What happens to your KiwiSaver if you die?
It comes after Australians were warned to make sure they've organised who will get their superannuation savings when they die.
What happens to KiwiSaver money upon death differs from superannuation in Australia. In New Zealand, KiwiSaver funds are considered part of the deceased's estate and are subject to their will if they have made one.
Pie Funds chief executive Ana-Marie Lockyer explained that New Zealanders typically don't need a binding death benefit nomination like Australians to ensure their KiwiSaver aligns with their estate wishes. However, having an up-to-date will remains crucial to facilitate the process for executors.
Without a will, the distribution of the estate follows specific rules. If the deceased has a spouse or partner alongside children, the surviving partner receives all personal possessions, $155,000, and a third of the remaining assets. The remaining two-thirds are shared among the children.
Dean Anderson, founder of Kernel, highlighted that the probate threshold has increased to $40,000, meaning most KiwiSaver balances below this amount can be managed without court involvement. This threshold increase is due to the significant growth in KiwiSaver balances over time.
Written by urgent.news from RNZ Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
