Employee contributions to KiwiSaver accounts

Contributions to KiwiSaver accounts will usually be through your pay. If you are not an employee you should talk directly to a scheme provider. You can also make extra voluntary payments to your KiwiSaver scheme provider.

If you’re an employee

The minimum rate you can contribute is 3% of your before tax pay. This rate is what we call the default rate. If you want to contribute more you can choose 4%, 6%, 8% or 10%.

Your before tax pay includes:

• allowances
• bonuses
• commission
• extra salary
• overtime
• gratuities
• any other payment of any kind before tax.

Your before tax pay does not include:

• redundancy payments
• the value of providing board or lodging, or use of a house or part of a house, or the payment of an allowance instead of the provision of this benefit
• taxable allowances for accommodation and living costs overseas
• payments under a Voluntary Bonding Scheme funded by the Ministry Primary Industries, the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education
• Retiring allowance
• Benefits provided under an employee share scheme (ESS), also known as a share purchase agreement
• An overpayment of an amount of an employer’s superannuation cash contribution, that an employee chooses to have treated as salary or wages.
• Honoraria payments paid by Fire and Emergency New Zealand to a volunteer.

Your contributions if you go on leave