takes the worry away.”
James Kelso
CPA, Director, Kelso Marsh Consulting Ltd
“I have known for some time now as part of my business networking group. From the start I have been impressed by John’s professionalism and his knowledge base. John takes what he does seriously and is quite clearly very dedicated to serving his clients well.
I have no trouble recommending him to anyone in need of sound financial advice.”
Rory Laubscher
Corporate Photography Specialist Firefly Photography
Our Process
When you work with us, we use our proven 3-step system. By understanding your situation and the goals you want to achieve, we work out a unique plan to help you get there smoothly.
Building retirement confidence for New Zealanders
Years of experience helping New Zealanders make the transition into retirement and build legacies that last.
We are here to help you maximise your returns and make your money work hard for you. By understanding your situation and the goals you want to achieve, we can build a retirement strategy that gives you genuine confidence about your financial future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question about retirement or legacy planning? Get in touch — we’re happy to help.
When should I start retirement planning?
The earlier you start, the more options you have — but it is never too late to benefit from proper planning. We work with clients at every stage, from those who are fifteen years from retirement to those who are already retired and need help managing their income and estate.
How do you help me not outlive my money?
We build a drawdown strategy that balances income generation with capital preservation, taking into account your spending needs, investment returns, inflation, NZ Super, and life expectancy. We review and adjust this strategy regularly so it remains on track as your circumstances change.
What is the difference between retirement planning and a retirement income strategy?
Retirement planning is the broader process of preparing for retirement — setting goals, building savings, and managing risk. A retirement income strategy is specifically about how you draw down your accumulated wealth in retirement to fund your lifestyle. Both are important and we address them together.
Can you help with both my retirement and my estate at the same time?
Yes. Retirement and estate planning are closely connected — your drawdown strategy directly affects what remains for your estate. We look at both together to make sure your income needs and your legacy intentions are both addressed.
What role does NZ Superannuation play in my retirement plan?
NZ Super is a valuable and guaranteed income stream that forms a foundation for most retirement income strategies. We factor it into your plan from day one and help you understand how it interacts with your investment income, your drawdown strategy, and your tax position.
How is Collaborative Consulting different from a bank or KiwiSaver provider?
Unlike a bank or KiwiSaver provider, we are independent and work exclusively for you. We have no incentive to recommend any particular product. Our advice covers every aspect of your retirement and legacy — not just the portion that sits with our institution.
Do you work with clients across New Zealand?
Yes. We work with retirement and legacy planning clients throughout New Zealand via video call and phone. Many of our clients are based outside Auckland.