Posted 29 July 2025

Investment markets have recovered since a sharp sell-off in April when President Trump first announced steep tariffs against most US trading partners. However, markets barely registered when Trump recently announced a fresh round of tariffs beginning 1 August. Perhaps investors are betting on Trump backing down [external link]. Who knows what is around the corner and how markets will respond? There is every chance the volatility we’ve seen in the first half of 2025 will continue. It is important not to react by switching investment options every time there is a significant change in market prices. Better to stick to a long-term strategy and change that strategy only when your personal circumstances change. If you have any doubt whether your current strategy is the right one, we suggest you seek professional advice. The Sorted website has information to help you choose a financial adviser. Go to sorted.org.nz [external link] and search ‘financial advice’.

There are several ways to measure UniSaver performance against its KiwiSaver peers. One is to track where UniSaver funds sit against KiwiSaver funds ranked from lowest to highest. Over the long term, we expect to place consistently in the second quartile (top 25-50%) of KiwiSaver funds with a similar mix of assets. Targeting the second quartile is expected to provide more consistent returns over the long term with the intention of avoiding large periods of underperformance. While we don’t look to take on as much risk as some of our peers, our substantially lower management fees help make our returns competitive. 

It may be tempting to head for the hills during times of market volatility and switch to an investment option that is more likely to provide steady, consistent returns. This may be a good strategy if you’re saving to meet a more immediate financial goal. Over the long term though, you must be mindful that inflation has the potential to erode the spending power of your savings.

Posted 29 July 2025

Around 100 members have transferred a total of $12 million into our new lower carbon investment option since we launched it on 30 April. Growth (Lower Carbon) invests predominantly in global shares with specific exclusions related to fossil fuels, plus a small percentage invested in global fixed interest. Growth (Lower Carbon) has a lower carbon exposure than the existing Growth option. Pānui ētahi / read more

Changes to KiwiSaver announced by the government in May's Budget will affect complying superannuation funds like UniSaver.

Not having all your eggs in one basket is a central principle of successful investment strategies. UniSaver’s investment options are well diversified across asset classes, investment managers, investment styles and securities. This makes them less vulnerable to economic or market shocks that affect a particularly security, asset class or geographic region. The ultimate aim is to smooth out a portfolio’s returns over time. This article from our investment consultant and manager Russell Investments explains the role diversification plays in building resilient investment portfolios. Pānui ētahi / read more

August is Sorted Money Month [external link] – a public awareness campaign coordinated by the Retirement Commission. This year’s activities are built around a single focus of encouraging New Zealanders to set up an emergency savings fund. The Commission says that having an emergency fund brings peace of mind and that “starting, even with just a small amount, brings a significant boost to people’s financial resilience and wellbeing”. Not sure where to start? Read these tips from financial journalist Mary Holm. 

The Reserve Bank’s Depositor Compensation Scheme [external link] (DCS) came into effect on 1 July 2025. It’s worth noting that the DCS only covers retail deposits taken by banks and non-bank deposit takers such as credit unions, building societies and finance companies. Managed investment schemes like KiwiSaver and workplace savings schemes like UniSaver are excluded. These schemes are already subject to robust oversight under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. 

“It’s time in the market, not timing the market, that matters”

The volatility in share prices experienced this year is not unusual by historical standards. For example, in March 2020, share prices as measured by the S&P 500 index jumped by as much as 9.38% in a single day and fell as much as 11.98%. Given the current market volatility, we think it’s worth illustrating the danger of trying to time the market either by moving to a more conservative or higher-risk option. It is wiser to make a choice based on your long-term goals and stay the course. Pānui ētahi anō / read more

Investment switches do not happen in real time even if you make the change online. If you decide to change your current investment, your account balance will be valued based on the unit price for the day you request the change, which is typically known two business days later. Your online account shows an estimated balance based on the latest available unit price which could be two days old, so your balance will always be different at the time your switch (or withdrawal) takes effect. The value of your holdings may have increased or decreased when the change is processed. This is something to be aware of and important to consider particularly during times of increased market volatility.

Updated 25 March 2025

We have received a number of requests from members asking us to divest in Israeli companies as well as international companies listed by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement led by the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC).

UniSaver invests in securities selected by its investment consultant and manager Russell Investments under broad guidance set out in our statement of investment policy and objectives [external link]. We require Russell Investments to comply with New Zealand government sanctions when making investment decisions. As New Zealand is a United Nations (UN) member state, this includes sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council. There are currently no New Zealand sanctions against Israel.

Russell Investments' 10th Annual ESG Manager Survey offers a deep dive into the global trends shaping sustainable investing. By gathering insights from investment managers across the globe, this survey has become a critical tool for understanding the evolving landscape of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investing. Pānui ētahi anō / read more

Mercer, our administration manager, has moved to a new sign in system that uses a combination of an email address and password. The first time you sign in to your account, you’ll be required to follow a once-only authentication process. First, you’ll be required to enter your membership number, date of birth and email address. Then, you’ll be prompted to set up your security methods: email, password and mobile phone number. This allows for multi-factor authentication, which provides an additional layer of security. For example, if you attempt to sign in from a new device, we’ll send a verification code by email or SMS just to make sure it’s you. Check our question and answer page or contact the helpline if you have trouble with the authentication process. 

Mercer will ask for proof of bank account before paying a withdrawal. The evidence needs to show the name the account is in and the bank account number. The simplest way is to take a screenshot from your internet banking or a photocopy of the top of a bank statement or ask your bank to print and sign a verification of account slip. We can only pay benefits into an account in your name. This means we cannot pay benefits into family trust accounts, business accounts or accounts in someone else’s name. These rules are about protecting you against fraud. It’s also required by our auditor. 

It's been widely reported in the New Zealand media that cost of living pressures have seen a rise in the number of significant financial hardship applications from KiwiSaver members. We’ve noticed a similar trend.

From age 65, you can withdraw some or all of your savings in the standard and locked sections of UniSaver. Here are your options.

We will pay your benefit to your legal personal representative(s) if you die while you are an active member of UniSaver or while you are entitled to a deferred benefit from the scheme.

Your benefit is not paid automatically when you leave work. You need to fill in form12 leaving form [PDF, 121 KB] in order to access your savings.