KiwiSaver impacts on all employers. 

Employers are required to give employees information on KiwiSaver, automatically enrol into KiwiSaver new eligible employees who are 18 or older, deduct the employee's savings and forward them to the IRD through the PAYE system, and subsidise their employee's savings.  They have to also process opt-out notices and stop and restart an employee's savings as they go on to or come off contributions holidays.  From 1 April 2012 they also have to calculate and pay ESCT tax.  Read our comprehensive guide on employers' responsibilities.

 Simplifying the KiwiSaver process 

Under KiwiSaver, employers are required to give to new employees (and existing employees who ask) the IRD KiwiSaver pack. The IRD pack explains KiwiSaver and the choices they have and what happens if they don’t make a choice.

An employer can also choose a KiwiSaver scheme to help their employees who do not make a decision. Selecting SuperLife as your chosen KiwiSaver scheme will make it easier for you and your employees to benefit from KiwiSaver’s advantages. By selecting SuperLife, your employees avoid having the IRD randomly allocate them to a KiwiSaver scheme and so also avoid being directed to a default investment strategy that is unlikely to suit their needs. You will simplify the enrolment process and give your employees the opportunity to make an informed choice.  Finally, compliance demands will be reduced, meaning you will have more time to dedicate to your business.

Make KiwiSaver simple for you and your employees

See how you as an employer can use the chosen provider option to make KiwiSaver simple for you and your employees. Read more...

Choose a provider – choose SuperLife 

Government incentives (i.e. the Member Tax Credits) are available to an employee of up to $10 per week. This, together with the requirement for employers to contribute, will lead to many employees wanting to join and so increase the demands on the employer. Choosing SuperLife for employees who have not themselves selected a scheme makes good business sense. SuperLife will:

• Simplify the process for you the employer. 
• Reduce the complexity for your employees.
• Give employees better information to let them make better decisions and get better outcomes.
• Reduce on-the-job distractions to employees with most being in the same scheme.

New employees

New employees, aged between 18 and 64, are required by law to be auto-enrolled in KiwiSaver, unless you have an alternative scheme and exempt status. An employee must save 2% of gross total taxable pay from their first pay day. The 2% becomes 3% from 1 April 2013.

If an employee does not want to be a member, they may opt-out after two weeks (day 14) and before the end of 8 weeks (day 56). He/she can opt-out after 8 weeks only in exceptional circumstances. If an employee does not opt-out, they will be required to save the minimum for at least a year. To opt-out they must complete the IRD form KS10.

If they decide to stay a member and do not opt-out, to join SuperLife they should complete a membership form and send it to SuperLife, or enrol online. 

Other employees under 65

Any other employee under 65, can also join KiwiSaver, but has to opt-in. To opt into SuperLife, they should complete a membership form and an IRD KiwiSaver deduction form (KS2), or they can enrol online.

Family members can join

Note that other family members, for example spouses/partners and children, can also join KiwiSaver by applying direct to SuperLife.  The best way for them to join is online.

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