Insights · plain English
KiwiSaver, plain English.
Practical guides on switching, fees, tax, risk and retirement . written by Smiths Insurance and KiwiSaver. No jargon, no upsell, no in-house fund.
Latest · read this first
Sector report · 7 min read
The 2025 FMA KiwiSaver Annual Report, in plain English
$123.1 billion in KiwiSaver, member balances up 8.5%, fund switches up 26.5%, hardship withdrawals up 50.8%. Our read on the FMA's annual report and what it means if you're a member.
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3 May 2026
All articles
Sector report · 6 min
Why we advise on this KiwiSaver panel (and not the others)
There are roughly thirty KiwiSaver schemes in New Zealand. Smiths holds agencies with five of them, and our switch recommendations currently land on four funds across two. Here's exactly how the panel works, what it means for you, and which schemes we don't advise on.
2 May 2026
Switching · 4 min
How to switch KiwiSaver in 4 steps (and what actually happens)
Switching KiwiSaver is simpler than people think. Here's exactly what happens behind the scenes. and the three things that go wrong if you're not careful.
15 April 2026
Tax · 3 min
PIR explained. and why most Kiwis pay too much KiwiSaver tax
Prescribed Investor Rate is the tax rate on your KiwiSaver returns. Set it too high and you lend IRD hundreds of dollars interest-free until the year-end square-up; set it too low and you get a tax bill.
8 April 2026
Risk · 4 min
The right KiwiSaver risk band for your age (and your goals)
Your risk band. Defensive, Conservative, Balanced, Growth, Aggressive. matters more than which fund you pick. Here's how to choose.
1 April 2026
Fees · 3 min
Fees compound: the silent KiwiSaver tax that costs more than IRD
0.5% extra fees doesn't sound like much. Over 30 years it's a holiday house. Here's the brutal math on how fees compound.
25 March 2026
Returns · 3 min
Why 10-year returns matter more than 1-year returns
Last year's winning KiwiSaver fund probably won't win this year. The 10-year leaders are different. and there's a reason.
18 March 2026
Risk · 3 min
Default KiwiSaver funds: useful start, terrible long-term home
If you got auto-enrolled and never picked a fund, you're in a default. Here's why staying there for 20 years quietly costs you a fortune.
11 March 2026
First home · 4 min
First-home KiwiSaver withdrawal: the rules, plain
Three years of membership, never owned a home, planning to live there 6+ months. Here's exactly how the first-home withdrawal works.
4 March 2026
Risk · 3 min
Aggressive vs Growth. what's the actual difference?
Both are share-heavy, both are for long-horizon investors. Here's how they differ and which one fits which situation.
25 February 2026
Switching · 3 min
Switching providers without losing growth
Switch wrong and your balance is 'out of the market' for 2-3 weeks. Here's how to minimise the gap.
18 February 2026
Retirement · 3 min
When to dial down KiwiSaver risk before retirement
10 years out is the sweet spot. Here's the glide-path most NZ advisers use, and why it works.
11 February 2026
