How much do I really need to retire comfortably?

International research shows that you need 70 – 100% of your current income to maintain your lifestyle in retirement, depending on whether you own or rent your home. 

Research from Massey University shows that you need anywhere between $700 and $1,400 weekly for a 2 person household, depending on where you live and the lifestyle you want to enjoy in retirement. 

This means that you will want to have accumulated savings at retirement age which are sufficient to fund your expenses over the next 25 to 30 years. You can use our kōura calculator to find out what different KiwiSaver contribution rates will give you in retirement.

For example, if you are 40 and you want to have $1,000 a week at age 65 (in today's dollars and excluding NZ Super) you will need to have accumulated savings of $1.6 million when reaching 65.

See our blog here for a lot more information and advice on retirement planning.