Got a question?

If you are a Summer KiwiSaver scheme member, you can view your account information on your Dashboard.

Did you start saving for retirement before KiwiSaver was launched? Consolidating into one KiwiSaver scheme may help you to track your savings and the fees that you pay.

As long as the rules of the other superannuation scheme let you transfer to a KiwiSaver scheme, we can assist you with the process and make contact on your behalf with the other provider. Please contact us for more assistance.

There may be times when you need to take a break from contributing.

As an employee you may apply to Inland Revenue for a savings suspension, which allows you to put your contributions on hold. When this happens your employer will stop deducting KiwiSaver contributions from your pay.

If you have been contributing for 12 months or more, you can apply.  A savings suspension is for a minimum of 92 days (unless your employer agrees otherwise), and a maximum of one year.

While you are on a savings suspension, your employer does not need to make contributions. You can make voluntary contributions at any time during the savings suspension period.

You can stop and start your savings suspension by notifying your employer. However, unless your employer agrees, you cannot take a savings suspension for less than three months.

You can apply for an early savings suspension within the first 12 months of becoming a KiwiSaver member if you are experiencing or likely to experience financial hardship. This will be for a three month period, unless Inland Revenue agrees to a longer period.

Visit the IRD website for more information and to apply online, or call Inland Revenue on 0800 549 472. 

Generally, in order to be eligible for a Government contribution you must:

• be over 16 years old, and
• not yet be eligible to withdraw, and
• not have made a life-shortening congenital condition withdrawal, and
• earned less than $180,000 in taxable income per year, and
• have made personal contributions and live mainly in New Zealand.  

For every dollar you put in between 1 July and 30 June, the Government pays an extra 25 cents to your KiwiSaver savings, to a maximum of $260.72. That means you would need to contribute at least $1042.86 each year to receive the Government contribution (that is about $20 per week). If you have contributed less than $1042.86, the Government contribution is adjusted on a pro-rata basis. If you’ve only been eligible for part of the year, the maximum credit of $260.72 is reduced proportionately (based on the number of days in the year you’ve been a member).  

As a general rule, if you are eligible for the whole period and earn an annual salary or wages of $35,000 or more and your contribution rate is 3%, you will likely get the maximum Government contribution. If you earn less than this, or you are self-employed and are not regularly contributing, you may want to consider topping up your KiwiSaver account to get your maximum entitlement. 

Each July, we submit claims on our member's behalf and arrange for this to be automatically credited to their accounts. If you are concerned you have not contributed enough to access the maximum Government contribution, please get in touch and we can advise the value of your contributions for the current year.

Summer is set up as a registered payee on most banks to make it easy for you to make voluntary contributions. Just have your IRD number and Summer account number handy. You can find your account number at the top of your profile.

It is important that when making contributions through online banking that you include your surname, IRD number and Summer account number in the required reference fields. This will ensure the contribution gets applied to your account correctly.

You can set up a regular voluntary contribution via automatic payment on your bank's website using the ‘Summer KiwiSaver scheme’ registered payee.

1. Log in to your online banking or mobile app
2. Navigate to payment options and select set up automatic payment 
3. Select payee, search for “Summer KiwiSaver scheme” and select Summer as the payee. The bank account number and payee name will automatically populate.
4. You then need to specify the amount and frequency of payment, and input the required reference details (surname, IRD number and Summer account number)

To make a one-off voluntary contribution into your Summer account via internet banking, simply follow these steps.

1. Log in to your online banking or mobile app
2. Navigate to payment options and select pay a person or bill
3. Select payee, search for “Summer KiwiSaver scheme” and select Summer as the payee. The bank account number and payee name will automatically populate.
4. You then need to specify the amount and frequency of payment, and input the required reference details (surname, IRD number and Summer account number)

If you save the payee at the time of setting up an automatic payment or making a one-off contribution, this should be added to your list of pre-existing payees. This means that next time you make a payment into your account, you can select Summer from your pre-existing payee list and the payee details plus all reference fields will automatically populate.

Alternatively, you can enter the payee details manually using the below account number:
Summer KiwiSaver scheme
02-0506-0080685-00

Recently the banking industry introduced the Confirmation of Payee (CoP) service. The service is designed to provide added security and accuracy for online banking payments. When making payments the new service checks the recipient’s account name and number to see if they match bank records.

We are aware that this has meant that some people have been receiving a notification when making payments if the account name is not 100% correct. This is an industry-wide issue impacting deposits. The issue is not specific to any bank and is impacting multiple financial services businesses.

Please be assured that there is no impact on any payments being made by Summer to Summer KiwiSaver scheme members.

To set up a new direct debit you will need to complete an additional regular contributions form as well as an authority to accept direct debits form.

If you established a direct debit at the time of applying to the Summer KiwiSaver scheme and need to make changes to it, you can do so by ticking “change to an existing direct debit” on the additional regular contributions form.

Please take the time to ensure that the bank account number is entered correctly and the date of the first direct debit is completed. Please allow 10 business days from when we receive your completed forms for your direct debit to activate.

If the direct debit is being taken from a joint account, both account holders will need to sign the direct debit authority.

One off payments can also be made via the Inland Revenue Department. Find out more.

Happy Birthday! The Government currently sets the qualifying age for New Zealand superannuation at 65, and that’s when you can withdraw your KiwiSaver. 

You can make a one-off full or partial withdrawal, or set up regular withdrawals from your KiwiSaver account.  

Any withdrawal you make from the Summer KiwiSaver scheme will be tax free. You do not have to withdraw, and it’s fine if you’d like to remain a member of the Summer KiwiSaver scheme so that your money can work alongside any other investment arrangements you have. 

You can continue to make contributions to KiwiSaver after you are eligible to withdraw, although your employer is not obliged to continue with their contributions, and you are no longer eligible to receive the Government contribution.

To stop making employee contributions once you become eligible to withdraw from your KiwiSaver account, you will need to complete a KiwiSaver Non-deduction notice (KS51 form) and give this to your employer.

If you meet the criteria, simply complete a withdrawal form, suppling this with proof of your nominated bank account. We will arrange to make a payment to your bank account once your withdrawal is approved. When processing a withdrawal, PIE tax is deducted according to your prescribed investor rate (PIR). You can find more out about tax here and you can check the current PIR that we hold on your account by logging into your account and going to My Profile. 

From acceptance of your application to withdraw, you should allow up to ten business days for your withdrawal to be paid.

Sometimes people leave this beautiful country. If you are emigrating permanently to anywhere other than Australia, once the withdrawal is approved, you can transfer your KiwiSaver account balance as a cash payment once you have been away for more than 12 months. This includes your contributions, employer contributions and the Government kick-start* (if received), however it excludes any Government contributions and amounts transferred from an Australian complying superannuation scheme. 

If you’ve made a withdrawal from your Summer KiwiSaver scheme account before, and would like to make another withdrawal to be paid into the same bank account, email info@summer.co.nz with the amount you wish to withdraw. This email should come from the email address associated with your Summer KiwiSaver scheme account. If you are unsure of the email address linked to your account, simply log in and select "My Profile" under the "Manage my account" section or contact us.

From acceptance of your application to withdraw, you should allow up to ten business days for your withdrawal to be paid.

If you want your subsequent withdrawal to be paid to a different bank account than your first withdrawal please complete a subsequent withdrawal form.

Trans-Tasman portability is an important feature of KiwiSaver. You can’t receive a cash payment, if you permanently emigrate, but we can transfer your Summer KiwiSaver Scheme balance to an approved Australian complying superannuation fund for you. Find out more about Australian transfers.

You can apply to withdraw any amount, up to the value of your account, from your KiwiSaver account due to serious illness. A decision on this withdrawal is made by the supervisor of your KiwiSaver scheme, and you’ll need to provide medical evidence.

Serious illness is defined as an injury, illness or disability that:

• Results in you being totally and permanently unable to engage in work for which you are suited by reason of experience, education or training or any combination of those things; or
• Poses a serious and imminent risk of death 

To make an application for a serious illness withdrawal complete the withdrawal form and return it to us, or contact us and we can assist you.

You can apply to withdraw any amount, up to the value of your account, from your KiwiSaver account if you suffer from a life-shortening congenital condition.

Life-shortening congenital condition means a condition that exists for a person from the date of their birth and is likely to reduce their life expectancy, or persons generally with the condition, below the New Zealand superannuation qualification age.

If you make a life-shortening congenital condition withdrawal you may continue to make contributions to the Scheme but you will no longer be eligible for Government contributions or compulsory employer contributions.

What is a life shortening congenital illness? 

The Government has identified the following conditions ('listed conditions') that qualify as life-shortening congenital conditions:

• Down syndrome (Down’s syndrome)
• cerebral palsy
• Huntington’s disease (Huntington’s chorea)
• fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

You may make a life-shortening congenital condition withdrawal if you have a condition that meets the definition above, i.e. a condition that exists for a person from the date of their birth and is likely to reduce the life expectancy of that person, or for persons generally with the condition, below the New Zealand superannuation qualification age.

To make an application for a life shortening congenital illness withdrawal please complete the withdrawal form, or contact us for assistance.

In the event of death, the balance of your KiwiSaver account will be paid in full to the executors or administrators of your estate. 

If the balance of your account is below the prescribed amount (which is currently $40,000) and meets other requirements, we may be able to pay it direct to a surviving partner, caregiver, or other approved recipient. 

To make arrangements for a withdrawal due to a death complete and return the withdrawal form or contact us and we can assist you.

If you are already in a KiwiSaver scheme, and want to join the Summer KiwiSaver scheme, it’s easy. 

Just use our easy online application, and we can take care of the transfer process. You don’t even need to let your existing provider know. 

No, you may only be a member of one KiwiSaver scheme at a time.

If you’ve been automatically enrolled by your employer you can opt out of KiwiSaver on or after day 14 and on or before day 56. If you do not opt out during this timeframe you will remain a KiwiSaver member and your employer will continue to deduct contributions from your salary and wages.

If you’re starting your first job then your employer will help you through the KiwiSaver enrolment process.

There will be some simple paperwork to complete. Alternatively, by joining the Summer KiwiSaver scheme, we can take care of all the required paperwork for you. You can apply online in just a few easy steps.

If you don’t choose a KiwiSaver scheme, you’ll be put into one of the default KiwiSaver funds, or into a scheme chosen by your employer if they have a preferred KiwiSaver provider.

When you’re automatically enrolled through your employer, you’ll have eight weeks to decide if you want to remain in KiwiSaver, or opt out.

Most Kiwis are eligible to join KiwiSaver and it doesn't matter if your employed, self-employed or not currently working.

You will be able to join the Summer KiwiSaver scheme if you can answer ‘yes’ to all of these statements:

• I’m entitled to permanently live in New Zealand
• I normally live in New Zealand

You may still be able to join even if you live overseas, for instance, if you’re a state sector employee employed on New Zealand terms and conditions.

Joining the Summer KiwiSaver scheme is easy, simple use our online application.

Under 18's are eligible to join KiwiSaver with the consent of their parents or legal guardian.

If you’re aged under 18 you can apply online, or by completing the application form inside the product disclosure statement.

It’s important to note that because you’re a minor:

• If you’re 16 or 17, you must sign the application together with at least one legal guardian.
• If you’re under 16, a legal guardian needs to sign on your behalf (you can’t enrol yourself).

KiwiSaver is not just for employees. If you are self-employed or not currently working, you can join as well.

If you are self-employed and receive PAYE income you will need to make both employee and employer contributions.

If you are either self-employed and PAYE isn’t deducted, or are not currently working, you can make regular contributions or lump sums, whatever works best for your situation.

The Summer KiwiSaver scheme has no minimum transaction requirements.

You may want to optimise your contributions to access the Government contributions - find out how.