KiwiSaver Government Contribution Top-Up 2026: How to Get the Full $260.72 Before 30 June (NZ)

The government contribution is now $260.72 a year, paid at 25c per $1. Contribute about $1,042 of your own money before 30 June 2026 to get all of it. Here is who qualifies and who misses out.

Every year the government tops up your KiwiSaver, but only if you put in enough of your own money first, and only if the money lands before 30 June. After Budget 2025 the rules changed: the top-up is smaller, and high earners are now shut out entirely. If you want every dollar you are entitled to for the year ending 30 June 2026, this is the guide.

TL;DR: For the year ending 30 June 2026, the maximum KiwiSaver government contribution is $260.72, paid at 25 cents per $1 you contribute ¹. To get all of it you need to have put in at least $1,042.86 of your own money since 1 July 2025 ². Top up before 30 June.

How the government contribution top-up works now (25 cents per dollar)

The government contribution (the old "member tax credit") is free money added to your KiwiSaver each year by Inland Revenue. You earn it by contributing your own money during the KiwiSaver year.

For the year ending 30 June 2026, the government adds 25 cents for every $1 you contribute, up to a maximum top-up of $260.72 ¹. So the matching only runs up to a point: once your own contributions reach the threshold, the government has paid the full $260.72 and stops.

This is a change from how it used to work. Budget 2025 halved the rate. Previously the government paid 50 cents per $1 up to a maximum of $521.43 ⁴. Same effort from you, half the reward. That is the part most people have not registered yet.

The matching counts contributions from any source you make as a member: your salary deductions through PAYE, plus any voluntary lump sums. Employer contributions do not count towards the government contribution, and neither do amounts you have transferred in from another scheme. (Employer contributions are taxed separately under the employer superannuation contribution tax, or ESCT, which is deducted before the money reaches your account ⁸.)

How much do I need to contribute to get the full $260.72?

The threshold is unchanged even though the match was halved. To get the full $260.72 you need to contribute at least $1,042.86 of your own money between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026 ².

If you fall short, you still get 25 cents on every dollar you did contribute, just not the full amount. Here is the ready-reckoner.

The maths is simple: government contribution = your contributions × 0.25, capped at $260.72.

A salaried employee on a 3% deduction earning around $35,000 or more will usually clear $1,042.86 through PAYE alone, so there is nothing to do. The people who miss out are the ones whose salary contributions fall short, or who have no salary contributions at all.

Anyone who started a job partway through the year, took parental leave, or went on a contribution holiday can end up short of the threshold. A top-up before the cutoff turns a partial credit into the full $260.72.

The 30 June deadline and the KiwiSaver year

The KiwiSaver contribution year runs 1 July to 30 June, not the tax year and not the calendar year ¹. It is its own clock. Anything you contribute in that window counts; anything that lands on 1 July starts the next year's count.

The government contribution is paid out by Inland Revenue after the year closes, usually from late July through August, straight into your KiwiSaver account.

There is no carry-over. If you do not hit the threshold by 30 June, the unclaimed portion is gone for that year. You cannot make it up later.

Who benefits most from the top-up: the self-employed and non-earners

If you are an employee, your PAYE deductions do most of the work for you. The people who benefit most from a deliberate top-up are those with no employer contributions and no automatic salary deductions ¹²:

• Self-employed and contractors. No PAYE deductions and no employer match, so unless you set up a voluntary contribution the government contribution is easy to miss entirely. A single $1,042.86 lump sum each year earns you $260.72. We cover this in more depth in our advice for the self-employed.
• Non-earners. Stay-at-home parents, people between jobs, students, anyone living off savings. You can still claim the full $260.72 by contributing voluntarily.
• Part-time and low-income earners whose 3% deductions do not reach $1,042.86 over the year.
• 16 and 17 year olds. From 1 July 2025 they became eligible for the government contribution if they contribute, and from 1 April 2026 they also qualify for compulsory employer contributions ⁵. A teenager with a part-time job can now earn the top-up.

For a self-employed person, contributing $1,042.86 to get $260.72 back is a 25% return on that money before the fund earns anything.

Are you over the $180,000 income cut-off?

This is the catch that surprises higher earners. From 1 July 2025, members with taxable income over $180,000 a year are no longer eligible for the government contribution at all ³. Previously there was no income test.

If you earn over $180,000, do not top up for the government contribution, because you will not receive it. There may still be good reasons to contribute more to KiwiSaver, but the $260.72 is not one of them for you.

If you are near the line, it is worth checking before you commit a lump sum. A KiwiSaver review can confirm where you sit.

Is a top-up still worth it after the halving?

Yes, for anyone under the income cap who would otherwise fall short. Putting in $1,042.86 to receive $260.72 is a 25% return on that contribution, on top of whatever your fund returns.

Under the old 50c rate the same $1,042.86 earned $521.43 ⁴. The new $260.72 is smaller but still worth claiming. Over a working life, the bigger long-term lever is your fund choice and fee, not the annual top-up.

Two other Budget 2025 changes are worth knowing while you are looking at contributions:

• The default minimum employee and employer rate rises from 3% to 3.5% on 1 April 2026, then to 4% on 1 April 2028 ⁶. If you are on 3% today, your take-home pay will dip slightly next April.
• The income cut-off and the rate change mean the old "set 3% and forget it" approach leaves more on the table than it used to.

On fees: a low total annual fund charge compounds in your favour for decades, so it dwarfs a one-off $260.72 over a working life. As a reference point, the Simplicity Growth KiwiSaver Fund carries a total annual fund charge of 0.25% with no separate dollar membership fee ¹¹. Before comparing funds like Milford Active Growth, Generate Focused Growth, Booster, Kernel High Growth or ANZ Growth, pull each fund's current charge and returns from Sorted Smart Investor rather than relying on a year-old figure, and model the difference with our KiwiSaver growth calculator.

A quick note on your PIR

While you are reviewing contributions, check your prescribed investor rate (PIR). Being on the wrong PIR is a common and easily fixed mistake. For NZ resident individuals the thresholds are ⁷:

An incorrect PIR can mean overpaying tax on your KiwiSaver returns all year. It takes two minutes to check and fix with your provider.

How to make a voluntary contribution before the cutoff

There are two ways to top up ⁹:

1. Pay your provider directly (preferred, fastest). Log in to your KiwiSaver provider's app or online portal, or use their bank details for a one-off payment. Providers process these the quickest. ANZ, Simplicity, Milford and the others all publish direct contribution options on their sites.

2. Pay Inland Revenue via your bank's "Pay tax" function. Use your IRD number, select tax type KSS, and use period 0 ⁹. IRD then forwards it to your provider.

Whichever route you choose, the money must be received by 30 June to count for the 2026 KiwiSaver year ⁹. Because bank transfers and provider processing take time, do not leave it to the last day. Simplicity, for example, suggests topping up by 25 June as a safe cutoff so funds clear in time ¹⁰.

Worked example: a self-employed top-up

Scenario: Mere is a self-employed graphic designer. She has made no KiwiSaver contributions this year because she has no PAYE deductions.

Mere turns $1,042.86 into $1,303.58 before her fund earns anything. If she had contributed only $500, she would receive $125 and miss out on $135.72 of the top-up.

Book a Smiths review to check you're on track

A free KiwiSaver review before 30 June can confirm whether you have hit the $1,042.86 threshold, whether you are eligible under the $180,000 cut-off, and whether your fund and PIR are right for you. Book a review

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum KiwiSaver government contribution for 2026? For the year ending 30 June 2026 the maximum is $260.72, paid at 25 cents for every $1 you contribute ¹. To receive the full amount you must contribute at least $1,042.86 of your own money during the KiwiSaver year ².

How much do I need to put in to get the full government contribution? At least $1,042.86 between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026 ². Salary deductions count towards this; employer contributions and transfers in do not. If you contribute less, you still get 25 cents per dollar on what you did put in.

When is the KiwiSaver top-up deadline? Your contribution must be received by 30 June to count for that KiwiSaver year ⁹. Because transfers take time, top up several days early; around 25 June is a safe cutoff ¹⁰. There is no carry-over, so anything missed for the year is gone.

Do I still get the government contribution if I earn over $180,000? No. From 1 July 2025, members with taxable income over $180,000 a year are no longer eligible ³. If you earn above that, topping up will not earn you the $260.72.

Are the self-employed eligible for the government contribution? Yes. Self-employed people and non-earners are eligible and arguably benefit most, because they have no employer match or automatic deductions, so the top-up is easy to miss ¹². A single voluntary contribution of $1,042.86 secures the full $260.72.

Is it still worth topping up now the contribution has halved? For anyone under the $180,000 cap who would otherwise fall short, yes. Contributing $1,042.86 to receive $260.72 is an instant 25% return on that money ⁴. The halving made the prize smaller, not worthless.

General information, not personalised financial advice. Seek advice tailored to your situation before acting. Craig Smith Business Services Ltd (FSP712931), trading as Smiths Financial, holds a Class 2 licence issued by the Financial Markets Authority and is a member of the Financial Dispute Resolution Service (FDRS). Written by Henry Smith, Financial Adviser; reviewed by Craig Smith, Principal Adviser. Last reviewed 16 June 2026.