KIWISAVER – CONTRIBUTIONS

Contributions to your KiwiSaver account are made by you, your employer and the Government. This helps you achieve your retirement savings goals faster!

It’s easy to put money into your New Zealand Defence Force KiwiSaver Scheme account.

If you are a member of the New Zealand Defence Force or have a different employer, your contributions are deducted directly from your pay, so you aren't tempted to spend money you could be saving.

KiwiSaver regular contributions

If you are a member of the NZDF, you’ll be most likely contributing 4% of your before-tax NZDF salary or wages. If you are a member of the Defence Community (includes members of NZDF), you can choose to make contributions of 3%, 3.5% 4%, 6%, 8% or 10% from your before-tax salary or wages.

From 1 April 2026, the default rate of 3%, employee contribution and employer’s matching contribution, will automatically increase to 3.5%. You don’t need to do anything. If you already contribute more than 3%, your employee / NZDF contribution stays the same. If your employer was contributing 3%, their matching contribution will rise to 3.5%.

If you want to contribute 3% from 1 April 2026, you can apply for a temporary rate reduction. The reduction can last for 3 to 12 months. After 12 months your contributions revert to the default rate. You can reapply for further temporary reductions as often as you need. Your employer may choose to match your temporary reduced rate. Inland Revenue will send you a notification within 30 days of your temporary rate reduction’s end date to let you know it’s about to stop and will also let your employer know closer to the time. To read more on how to apply for a rate reduction visit the Inland Revenue website.

Mercer’s Retirement Income Simulator tool can help you see your estimated KiwiSaver balance at retirement and the impact of different contribution rates on your future savings. 

KiwiSaver voluntary contributions

You can make ongoing or one off lump sum contributions directly into your account from your online banking by searching for New Zealand Defence Force KiwiSaver Scheme as a payee and follow your banks instructions to complete the process. There are no minimum contributions when you make contributions this way.

You can also set up an automatic payment.

Employer contributions

Eligibility criteria for employer contributions include being aged 16 years or older, not reaching the age of eligibility (currently 65) (NZDF personnel receive a contribution if still contributing beyond this age) and being an employee contributing via your salary or wages. Employer Superannuation Contribution Tax (ESCT) is deducted from employer contributions before these are provided to the scheme.

Government contribution

The Government will contribute 25 cents for every dollar you contribute to your KiwiSaver account, up to a maximum of $260.72 each year (eligibility criteria apply). To receive $260.72, you need to contribute at least $1,042.86 to your KiwiSaver account during the year between 1 July and 30 June. Employee or voluntary contributions count towards receiving this Government contribution.

Generally, you should receive $260.72 from the Government if you’ve been a KiwiSaver member for the full year, earn over $35,000 per annum and contributed at least 3% to your KiwiSaver account or you have contributed more than $20 per week on average during the year.

Sign in to your online account where under “My account activity” you can check how much you have contributed to ensure you reach the $260.72 target and/or if you need to top up your KiwiSaver account before 30 June. An easy way to top up is to pay directly into your KiwiSaver account via your online banking by searching for ‘NZ Defence Force KiwiSaver Scheme’ as a new payee.