KiwiSaver

You’ll either be automatically enrolled when you start a new job or you can opt in – through your employer’s scheme or directly with a scheme provider. If you don't choose a scheme for yourself, and your employer doesn't have a chosen scheme, Inland Revenue will allocate you to one of the six government-appointed default providers.  Find out more about KiwiSaver Default Funds.

You can change KiwiSaver scheme whenever you like – even if you’ve already been allocated to an employer-chosen scheme or a default scheme.

You must be a New Zealand citizen or entitled to live in New Zealand indefinitely to join KiwiSaver.

If you’re employed, you can contribute 3%, 4%, 6%, 8% or 10% of your salary before tax to a KiwiSaver scheme. You can also make lump sum payments or set up additional direct payments.

If you’re self-employed, you decide how much you want to contribute and make payments directly to your chosen KiwiSaver scheme provider.

Your employer must contribute at least 3% of your salary. And if you’re aged 18 or over, the government will also give you an extra 50 cents for every dollar you put in, up to a maximum payment of $521.43 each year. To get the full Government contribution, you have to contribute at least $1,042.86 by June 30 each year.

Growth and aggressive funds have a much higher proportion of ‘growth’ assets. Growth assets are things like shares and property and these go up and down in value more frequently than ‘income’ assets like cash and bonds. This means their returns may rise and fall quickly. However over time they typically provide a higher return.

• Read more on growth funds

A balanced fund is one that will target having between 35% and 63% of ‘growth’ assets. That makes it less volatile than a growth fund but more likely to grow in value over the longer term than a conservative fund. ‘Default’ funds have a balanced investment mix.

• Read more on balanced funds
• Read more on default funds

Conservative funds will have a very low percentage of growth assets – 10% to 34.9%.  Defensive funds will often have none. They offer lower, but more predictable returns and are best if you are wanting to access your money – for retirement or a first home – in the next few years. They are also suitable if you have low tolerance for ups and downs in your balance.

• Read more on conservative funds

Each provider offers a range of funds you can invest in. These typically range from ‘conservative’ (low risk, low return) to ‘growth’ or ‘aggressive’ (higher risk, higher return).

Your money will be invested in a default balanced fund if you don’t choose your own. Balanced funds are designed for those who don’t need their money for at least 5-10 years.

If you’re planning to withdraw your money (for example for a first home), the default fund may not be suitable. A conservative or a defensive cash fund might be a better choice. You can find the right fund for you or compare funds on the Sorted KiwiSaver fund finder.

Once you’ve joined KiwiSaver, your money will be locked in until you qualify for NZ Super (currently 65), with a few exceptions, including first home withdrawals.

1. How big your KiwiSaver balance is – the bigger the balance, the greater the fee
2. The type of investment fund you’re in – generally lower-risk funds are cheaper than higher-risk funds (but remember lower-risk funds give less overall return)
3. Your KiwiSaver provider – some providers charge higher fees than others

KiwiSaver providers have to show your fees in dollar terms on your annual member statement.

Typical fees include:

• Management fee – pays the fund manager who decides how each fund is invested. This fee is different for each fund as some funds need more management than others. It’s calculated as a percentage of the fund’s net assets.
• Member fee – covers the administration of your personal KiwiSaver account. It’s usually deducted monthly.
• Administration fee – contributes to the administration of the scheme as a whole.
• Supervisor or trustee fee – pays the supervisor or trustee for overseeing all funds offered by the scheme and for holding the fund’s assets.
• Performance-based fee – a bonus paid to the fund manager for achieving a return that’s better than the target return. Only a few KiwiSaver managers charge a performance-based fee but a larger number of KiwiSaver managers invest through other investment managers – called ‘underlying managers’ – who may charge performance fees.

You may also be charged fees to:

• pay the fees of underlying managers (sometimes including performance fees)
• change your investment options
• transfer savings from another NZ KiwiSaver or superannuation scheme
• withdraw money from your KiwiSaver scheme.
• Be passed onto your financial adviser who gives you regular KiwiSaver advice. Often this fee can be stopped if you cease to use the financial adviser.

More information about the actual fees you pay can be found in the product disclosure statement for the scheme.

There are three very important questions you should ask yourself as you set up your KiwiSaver savings.

1. Are you in the right fund?
2. Could you be saving more?
3. Are you paying too much in fees?

Despite its name, KiwiSaver is an investment, not a savings product. 

KiwiSaver providers have an obligation to clearly explain KiwiSaver so ask questions about anything you don’t understand. Other help is available:

Other help is available:

This shows your current balance, and what your KiwiSaver savings may be worth at age 65. See how the projections are calculated.

It also shows money that has gone in and out of your KiwiSaver account in the past year.

Money going in includes all contributions received from you, your employer and the Government.

Money going out includes tax, the fees you pay your provider and any withdrawals you’ve made during the year.

When reading your statement, ask yourself:

1. Are you in the right fund? 
   To check whether another fund might suit you better, use the KiwiSaver fund finder tool on the Sorted website.
2. Could you be saving more?
   Use Sorted’s KiwiSaver savings calculator to see the difference increasing contributions might make for you.
3. Are you paying the right amount of tax?
   Visit the KiwiSaver website to find out how your contributions and your investment income are taxed.
4. Are you paying too much in fees?
   All KiwiSaver providers charge fees. Visit the Sorted Smart Investor tool to find out what other providers are charging.

All managed funds (including KiwiSaver) must give you a copy of their annual report, or a link to it on their website, within six months of the end of their financial year.

The annual report describes any changes made to the scheme in the last year, how it’s being managed, how investments have performed against the scheme’s goals, and if the auditor has raised any concerns. It also gives details of the size of the scheme’s membership, total funds invested and investment returns.

In addition to the annual report, KiwiSaver funds issue a quarterly fund update and an annual update. Fund updates give details of how each individual fund has performed, what it’s costing you and other key information. You’ll find fund updates on your provider’s website, or on Smart Investor.

This is a normal part of investing and reacting by making changes when the value is low will often make things worse.

KiwiSaver providers offer a range of different types of funds. You can invest in more than one type of fund at once, and you can also change your fund at any time.

If you’re not sure about changing funds, you can leave your savings in the current fund, but ask for new contributions to go to the new fund. This can be a good idea if you are changing because you are nervous about volatility.

You can suspend your KiwiSaver contributions if you need to for a maximum of 12 months.  Details are on the IRD website – see savings suspension information.

But KiwiSaver is designed to deliver value over time through the drip-feeding of contributions regularly into the fund. 

And, your employer will in most cases stop contributing to your KiwiSaver fund when you do. You will also miss out on the Government contribution – the Government will give you up to $521.43 if you contribute $1042.86 of your own money to your KiwiSaver fund in the year to June 30. Even if you don’t contribute the full amount, you’ll still get 50 cents for every dollar you put in between 1 July and 30 June the following year.

So if you need to stop contributing for a while make sure you remember to start contributing again when you’re able.

You can change your KiwiSaver scheme provider whenever you like, but you can only have one KiwiSaver account at a time.

You should not be pressured to join any particular KiwiSaver scheme. Be wary of KiwiSaver schemes being sold as part of a bundle of other services, with a special offer attached, or through door-to-door sales. Here are five questions to ask yourself before changing your KiwiSaver provider. 

If you've felt pressured to sign up for KiwiSaver, please let us know.

If you are a New Zealander wanting to transfer money you have saved in a private or workplace superannuation scheme into a KiwiSaver scheme, you need to check the following:

• Do the trust deeds of your superannuation scheme and the KiwiSaver scheme allow you to transfer?
• Do the trustees of your superannuation scheme and the manager of the KiwiSaver scheme agree to the transfer?

Once your money is in KiwiSaver, it is locked in until you qualify for NZ Super (currently 65), with a few exceptions. This may not be the case with the money in your private or workplace savings.

If you would like advice about transferring, you should talk to a financial adviser who specialises in superannuation and KiwiSaver. You can also contact IRD.