A CASH COW FOR MANY SUPPLIERS OF SERVICE, EATING AWAY AT YOUR SAVINGS RETURN.
Fees on your savings are the silent killer, re maximising your returns. The website Sorted NZ www.sorted.org.nz has an excellent website on Kiwi Saver funds. It’s simple, well presented and it’s really worth your time looking at what it offers.
On August 19th 2014 I scrolled through the Kiwi Saver Conservative funds fees listing, and they showed ASB Kiwi Saver Conservative Fund (default) had the lowest fees of 0.75%
Fidelity Kiwi Saver Conservative Fund at 1.71% was at the other end of the list.
I happen to be in the Westpac conservative Fund and the listing showed *below is an example of how the sorted website presents its information
My reading of Conservative Fund costings over the last few months has me thinking, that this type of total product fee should be in the vicinity of .50 to 1%
Linked to the fees issue is the remuneration of staff working in the Management funds industry. A cone of silence prevails on this topic, off shore commentators are increasingly saying the remuneration of people in the banking and management funds area is over the top, and needs attention, and the setting of reasonable fees, requires more transparency and discussion.
What’s your view?
EXAMPLE
*The Westpac Kiwi-Saver Scheme Conservative Fund aims to provide stable returns over the medium to long term with low levels of volatility and investment risk. Returns will vary and can be low or negative at times.
Combined fees
This fund
1.10vs
Average
1.27%
The combined fees are how much you would have been charged for the year ended 31 March 2014 on the average Kiwi Saver balance.
All the averages you see are for this same type of fund, so you’re comparing apples with apples.
Combined fees include
Membership fees per year
This fund
$31.08
Average
$31.00
Here you’ll find the total breakdown of the combined fees. These don’t include other fees such as for switching or withdrawing.
+ Total fund fees
This fund
0.72%
Average
0.87%
Annual management fee
0.54%
0.66%
Performance-based fees
0.00%
0.00%
Other fees and costs
0.18%
0.20%
Your Kiwi Saver money is invested by a professional fund manager, so there are always fees to pay. Fees can have a big impact on your nest egg, especially in the long run, so it pays to keep a close eye on how they add up.
Combined fees example
On a conservative fund of $8,100 the annual fees would be approximately:
This fund
$89.40
Average
$102.87
Posted by Alec Waugh