The KiwiSaver Conversation
Most New Zealanders have KiwiSaver, but many have never received professional advice for it.
Approximately half of New Zealand's 3.4 million KiwiSaver members are invested with a bank-owned provider, and many remain in default or unsuitable funds.
For advisers, KiwiSaver presents a simple opportunity to add value.
The conversation doesn't need to be complicated. During a Fact Find, review, refix, or top-up discussion, ask:
Who is your KiwiSaver provider?
What fund are you invested in?
When was the last time you reviewed it?
Then ask the question that often stops clients in their tracks:
"Why are you with that provider?"
For many clients, the answer is simply, "I've never thought about it."
A short conversation can uncover whether a review may improve their long-term financial outcomes.
Through NZFSG's KiwiSaver partner, Kōura, referring clients is easy. A two to three-minute conversation is often enough to identify an opportunity. From there, you can submit a referral through MyCRM and the Kōura team will assess the client's goals, risk profile, and current provider and fund selection before providing personalised advice.
The results speak for themselves. Here are the outcomes of the 2,500 reviews completed over 12 months:
78% of Kōura clients previously held their KiwiSaver with a bank provider
72% were invested in an unsuitable fund
91% have experienced improved returns since switching
KiwiSaver may be one of the simplest opportunities to make a meaningful difference to a client’s financial future.
You don’t need to be a KiwiSaver expert. You just need to ask the question.
For a client who hasn’t reviewed their provider or fund in years, that two-minute conversation could be the prompt that helps them make a more informed decision, improve their long-term position, and get more value from the advice relationship they already have with you.
