Did you know you can get an extra $521.43 added to your KiwiSaver account from the NZ Government this year?
It’s all thanks to the KiwiSaver Government contribution, which happens every year. It’s one of the great benefits of having a KiwiSaver account.
Our Generate KiwiSaver members are a pretty savvy bunch – we like to think that’s in part due to our focus on making sure they get KiwiSaver advice, so they’re kept fully informed.
In 2024 we’re proud to say that more than 85% of our members received either the full or partial* Government contribution. All up, we helped our members get more than $53 million paid out in Government contributions, which is a pretty impressive total!
We’re keen to keep up the good work so as many of our members as possible can reap the benefit of the 2025 KiwiSaver Government contribution. Read on to find out how you can make sure you get it too.
How does the KiwiSaver Government contribution work?
The Government will contribute 50 cents for every dollar you put into your KiwiSaver account up to a maximum of $521.43.
To get this entire amount, you need to contribute at least $1042.86 into your KiwiSaver account annually - this is around $20 a week.
The Government contribution is paid out during July or August each year, so the cut-off to make sure you qualify for the payment is 30 June 2025. (Note: we recommend getting any final contributions into your account by the 27th of June, to ensure they are processed in time).
Only your employee or voluntary contributions count towards the $1,042.86. Employer contributions, previous Government or tax contributions and any transfers from other Superannuation Schemes (such as Aussie super) aren’t counted toward the $1042.86.
Who is eligible to receive the 2025 Government contribution?
As well as making the minimum contribution of $1042.86, you also need to meet these criteria to get the 2025 Government contribution:
- Be aged between 18 and 65 years
- Have been a KiwiSaver member since 1 July 2024
- Be mainly living in New Zealand
If you joined KiwiSaver after 1 July 2024, or turned 18 or 65 part-way through the year, don’t worry - you can still get some of the Government contribution. This will be a pro-rata amount for the days you were eligible.
Self-employed or not working?
Good news - making regular KiwiSaver contributions from wages or salary is not the only way to get the 2025 Government contribution. As long as you meet the eligibility criteria, you can still get the Government top-up by making voluntary contributions directly to your KiwiSaver account.
Even if you don't put in the full $1042.86, the government will still contribute 50c for every dollar you do contribute - so if you put in $500, you'll still get a $250 top-up!
To find out how to make voluntary contributions, click here.
How do I know if I’ve met the threshold?
Want to check if you have contributed enough to your KiwiSaver account to get the Government contribution this year? The easiest way to do this is in our handy Generate app.
On the home screen, under Your investments in the KiwiSaver box, a notification will display. Once you click this and go to your Account overview, there’s a light green section showing all the calculations and notes. If you have not yet met the threshold to receive the 2025 Government contribution, it will tell you how much more you need to put in.
This same information will also display if you log in to your account via our website.
Please note: If you transferred to Generate within the last 12 months, you may have qualified – but we just can't see contributions you made with your previous provider. You can check all contributions and make sure you've qualified on myIR.
If you haven’t used this service before, you will need to register. Once you are logged in, select KiwiSaver member from accounts and you can view your deductions from salary and wages under Contribution Summary.
If you have any questions or want to check your eligibility, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
You can call on 0800 855 322 or email us at info@generatekiwisaver.co.nz
For more information on the KiwiSaver Government
contribution, visit generatewealth.co.nz/gc
*Reasons for getting a partial rather than full contribution could be that you did not contribute the full threshold amount of $1042.86 (you’ll still receive 50c per dollar of whatever you did contribute up to $1042.86). The other reason could be that you turned 18 or 65 partway through the qualifying year, or lived overseas part of the qualifying year. In this case you’ll receive a pro rata amount.