Can I travel while getting NZ Super, and other most-asked questions of 2025 - Ask Susan - ArkforgeAI.com

Photo: RNZ Every week in 2025, RNZ money correspondent Susan Edmunds answered your questions online and on her podcast [ https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/no-stupid-questions No Stupid Questions]. Here are some of the most-asked questions this year. If you have any you would like her to tackle in 2026, send them to questions@rnz.co.nz I'm not quite at retirement age yet but I'm planning. My daughter lives in Canada and I will go to visit her and potentially use her as a base to go sightseeing. I see that if you are away for more than 26 weeks you can lose your pension unless you make provisions with Work and Income. If you have lived and worked in NZ and reach retirement why should there be any conditions on travelling if that's what you want to do? Sure, they need to keep tabs in case you pass away and guard against fraudulent activity, but this legislation feels out of touch with the needs of many families in this day and age. I took your question to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), which indicated it's basically about keeping the scheme affordable for New Zealand. General manager for the international disability and generational policy group Harry Fenton said it had always been a feature of NZ Super (NZS) that eligibility was based on residence in this country. He said it was one of the aspects of the scheme that was designed to keep it fiscally sustainable. He said people who wanted to travel could receive their pension for 26 weeks if they returned to New Zealand within 30 weeks. "A person who wants to travel or live overseas for longer than 26 weeks can also apply under the general portability payments and their payment is proportional to their residence in New Zealand between the ages of 20 and 65. "A person living permanently overseas may be able to receive up to the full rate of NZS if the country they're residing in has a social security agreement with New Zealand. What a person may be eligible to receive will depend on their personal circumstances and the provisions of the individual agreement. New Zealand has a social security agreement with 10 countries which includes Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom." How Does Australia Pay High Wages but Still Keep Prices Low? Listen to No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds Fenton said people move to certain Pacific Island countries could also receive payment of the pension proportional to their time as a resident in New Zealand. I was 35 when KiwiSaver began ... I was a full-time worker, wasn't receiving a benefit. It was like this until this year, when I was told by my doctor that I can no longer work as I have osteoarthritis halfway down my back to my legs. The skills I had were as a cleaner and I ended as a customer service representative, so I was on my feet a lot. I am now just about 55, I've got 10 years until retirement. No one out there now will employ me as I'm just hitting retirement age and I have health issues. My husband and I are now on a supported living benefit together, he hasn't worked for 19 years. My KiwiSaver doesn't get any money from my wages any more. Can I get all my KiwiSaver money out that is in there? It's all my hard work and I no longer work. This is a really tough situation, and I can understand why it must be frustrating to have your KiwiSaver money there but untouchable! You can't close a KiwiSaver account in the same way that you would a bank account. When you first sign up, you can opt out if you do it quickly, but once you're in the scheme, you can only stop contributions. You can withdraw in limited circumstances: When you hit 65, if you meet the criteria for financial hardship, if you're buying a first home or if you are leaving the country permanently, but not if you're going to Australia. In your case, unless you're actually falling behind on your bills, you probably won't meet the hardship test. I checked with Rupert Carlyon, who is the founder of KiwiSaver provider Koura. He said: "Unfortunately, she is only allowed to withdraw for serious financial hardship if she can't meet her day-to-day living costs or if she has bills that she is unable to pay." He said there was a category that allowed for withdrawals in cases of serious illness but if you're still able to do some types of work you might not qualify for that. The KiwiSaver Act defines serious illness as something "that results in the member being totally and permanently unable to engage in work for which he or she is suited by reason of experience, education, or training, or any combination of those things; or that poses a serious and imminent risk of death". (You could always check with your provider to see what advice they could offer.) Carlyon said he realised the situation was not ideal for you. "But the positive is that from the age of 65 they will be able to draw down and use the money to help the next phase of her retirement." My parents are in their late 70s. Dad is in rest home hospital care in a rest home...

Can I travel while getting NZ Super, and other most-asked questions of 2025 - Ask Susan

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