Projection Calculator Questions

What does the GoalsGetter projection calculator show?

The GoalsGetter projection calculator (graph) is designed to give you a high-level illustration of how your investment could grow over time. To do this, we use standardised assumed rates of investment returns set out by the Government.

Key assumptions

• Contributions stay at the rate you’ve defined.
• No withdrawals are made.
• Any income from fund distributions is reinvested.

About the assumed returns

• These rates are based on fund type, not on a specific strategy or asset class.
• They are not predictions or guarantees - just assumptions to show how returns might vary over time.
• Actual returns could be lower in poor market conditions or higher in strong markets. Keep this in mind when considering an investment.

Why all funds in a type look the same

There are only a limited number of fund types shown in our projections, so all funds within a type use the same assumed rate of return in the calculator. In reality, funds differ because they invest in different underlying assets. To understand these differences, please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)

Understanding the GoalsGetter projection ranges

The GoalsGetter projection graph shows estimated end value ranges based on the tool’s assumptions:

Strong Range
About 25% of outcomes are expected to fall in this range, reflecting generally favourable market conditions.

Average Range
About 30% of outcomes are expected to fall in this range, reflecting normal or slightly weaker market conditions.

Poor Range
About 25% of outcomes are expected to fall in this range, reflecting poorer market conditions.

Exceptions
Around 20% of the time (1 in 5 outcomes) could fall outside these ranges, either above or below.

How does the projection calculator work for my KiwiSaver investment?

When you use the GoalsGetter calculator to estimate the future value of your KiwiSaver investment, the following assumptions apply:

Default contribution rates
If your income is from salary or wages, the calculator defaults to 3% for both employee and employer contributions. You can update these to reflect your actual rates.

Contribution rates stay the same
Any contributions you’ve set - including your own and your employer’s—are assumed to remain at the selected rate until retirement.

Upcoming changes to minimum contributions
Minimum contribution rates for you and your employer will increase to 3.5% on 1 April 2026, and then to 4% on 1 April 2028. These changes are included in the projections.

Government contributions
These are based on the information you provide such as your salary or other contributions you may make.

No withdrawals assumed
The calculations assume you won’t make any withdrawals before retirement.

Income growth and inflation
Your income is assumed to grow at the rate of wage inflation. Inflation and wage inflation rates are based on government assumptions, which may change over time.

Rules may change
KiwiSaver rules and benefits can change in the future.

Keeping your projections accurate
We recommend updating your contribution rates whenever they change and reviewing your inputs regularly. This helps ensure your projections reflect changes in your circumstances or in underlying assumptions - such as tax rates.

Why inflation matters
Goods and services generally cost more over time due to inflation. For example, a bottle of milk that costs $5 today might cost $10 by the time you retire. Our tool lets you adjust for inflation so you can see what your projected future value would be worth in today’s dollars.

If you have further questions please contact us.