Your KiwiSaver is likely to be your largest financial asset at retirement. Getting the strategy right, especially in your 50s and 60s, is crucial.
KiwiSaver can be accessed from age 65. At that point, you can withdraw your entire balance as a lump sum, set up regular withdrawals, or leave the money invested and continue to grow it. There's no obligation to stop contributing at 65 either. Many people find it beneficial to keep investing.
NZ Super (from April 2026) pays $1,110.30 per fortnight after tax for a single person living alone, or $1,708.16 combined for a couple where both qualify. For many people, this doesn't cover the retirement lifestyle they want. That's exactly what your KiwiSaver is for.
With New Zealanders living longer than ever, a 65-year-old today could reasonably expect 20–30 more years of life. This changes the maths around how conservatively your KiwiSaver should be invested.
The right balance depends on your personal situation, including other income sources, how soon you need to draw down, your health, and how you feel about short-term volatility. That's exactly what Andrew can help you work through.
NZ Super provides a base level of retirement income, but for most New Zealanders it's not enough to sustain the lifestyle they're accustomed to. The gap between what NZ Super provides and what you actually want to spend is what your KiwiSaver is there to bridge.
NZ Super pays $1,110.30 per fortnight after tax for a single person living alone (from April 2026). Working out the gap between that and what you want to spend gives a sense of how hard your KiwiSaver needs to work.
Lump sum, regular withdrawals, or a combination? The right approach for your KiwiSaver depends on how long you expect to need it to last and how it fits alongside your other income.
This is the most important single decision at this life stage. Not too conservative, not too aggressive. The right balance for a 20 to 30 year retirement horizon.
If you're still working in your early 60s, even a few extra years of higher contributions can meaningfully improve your final balance.
Searching for the best KiwiSaver fund for retirement? As with first home buyers, there's no universal answer. The right approach considers how long your KiwiSaver needs to last, your other income sources, and your comfort with risk at this stage of life.