The 3rd Anniversary of KiwiSaver also marks the commencement of the first home purchase withdrawal facility and the first home purchase subsidy. From1 July these benefits became available to eligible members.
SAVING FOR YOUR FIRST HOME WITH KIWISAVER
While KiwiSaver is mainly about saving for your retirement, there are 2 benefits for KiwiSaver members who are saving for their first home.
Benefit 1: Savings Withdrawal To Buy A Member’s First Home
To help members with a deposit for their first home, they may be able to withdraw some or all of their KiwiSaver savings (except for the $1,000 kick-start and member tax credit).
Eligible criteria:
• You must have been a KiwiSaver member or a member of a complying fund for three or more years.
• You can only withdraw money to buy your first home – not an investment property.
If the member owned a home before, in some circumstances they may still be eligible to withdraw their savings. For more information the member can visit the Housing New Zealand website www.hnzc.govt.nz or call them on 0800 801 601 to determine if they are in the same financial position as a first home buyer.
Benefit 2: KiwiSaver First Home Deposit Subsidy
From 1 July 2010, after 3 years of contributing to KiwiSaver, members may be entitled to a first home deposit subsidy. The subsidy is administered by Housing New Zealand NOT the KiwiSaver provider.
The first home deposit subsidy is $1,000 for each year the member has been contributing to KiwiSaver, up to a maximum of $5,000 for five years. If they are a couple buying a house together and they both qualify for a subsidy, they can receive a combined subsidy of up to $10,000. Income and house price caps will apply.
To be eligible for the first home deposit subsidy, the member must:
• have contributed at least 2% of their income to a KiwiSaver scheme, or a complying superannuation scheme, for at least 3 years
• be buying their first home*
• be planning to live in the house for at least 6 months.
* If they have owned a home before, in some circumstances they may still be eligible for the first home deposit subsidy. Housing New Zealand will need to determine that they are in the same financial position as a first home buyer.
To find out more, visit the Housing New Zealand website www.hnzc.govt.nz or call them on 0508 935 266
After They’ve Bought Their Home
Once they have made a withdrawal from their KiwiSaver account to buy their first home, they will remain a KiwiSaver member.
