KiwiSaver Government Contribution Calculator
From 1 July 2025 the match is 25 cents per $1 up to $260.72 per MTC year — and earning over $180,000 makes you ineligible. Work out your entitlement and what to top up.
MTC year runs 1 July – 30 June. Budget 2025 halved the match rate to 25c/$1, introduced a $180,000 income cap, and dropped the minimum age from 18 to 16 — all from 1 July 2025.
Employee PAYE deductions + voluntary lump sums. Employer contributions don't count.
From 1 July 2025, members with taxable income over $180,000 aren't eligible.
Must be 16+ for the 2026-27 MTC year — dropped from 18 to 16 from 1 July 2025. The credit stops after 65: if you were 66+ on 30 June you turned 65 before the year began and get nothing.
Leave blank for a full year. If you joined, turned 16 or turned 65 part-way through the year, the maximum is scaled by the days you were eligible ÷ 365.
Match halved from 50c to 25c per $1 of member contributions. Maximum government contribution dropped from $521.43 to $260.72.
$180,000 income cap introduced. Members whose taxable income exceeds $180,000 are no longer eligible for any government contribution.
Minimum age dropped from 18 to 16. 16- and 17-year-old KiwiSaver members are now eligible for the government contribution for the first time — previously they received none, however much they contributed. This is separate from employer contributions to 16-17yos, which only become compulsory from 1 April 2026.
Still $1,042.86 to maximise. Because both the rate and max halved proportionally, the personal contribution needed to receive the maximum is unchanged — $1,042.86 (about $20 a week).
Coming next: default employee/employer contribution rate rises to 3.5% on 1 April 2026 and to 4% on 1 April 2028. Employer contributions are also extended to 16 and 17-year-old employees.
Source: Inland Revenue — Budget 2025 KiwiSaver changes, effective 1 July 2025.
How the government contribution works
The KiwiSaver government contribution — also called the Member Tax Credit or MTC — is a government payment into your KiwiSaver account based on your personal contributions over the MTC year (1 July – 30 June).
From 1 July 2025, Budget 2025 changes apply: the match halved from 50c to 25c per $1, the maximum fell from $521.43 to $260.72, and members earning over $180,000 for the corresponding tax year are no longer eligible.
The same Budget also dropped the minimum age from 18 to 16 — 16- and 17-year-old members are now eligible for the government contribution for the first time, provided they meet the same income-cap and residency rules as everyone else.
The personal contribution needed to unlock the full match stayed the same: $1,042.86 (roughly $20 a week). Only employee PAYE deductions and voluntary lump sums count — not employer contributions.
Government contribution by year
| MTC year | Match rate | Maximum contribution | Contribution needed for max | Income cap | Eligible age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 50c per $1 | $521.43 | $1,042.86 | None | 18+ |
| 2025-26 | 25c per $1 | $260.72 | $1,042.86 | $180,000 | 16+ |
| 2026-27 | 25c per $1 | $260.72 | $1,042.86 | $180,000 | 16+ |
The same settings apply to 2027-28 and later years unless Parliament changes them — see the FAQ below.
Worked examples
Contribute $1,200.00 over the year (2026-27) — above the trigger
Contributing $1,200.00 clears the $1,042.86 trigger, so the match is capped at the maximum: $260.72 government contribution — an effective return of 21.73% on the $1,200.00 contributed.
Contribute $800.00 over the year (2026-27) — below the trigger
$800.00 is below the $1,042.86 trigger, so the match applies at 25c per $1 with no cap needed: $800.00 × 25% = $200.00. Topping up another $242.86 before 30 June would unlock a further $60.72.
The same $1,200.00 under the old 2024-25 rules, for contrast
Under the pre-Budget-2025 rules (50c per $1, $521.43 maximum), the same $1,200.00 contribution would have earned $521.43 — $260.71 more than under the current rules, but with no eligibility for members under 18 and no income cap.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the KiwiSaver government contribution in 2025-26 and 2026-27?
The government pays 25 cents for every $1 you personally contribute, up to a maximum of $260.72 per MTC year (1 July – 30 June). The same rate and maximum apply in both 2025-26 and 2026-27. To receive the full $260.72 you need to contribute at least $1,042.86 of your own money during the year.
Who is eligible for the KiwiSaver government contribution?
You must be aged 16 to 65 (the contribution is part-year if you turn 16 or 65 during the MTC year), mainly live in New Zealand, and have taxable income of $180,000 or less. You also need to have made at least one personal contribution during the year — employer contributions don't count towards eligibility or the match.
Why did the minimum age change from 18 to 16?
Budget 2025 extended the government contribution to 16- and 17-year-olds from 1 July 2025. Before that, the minimum age was 18 — a 16- or 17-year-old KiwiSaver member received no government contribution at all, no matter how much they personally contributed. From the 2025-26 MTC year, the minimum age dropped to 16, so a 16-year-old who contributes $1,042.86 now qualifies for the same $260.72 maximum as an adult member. This is a separate change from employer contributions to 16- and 17-year-olds, which only become compulsory from 1 April 2026.
What is the $180,000 income cap and how does it work?
From 1 July 2025, members whose taxable income was above $180,000 are no longer eligible for any government contribution, regardless of how much they personally contribute. The test uses your taxable income for the tax year that ends during the MTC year (the year ended 31 March 2026 for the 2025-26 MTC year) if you have filed that year's return by 30 June or are not required to file one; otherwise it uses the year before (the year ended 31 March 2025). There was no income cap before 1 July 2025.
When is the KiwiSaver government contribution paid?
The MTC year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Your KiwiSaver provider applies for the government contribution after the MTC year ends on 30 June. Check your account after the end of July; it may take until the end of August.
Do employer contributions count towards the $1,042.86 trigger?
No. Only your own personal contributions — employee PAYE deductions and voluntary lump sums — count towards the $1,042.86 trigger. Employer contributions are a separate obligation and do not trigger or add to the government contribution.
What happens to the government contribution in 2027-28?
The Budget 2025 settings on this page (the match rate, the maximum and the income cap) apply to the 2025-26 MTC year and every later year until Parliament changes them, so they also apply to 2027-28 unless a future Budget says otherwise.
If I join KiwiSaver partway through the MTC year, do I still get the full amount?
No — if you join partway through the 1 July – 30 June year, your maximum government contribution for that first year is pro-rated by the number of days you were a KiwiSaver member, rather than the full $260.72. You still need to personally contribute enough to reach your pro-rated maximum; from your first full MTC year onward, the full $1,042.86 trigger applies as normal.
Related Calculators
Sources
Reflects Budget 2025 changes effective 1 July 2025.