Ways to join KiwiSaver

Depending on your situation, how you join KiwiSaver may depend on a few things. Just remember you can always have the final say over which KiwiSaver scheme you save with.

• Who can join?
• I'm employed
• I'm changing jobs or starting a new job
• I'm self-employed or not employed
• I want to enrol my children

Who can join?

Whether you are employed, self-employed or not employed, you can join KiwiSaver if you're:

• a New Zealand citizen (or entitled to permanent residency in New Zealand),
• under the age of eligibility for NZ Superannuation (currently age 65), and
• either live or normally live in New Zealand or meet all of the following requirements:
  • are an employee of the State services
  • are serving outside New Zealand
  • are employed on New Zealand terms and conditions
  • are serving in a jurisdiction where offers of KiwiSaver scheme membership are lawful.

I'm employed.

If you are employed there are two ways you can join:

• Join your chosen KiwiSaver scheme by requesting an investment statement and enrolling directly with the KiwiSaver provider. Your KiwiSaver provider will let Inland Revenue know you have joined. Inland Revenue will then advise your employer to start deducting contributions from your salary or wages. If you don't want to wait for Inland Revenue to advise your employer, you can ask your employer to start deducting contributions from your salary or wages.
• Join through your employer, who will let Inland Revenue know you have joined KiwiSaver and will start deducting contributions from your salary or wages. If you join through your employer you can still select your own KiwiSaver scheme by requesting an investment statement from your chosen KiwiSaver provider and completing the enrolment form. If you do not select your own KiwiSaver provider within three months of first joining KiwiSaver, you will be automatically enrolled in your employer's chosen KiwiSaver scheme (if they have one), or otherwise in one of the six Government chosen KiwiSaver schemes (referred to as default KiwiSaver schemes). Note you can always change KiwiSaver schemes later.

I'm changing jobs or starting a new job.

When you are changing jobs or starting a new job, if you are not already a KiwiSaver member and you are aged between 18 and 64 years you will generally be automatically enrolled into KiwiSaver. You then have a couple of options:

• You can choose to remain in KiwiSaver or opt-out. If you wish to opt-out you can do this between the end of the second and eighth week of starting your new job by letting your employer or Inland Revenue know. If you don't opt-out in this time frame you will have to contribute to KiwiSaver for 12 months or apply to Inland Revenue for special consideration of a late opt-out or early contributions holiday. A late opt-out will only be considered within three months of Inland Revenue receiving your first contribution.
• If you choose to stay in KiwiSaver, you don't need to do anything else if you don't want to. Your contributions will automatically start from your first pay at a level of 2% of your pre-tax salary or wages, but you can choose to change your contributions to either 4% or 8% at any time. The Government announced in the 2011 Budget that the minimum employee contribution rate and the default contribution rate will increase from 2% to 3% of gross salary or wages with effect from 1 April 2013. You can select your own KiwiSaver scheme by requesting an investment statement from your chosen KiwiSaver provider and completing the enrolment form. If you do not select your own KiwiSaver provider within three months of first joining KiwiSaver you will be automatically enrolled in your employer's chosen KiwiSaver scheme (if they have one) or otherwise in one of the six Government chosen KiwiSaver schemes (referred to as default KiwiSaver schemes). Note you can always change KiwiSaver schemes later.
• If you are already a KiwiSaver member when you start your first job or change jobs you need to let your employer know and they will start taking your contributions from your salary or wages and pass to Inland Revenue to transfer to your KiwiSaver scheme.

I'm self-employed or not employed.

If you are self-employed or not employed you need to request the Investment Statement for a KiwiSaver scheme of your choice and complete the enrolment form. Get the ASB KiwiSaver Scheme Investment Statement here

I want to enrol my children.

Under 16 year olds need to be enrolled by all legal guardians directly with a KiwiSaver provider. This means you need to obtain an investment statement for the KiwiSaver scheme you choose for them and complete the enrolment form. Get the ASB KiwiSaver Investment Statement here. 16 and 17 year olds need to be enrolled by one legal guardian directly with a KiwiSaver provider and must co-sign the enrolment form.

Under 18 year olds will not be automatically enrolled in KiwiSaver if they start working. Remember though, under 18 year olds who are already KiwiSaver members will have to contribute from their wages once they start working (or take a contributions holiday if 12 months has already passed since their first contribution to KiwiSaver - the first contribution can be the Government kick-start).