From: Diane Maxwell [mailto:Diane.Maxwell]
Sent: Wednesday, 9 October 2013 8:11 a.m.
Subject: Release of 2013 Review of Retirement Income Policies discussion document

Good morning

At 8 am this morning the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income released Focusing on the Future, a discussion document on the 2013 Review of Retirement Income Policies. A PDF copy of the document is attached to this email, or you can find it here on the Commission’s website. Hard copies are available on request. Continue reading 2013 Review of Retirement Income Policies discussion document →

www.canstar.co.nz/kiwisaver/ Compare Kiwi Saver funds using the star ratings comparison …

Kiwisavers urged to compare fees to save http://www.canstar.co.nz/ Thursday, 12 September 2013, 2:19 pm Press Release: Canstar

12 September 2013

Kiwisavers urged to compare fees to save

CANSTAR researches 29 KiwiSaver schemes and 91 KiwiSaver funds to determine outstanding value providers.

Since the commencement of KiwiSaver in 2007, an impressive 2.16 million New Zealanders have become KiwiSaver members. Even more impressively, 49% of those have opted in via their provider, indicating that at least half of all KiwiSaver members have made an active choice with regards to the investment of their funds. Continue reading Canstar reports and findings →

Sent to the Treasury 1st October 2013

Attached is the Response of the consumer group Kaspanz– Kiwi Saver, Annuities and Superannuation Protection Association New Zealand Incorporated– and the request for comment by October 11, 2013 on the Flexible Superannuation proposal

FLEXIBLE SUPERANNUATION: Submission by Kaspanz

Kaspanz is a New Zealand consumer organisation representing people in receipt of New Zealand Superannuation, Kiwi Saver, Annuitants or Pensions.

Kaspanz on the weight of evidence it has been able to assess, does not support the proposal

Continue reading Kaspanz Submission on Flexisuper →

Jan McKeogh commented 

Please advise what type of lobby can be joined with regards to overseas pensions and NZ Superannuation,and other anomalies which exist.

This question is all about lobbying and advocating change to Section 70 of the Social Security Act. This is always a vexed issue, and no simple answer.

Writing letters to MPS and visiting your local Parliamentary members is one practical way, and Continue reading Overseas Pensions – Jan McKeogh →

From Alec Waugh

At the recent Auckland Business School Seminar “Does the UK’s reform of pensions have lessons for NZ, I was approached by Bob Stevens, who told me Kaspanz needed to be stronger on Overseas Pension reform in relation to NZ Superannuation.

Kaspanz strongly supports a review of the current formula and approach adopted, specifically Section 70 of the Social Securities Act.

This opinion piece by Michael Little wood sums up the issue, and hopefully assists Bob Stevens to realise Kaspanz wants the issue addressed

OPINION: New Zealanders are entitled to New Zealand Superannuation from age 65 if they have lived here for at least 10 years after age 20, with five of those years being after age 50. Continue reading Overseas Pension →

UK House of Lords Report Summary – READY FOR AGING:DON’T REINVENT THE WHEEL I have found this report – a … More READY FOR AGING:DON’T REINVENT THE WHEEL →

Kaspanz Chair’s (Alec Waugh’s) Report on Meeting

An audience at the Auckland Business School on 23 September 2013 were enthralled listening to Dr Alison “Connell talking about the evolving United Kingdom Pension system and the transformation from a messy and complicated system to a much more simplistic one, a change adopting similarities to the New Zealand model? Continue reading YES – the UK’S reform of pensions have lessons for New Zealand →

Consumer Price index records changes in the price of consumer goods, brought by New Zealand households, giving a measure of inflation An independent advisory committee has endorsed the practices used to compile the consumers price index (CPI) and has recommended ways the CPI can be further enhanced.

On July 10 Statistics NZ published the Report of the Consumers Price Index Advisory Committee 2013 which includes the committee’s 16 recommendations:-  Continue reading 2013 CPI Review Committe Report →

OUR PRESIDENT’S (Alec Waugh) VIEW

How much is enough?  An Australian group “Association of Superannuation funds” said a comfortable retirement for Australians, was $A56.296 for a couple, and A$41,090 for a single person. Tom Thompson writing in World Investor a New Zealand publication, said a common rule of thumb is retirees need enough to replace 70% of their pre-tax, pre-retirement income. Continue reading How Much Retirement income is Enough? →

Subject: RPRC Forum 23 September: Does the UK’s reform of pensions have lessons for New Zealand?

The Retirement Policy and Research Centre is hosting the forum:

Does the UK’s reform of pensions have lessons for New Zealand?

When: 3pm to 5.30pm, 23 September 2013 Continue reading RPRC Forum 23 September: Does the UK’s reform of pensions have lessons for New Zealand? →