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Retirement Income Calculator — New Zealand

Connect savings you can use when work stops, KiwiSaver available from 65 and the current NZ Super rate. See the bridge needed before 65, test a lower-return case and solve the savings required for your weekly target.

Published by GrowThenDraw Editorial Team · Editorial policy · Methodology & sources

Retirement timing

Before 65, the plan must use accessible savings or other income.

This is a planning horizon, not a life-expectancy prediction.

Savings in today's dollars

Money available from the retirement age entered, outside locked KiwiSaver.

Use the inflation-adjusted, today's-dollar result from the KiwiSaver calculator.

Income target

After tax, in today's purchasing power.

For example, continuing work or net rental income. Assumed from retirement onward.

NZ Super from age 65

Work and Income or Inland Revenue determines the amount, eligibility and correct code.

Real return assumptions

After fees, tax and inflation. An assumption, not a forecast.

Use a materially lower real return to test plan dependence.

Accessible savings required at age 60
$248,440.48
$48,440.48 more than the accessible savings entered.
NZ Super after tax
$555.15/wk
Pre-65 bridge required
$225,642.25
Sustainable weekly target
$897.72
Expected ending balance
$0
Income gap in today's dollars
Weekly spending target
$1,000
Annual gap before 65
$46,800
Annual gap from 65
$17,932.2
Stress ending balance
$0

NZ Super uses the selected standard 2026 after-tax rate from age 65. Income above the target is not reinvested.

$168.6K$337.2KAge 61: expected-case balance $155,820.61Age 62: expected-case balance $110,978.54Age 63: expected-case balance $65,463.83Age 64: expected-case balance $19,266.4Age 66: expected-case balance $337,172.43Age 67: expected-case balance $324,152.45Age 68: expected-case balance $310,937.17Age 69: expected-case balance $297,523.66Age 70: expected-case balance $283,908.95Age 71: expected-case balance $270,090.01Age 72: expected-case balance $256,063.8Age 73: expected-case balance $241,827.19Age 74: expected-case balance $227,377.03Age 75: expected-case balance $212,710.11Age 76: expected-case balance $197,823.2Age 77: expected-case balance $182,712.98Age 78: expected-case balance $167,376.1Age 79: expected-case balance $151,809.18Age 80: expected-case balance $136,008.75Age 81: expected-case balance $119,971.31Age 82: expected-case balance $103,693.31Age 83: expected-case balance $87,171.15Age 84: expected-case balance $70,401.15Age 85: expected-case balance $53,379.59Age 86: expected-case balance $36,102.72Age 87: expected-case balance $18,566.69Age 88: expected-case balance $767.63Age 61Age 66Age 71Age 76Age 81Age 86Age 90
Expected-case balance
NZ Super: $555.15/weekOther income: $100/weekNeeded from savings: $344.85/week
NZ SuperOther incomeNeeded from savings
$0.5$1ExpectedStress
Expected returnStress return
AgeOpeningKiwiSaver addedNZ SuperOther incomeNeeded from savingsInvestment returnShortfallEnd balance
60$200,000$0$0$5,200$46,800$2,620.61$0$155,820.61
61$155,820.61$0$0$5,200$46,800$1,957.92$0$110,978.54
62$110,978.54$0$0$5,200$46,800$1,285.29$0$65,463.83
63$65,463.83$0$0$5,200$46,800$602.57$0$19,266.4
64$19,266.4$0$0$5,200$19,313.78$47.38$27,486.22$0
65$0$350,000$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$5,104.63$0$337,172.43
66$337,172.43$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$4,912.22$0$324,152.45
67$324,152.45$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$4,716.92$0$310,937.17
68$310,937.17$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$4,518.69$0$297,523.66
69$297,523.66$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$4,317.49$0$283,908.95
70$283,908.95$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$4,113.27$0$270,090.01
71$270,090.01$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$3,905.98$0$256,063.8
72$256,063.8$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$3,695.59$0$241,827.19
73$241,827.19$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$3,482.04$0$227,377.03
74$227,377.03$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$3,265.29$0$212,710.11
75$212,710.11$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$3,045.28$0$197,823.2
76$197,823.2$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$2,821.98$0$182,712.98
77$182,712.98$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$2,595.33$0$167,376.1
78$167,376.1$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$2,365.27$0$151,809.18
79$151,809.18$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$2,131.77$0$136,008.75
80$136,008.75$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$1,894.76$0$119,971.31
81$119,971.31$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$1,654.2$0$103,693.31
82$103,693.31$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$1,410.03$0$87,171.15
83$87,171.15$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$1,162.2$0$70,401.15
84$70,401.15$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$910.65$0$53,379.59
85$53,379.59$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$655.33$0$36,102.72
86$36,102.72$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$396.17$0$18,566.69
87$18,566.69$0$28,867.8$5,200$17,932.2$133.13$0$767.63
88$767.63$0$28,867.8$5,200$767.63$0$17,164.57$0
89$0$0$28,867.8$5,200$0$0$17,932.2$0
Step before this planner

Estimate KiwiSaver at age 65

Project contributions, ESCT, the government contribution and an inflation-adjusted age-65 balance.
Method guide

Bridge work, KiwiSaver and NZ Super

Understand today's dollars, tax-code rates, early-retirement gaps and why a stress case matters.

Retiring before 65 creates a separate bridge problem

NZ Super and KiwiSaver are generally available from age 65. If you stop work earlier, the money needed before 65 must usually come from accessible savings, other income or a different eligible source. A large KiwiSaver balance at 65 cannot pay a shortfall at age 60.

The calculator therefore asks for accessible savings at retirement separately from the KiwiSaver balance expected at 65. It solves the pre-65 bridge first, then adds KiwiSaver at 65 and continues the income projection.

NZ Super depends on household situation and tax code

Work and Income publishes gross and after-tax fortnightly rates for a single person living alone, a single person sharing, a couple where both qualify and a couple where only one qualifies. The after-tax amount also changes with the selected M, S, SH, ST or SA code.

The tool uses the standard rates from 1 April 2026. It does not decide eligibility, residence history, overseas-pension deductions, non-standard partner arrangements or the correct tax code. Those decisions belong to Work and Income and Inland Revenue.

Everything is shown in today's dollars

The weekly target, balances, NZ Super and other income are all treated as today's purchasing power. The return input is therefore a real return after fees, tax and inflation. This avoids comparing a future-dollar KiwiSaver balance with today's grocery bill.

If your KiwiSaver calculator shows both a future balance and an inflation-adjusted balance, use the inflation-adjusted figure here. A 1.5% default real return is an illustration based on a 3.5% net-return assumption and 2% inflation, not a forecast or provider promise.

The stress case is a warning, not a prediction

Smooth annual returns hide sequence risk. The lower-return scenario does not reproduce market crashes or the order of returns, but it shows whether a plan depends on an optimistic long-run assumption. Run a negative real-return case as well as the default stress setting.

Income above the target is reported but not silently reinvested. Housing costs, aged-care costs, tax changes, investment losses, provider withdrawal rules and changes to NZ Super policy can all alter the result.

Frequently asked questions

How much is NZ Super in 2026?

From 1 April 2026, the standard after-tax M-code rate is $1,110.30 per fortnight for a single person living alone and $854.08 each for a couple where both qualify. Other living situations and tax codes have different rates.

Can I retire before 65 in New Zealand?

You can stop paid work earlier, but KiwiSaver and NZ Super are generally not available until 65. You need accessible money or other income to fund the gap, subject to any separate withdrawal eligibility you may have.

Does NZ Super reduce because I have KiwiSaver or other savings?

Standard NZ Super is not generally income- or asset-tested, but it is taxable and an overseas pension can affect the amount. Eligibility and residence rules still apply.

Which KiwiSaver balance should I enter?

Enter the amount expected at age 65 in today's dollars. If another calculator shows nominal and inflation-adjusted results, use the inflation-adjusted value so it is comparable with the weekly spending target here.

What does sustainable weekly spending mean?

It is the highest constant weekly target that the entered savings and income can cover through the chosen end age under the expected smooth real-return assumption. It is not a guaranteed safe withdrawal or financial advice.

Does the calculator include a partner's different retirement age?

No. Couple rates assume the selected qualification situation from age 65. Different retirement dates, eligibility dates and non-standard partner arrangements need a more detailed household plan.

New Zealand retirement-income rules and methodology verified 2026-08-10:

Scope: standard domestic NZ Super situations, constant today's-dollar spending and other income, a visitor-entered smooth real return, KiwiSaver added at 65, an accessible-savings solver and a lower-return scenario. If retirement is after 65, the entered age-65 KiwiSaver amount is grown to the retirement age using the selected real return.

The tool does not determine NZ Super or KiwiSaver eligibility, residence history, overseas-pension deductions, non-standard partner rates, the correct tax code, provider withdrawal rules, market sequence, tax on other income, housing or care costs, estate goals or future policy. It assumes current NZ Super purchasing power continues and reports but does not reinvest income above the target. Educational planning estimate only, not financial, investment, tax or legal advice.