Get Sorted: Is this $521 yours?

For every dollar you put into KiwiSaver, the government puts in 50 cents - up to $521 a year. If you're contributing less than $1,043, you won't be getting the full amount. Photo / Thinkstock

Don’t forget to pick up your big five hundy this year in KiwiSaver.

Found: a big five hundy left lying on the table. Don't forget yours!

Yet tens of thousands of Kiwis do.

You see, for every dollar you put into KiwiSaver, the government puts in 50 cents - up to $521 a year. Every year.

So if you're not contributing to your KiwiSaver fund, or you're not in KiwiSaver yet, you're missing out on the government's contribution to your future. It's money that should be yours.

A 24 year old in KiwiSaver getting that $521 boost each year, for example, could have as much as $50,000 more for their retirement when they reach 65.

So are you contributing enough?

If you're earning a salary of $34,762 a year or more and contribute the minimum 3 per cent, then good news - you'll be getting the full whack from the government. (If that's you, the next step is to make sure you're in the right KiwiSaver fund.)

But if you earn less than that, you can contribute more to avoid missing out. The magic number to aim for is $1,043.

Especially if you're self-employed, a stay-at-home parent or just on a contributions holiday, you need to aim to put in $1,043 each year to get the full $521. That works out to just over $20 a week.

A 24 year old in KiwiSaver getting that $521 boost each year, for example, could have as much as $50,000 more for their retirement when they reach 65.

Now if you're contributing less than that, you're still getting 50 cents on every dollar you put in. All is not lost.

For example, let's say you earn $25,000 a year and contribute 3 per cent. You're putting in $750 and the government adds $375. Which is great, but it's not the full five hundy.

But during the weeks to come - before mid-June - you can put in a lump sum and bring your contributions up to $1,043 to get the full boost, which will go into to your account in late July or August.

How can you top up? Contact your KiwiSaver provider today to make arrangements. Here's a list so you can find your provider.

Why leave money on the table?

Get Sorted is written by Sorted's resident blogger, Tom Hartmann. Check out the guides and calculators at Sorted - brought to you by the Commission for Financial Capability - at sorted.org.nz.