How does the KiwiSaver Government contribution work?
For every dollar you put into your KiwiSaver account between 1 July and 30 June each year, the Government will put in 50 cents, up to a maximum of $521.43!
So, to get the full KiwiSaver Government contribution of $521.43, you need to contribute $1,042.86 to your account.
Note that only employee and voluntary contributions count towards the $1,042.86.
Employer contributions, previous Government contributions, and any funds transferred in from other Superannuation Schemes are not included.
Who’s eligible?
To receive the maximum contribution of $521.43 in July, you must:
- Meet the minimum investment requirement of $1,042.86
- Have been a KiwiSaver member since 1 July of the previous year
- Been mainly living in New Zealand for that year
- Be aged between 18 and 65 years
New to KiwiSaver, or turned 18 or 65 during the year?
If you have only just joined KiwiSaver (with any provider, not just Generate) within the year to 30 June, or turned 18 or 65 part-way through the year, you can still get a pro-rata amount of the KiwiSaver Government contribution, based on the days you were eligible.
Exception for over 65 years:
If you are over 65 you may still be eligible for the KiwiSaver Government contribution if you joined KiwiSaver before turning 65 and have been a member for less than five years. You must also have joined a KiwiSaver Scheme before 1 July 2019 and not made any retirement withdrawals.
Make sure you've contributed enough to get your maximum KiwiSaver Government contribution
To check how much you’ve already contributed to your KiwiSaver account this year and see if you qualify for the full KiwiSaver Government contribution, log in to myIR.
If you haven’t used this service before, you will need to register. Once you are logged in, select 'KiwiSaver' from your accounts and you can view your deductions from salary and wages under 'Contribution Summary'.
If you are working out how much you need to contribute to get the full KiwiSaver Government contribution, remember to consider any future employee contributions that are scheduled to be made to your KiwiSaver account before 30 June.
Want to top up your KiwiSaver account?
If you have not contributed enough to your KiwiSaver account to make sure you get your maximum KiwiSaver Government contribution, you can make additional deposits directly into our bank account:
Generate KiwiSaver Scheme
12-3244-0004191-00
Particulars: Your surname
Code: Your initials
Reference: Your Generate member number
Or you can make payments through Internet banking via the “Pay Tax” option to the IRD. Choose the option “KSS” (KiwiSaver Scheme) as the tax to pay and include your IRD number.
Self-employed, unemployed or on a savings suspension? You can still get the KiwiSaver Government contribution!
Did you know the KiwiSaver Government contribution isn’t just for working Kiwis?
Even those who aren’t working can qualify, if they meet the eligibility criteria and invest $1,042.86 into their KiwiSaver account before the end of June.
If you have a partner or spouse who is in KiwiSaver and not working, you may want to think about contributing to their KiwiSaver account before 30 June so they qualify for their $521.43 too. And don’t forget any young adults (over 18 years), as building up their KiwiSaver account can be a great way to help them to save for their first home.