NZ Super Calculator
See when you can get NZ Superannuation, whether you meet the residence test, and the standard payment rates. NZ Super is not based on contributions.
Your Details
The residence requirement rises in steps from 10 years (born before mid-1959) to 20 years (born 1977 or later). Check your exact figure with Work and Income.
Your Estimate
NZ Super (after tax, M code)
$555.15/wk
$1,110.30 a fortnight · $28,868 a year
💬 In Plain Words
At 45 you are 20 years from the NZ Super age of 65. On the years you have entered, you would not yet meet the residence test. You need 20 years in NZ since age 20, and at least 5 of those since age 50 (short on this). Time in Australia and some other agreement countries can count.
The Rules
Standard NZ Super Rates (after tax, M code, from 1 April 2026)
Approximate rates from 1 April 2026, adjusted each year in line with wages. If you have other income your NZ Super uses a secondary tax code and the amount in your hand is lower.
Estimate for educational purposes, not an official assessment from Work and Income. The residence rules depend on your exact birth date and are tightening from July 2026. Time in Australia and other social security agreement countries can count. Check your eligibility and apply through Work and Income.
NZ Super Is Not Based on Contributions
👋 Simple Explanation
Unlike the state pension in most countries, NZ Superannuation is a flat payment to everyone who meets an age and residence test. It does not matter how much you earned or how much tax you paid — the rate is the same for everyone in the same living situation. What varies is only whether you qualify, based on your age (65) and your years lived in New Zealand.
The residence requirement has been rising: it was 10 years since age 20 (with 5 since age 50) for people born before mid-1959, and increases in steps to 20 years total for people born in 1977 or later. Further changes apply from July 2026. Time lived in Australia and some other agreement countries can count towards the requirement.
NZ Super is designed as a floor — it replaces around 40% of the average wage. KiwiSaver is the layer that builds an extra retirement income on top; see our retirement calculator to project how KiwiSaver contributions grow by age 65.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the NZ Super age?
- 65. There have been proposals to raise it to 67, but it remains 65. NZ Super is not income- or asset-tested, so you can keep working and still receive it, though the total is taxed as income.
- How many years do I need to have lived in New Zealand?
- It depends on your birth date. The requirement is 10 years since age 20 (with 5 since age 50) for people born before mid-1959, rising in steps to 20 years total for people born in 1977 or later. Further tightening applies from July 2026. Time lived in Australia and some other countries New Zealand has a social security agreement with can count.
- Does having KiwiSaver or other savings reduce my NZ Super?
- No. NZ Super is not income- or asset-tested. Other income does not reduce the NZ Super payment itself — it only means your total income, including NZ Super, is taxed at your marginal rate, so the amount in your hand is lower than the standard rate.