KiwiSaver Specialists

Your ideal fund depends on your age, risk tolerance, and personal circumstances. Advisers typically discuss factors such as years to retirement, with growth funds often used for longer time horizons and conservative funds for shorter ones. A KiwiSaver specialist can assess your specific situation and help determine what may be appropriate for you.

At minimum, contribute enough to get the full government contribution—$1,042.86 per year gets you the maximum $521.43 from the government. Beyond that, higher contributions (6%, 8%, or 10%) significantly boost your retirement savings. Some people choose to increase contributions after pay rises or when debts are paid off.

Yes, after being in KiwiSaver for 3+ years, you can withdraw your contributions and investment returns (but not government contributions) for your first home. You may also qualify for the First Home Grant—up to $5,000 for existing homes or $10,000 for new builds, depending on how long you've been contributing.

Reasons people switch include consistent underperformance relative to peers, high fees (over 1%), or the fund no longer suiting your risk profile. Switching is free and takes about 10 business days. Financial advisers generally caution against frequent switching based on short-term performance—look at 5-year returns when comparing funds.

Not required, but valuable for optimizing your strategy. An adviser can help with fund selection, contribution optimization, first home withdrawal timing, and retirement planning. It's especially worthwhile if you have over $50,000 in KiwiSaver, are approaching retirement, or considering a first home withdrawal.