Kiwis keen to boost savings contributions

Almost half of people questioned in a survey by ANZ Bank would put 1 per cent more into KiwiSaver. Photo/File.

Almost half of the people questioned in a survey would increase their contributions to KiwiSaver by 1 per cent - backing moves by the government's money help service to make the savings scheme more flexible.

ANZ bank questioned 2000 people and found 20 per cent would definitely increase it while a further 27 per cent would likely do it as some point in the future.

Currently employed KiwiSaver members can choose to contribute either 3, 4 or 8 per cent of their pay.

Extra payments can be made to a person's KiwiSaver accounts but the member has to organise it directly with their KiwiSaver provider.

That has led to concerns over KiwiSaver's inflexibility and whether it is stopping people contributing more money or contributing any money at all because the minimum is too high.

The Commission for Financial Capability which operates the sorted website has suggested there needs to be more flexible contribution rates both increasing and decreasing the amounts people can put in as well as the ability to choose an annual rise.

Ana-Marie Lockyer, general manager funds and insurance at the ANZ, said the key thing people were looking for was flexibility.

"KiwiSaver is a 30-40 year savings commitment - people's circumstances will change over this sort of time frame.

"Ideally, we would enable people to increase their contributions to KiwiSaver when they get a pay rise or pay down their debt."

Equally, some people might prefer to reduce their contributions to 1 per cent or 2 per cent of their pay when money is tight.

Ana-Marie Lockyer

Lockyer said the only option at the moment was for people to stop contributing altogether for a few years.

Around 125,000 Kiwis are on contribution holidays but in total about 40 per cent of KiwiSaver's 2.6 million members do not contribute to it on a regular basis.

While a large group of the non-contributors are likely to be children, once the under 18-year-olds are removed there is still a group of about one in four adults who are signed up but not putting any money in.

The commission is seeking feedback on its proposals as part of a three yearly review of retirement policy and will report back to the government at the end of the year on its findings.