New Zealand
Worked in New Zealand? Any pension you built up here is yours to keep and can usually be paid to you abroad — but you have to claim it; it won't start automatically. The full state pension age is 65, with early access from 65. On totalization, New Zealand has bilateral totalization agreements, so the years you worked here may combine with other countries you've worked in. Below is New Zealand's system at a glance and what expats should check.
Overview and “Get your statement” are open to everyone. Create a free account to unlock schemes, eligibility, tax and claiming for all 47 countries.
Free guide: How to get your New Zealand pension statement — the official route, step by step.
Curious what a report looks like? See a sample for New Zealand — invented person, real institutions.
Overview
New Zealand operates a three-pillar retirement income system.
The foundation is New Zealand Superannuation (NZ Super), a universal, non-contributory, non-means-tested flat-rate state pension funded from general taxation, available to eligible residents aged 65 and over. NZ Super is internationally recognised for its simplicity and broad coverage: approximately 40% of people aged 65 and over have virtually no other income besides NZ Super. The Retirement Commission's 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies (RRIP) confirmed the eligibility age remains at 65 and made 12 recommendations to improve the system's fairness and sustainability. From 1 April 2026, the single living alone rate is NZD 1,294.74 per fortnight gross (NZD 647.37/week), and each member of a qualifying couple receives NZD 984.28 per fortnight gross. The residence requirement is gradually increasing from 10 years to 20 years (phased in by birth date from 1 July 2024 to July 2042); as of mid-2026, those turning 65 need 11–12 years of NZ residence since age 20 (including 5 years since age 50).
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The second pillar is KiwiSaver, a voluntary workplace-based defined contribution savings scheme introduced in 2007. As at 31 March 2025, KiwiSaver had approximately 3.39 million members and NZD 123.1 billion in assets; by March 2026, funds under management had grown to NZD 124.5 billion. Budget 2025 introduced significant changes: default employee and employer contribution rates rose from 3% to 3.5% from 1 April 2026, and will rise to 4% from 1 April 2028. The government member tax credit (MTC) was halved from 50 cents to 25 cents per dollar contributed (maximum NZD 260.72/year) from 1 July 2025. From 1 July 2025, 16- and 17-year-olds became eligible for government contributions; from 1 April 2026, employers must contribute for eligible 16- and 17-year-old employees. Auto-enrolment remains at age 18.
The third pillar consists of private voluntary savings, investments, and legacy occupational superannuation schemes. New Zealand has bilateral Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with 11 countries, enabling totalization of residence periods for NZ Super eligibility. NZ Super is indexed annually on 1 April to the higher of CPI or average wage growth, and is portable overseas subject to residence-based proportional payment rules (1/45th of the full rate per year of NZ residence between ages 20–65 for non-SSA, non-Pacific countries). A Spain-NZ SSA is under negotiation with text expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.
~20% (mandatory schemes, average earner; OECD Pensions at a Glance 2025). NZ Super alone represents approximately 40% of gross average earnings for a single person living alone at current rates.
Pillar 0/1: NZ Super (non-contributory, universal, flat-rate, tax-funded). Pillar 2: KiwiSaver (voluntary workplace DC scheme, auto-enrolment with opt-out for eligible employees aged 18–65) + legacy occupational superannuation schemes. Pillar 3: Private voluntary savings, investments, and personal superannuation accounts.
Beveridge/Universal
Employee
3.5% (KiwiSaver, from 1 April 2026); 4% from 1 April 2028. Temporary reduction to 3% available on application. NZ Super: nil (tax-funded).
Employer
3.5% (KiwiSaver, from 1 April 2026); 4% from 1 April 2028. Applies to employees aged 16–65. NZ Super: nil.
Self-Employed
KiwiSaver: voluntary contributions only (no mandatory rate; no employer match; government MTC available if eligible and NZ-resident). NZ Super: nil.
Notes
KiwiSaver contribution rate increases are phased: 3.5% from 1 April 2026, 4% from 1 April 2028 (Budget 2025). Members may apply for a temporary rate reduction to 3% for 3–12 months (applications open from 1 February 2026). Employer must match the temporary reduced rate if member applies. 16- and 17-year-olds: eligible for government MTC from 1 July 2025; employer contributions required from 1 April 2026. Members earning over NZD 180,000 no longer receive government MTC from 1 July 2025. Government MTC: 25 cents per dollar contributed, maximum NZD 260.72/year (reduced from NZD 521.43 from 1 July 2025); requires minimum NZD 1,042.86 in contributions per year. NZ Super is funded entirely from general taxation — no payroll contributions.
Common questions
What is the retirement age in New Zealand?
The full state pension age in New Zealand is 65. Early retirement may be possible from 65.
Can I claim a New Zealand pension if I live abroad?
Yes. A pension you've earned in New Zealand stays yours wherever you retire, and can usually be paid into an overseas account once you reach pension age. It won't start automatically, though — you need to claim it, typically a few months in advance, through New Zealand's pension authority.
Do totalization agreements affect my New Zealand pension?
New Zealand has bilateral social-security (totalization) agreements. These can let you combine the years you worked in New Zealand with years in partner countries to meet a minimum qualifying period, so short stints aren't wasted. Which partners and rules apply depends on your own work history.
How is the pension system structured in New Zealand?
Beveridge/Universal Pillar 0/1: NZ Super (non-contributory, universal, flat-rate, tax-funded). Pillar 2: KiwiSaver (voluntary workplace DC scheme, auto-enrolment with opt-out for eligible employees aged 18–65) + legacy occupational superannuation schemes. Pillar 3: Private voluntary savings, investments, and personal superannuation accounts. It includes 3 schemes in our directory.
How do I get a copy of my New Zealand pension record?
Ask Work and Income / myMSD for your KiwiSaver statement / NZ Super entitlement (the KiwiSaver statement and NZ Super record). It's free and you can request it yourself — our step-by-step guide on this page walks through the portal, what to have ready, and what to do if the login fails.