When you’re a teenager, retirement feels a lifetime away. And it is. But what if your future self could thank you for something you did today? That’s the power of starting KiwiSaver early.

If you’re a parent helping your teenager navigate their first part-time job and the start of financial independence, now’s the perfect time to talk about KiwiSaver. It could be one of the most meaningful financial decisions you make together.

Here’s what you need to know about starting young, and why joining a values-aligned scheme like Christian KiwiSaver Scheme can give your teen a powerful head start.

Yes, teenagers can join KiwiSaver, and many already have

Teenagers aged 13-17 can join KiwiSaver with a parent or guardian’s consent. It won’t happen automatically when they start a job (that only kicks in at 18), but with a simple application through a provider like Christian KiwiSaver Scheme, your teen can open their account and begin their savings journey.

There are around 190,000 people under 18 already in KiwiSaver. From 1 July 2025, there’s even more reason to join. Teens aged 16–17 will now qualify for the government’s annual top-up of $260, provided they contribute just over $20 per week.

And, from 1 April 2026, employers will also be required to contribute to KiwiSaver for 16–17-year-old employees, as long as the teen is enrolled and contributing. It’s a major step forward in helping younger Kiwis build lifelong saving habits.

“Whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” — from Proverbs 13:11 (ESV)

How compound interest works

Let’s break it down with a simple example:

According to Sorted, if 15-year-old Tui puts $10 a week into her KiwiSaver account and it earns an average return of 5% per year (after fees and tax), by the time she’s 65 she could have around $110,000.

If she waits until she’s 25 to start saving the same amount, she’d end up with only about $63,000.

That’s a $47,000 difference just by starting 10 years earlier. It’s not about how much you contribute at the start; it’s about how long your money has to grow.

That’s compound interest in action; Money earning money while you sleep. The earlier you start, the more you benefit – even if you only contribute a small amount.

If Tui is working and is over age 16 by April 2026, , her employer will also start contributing to her KiwiSaver account on top of her own contributions. She may also be eligible for an annual government contribution. That means even more money going in, growing over time, and boosting her future balance well beyond what she saved herself.

KiwiSaver can help buy a first home

One of the biggest motivators for young people joining KiwiSaver is the chance to use it for a first home deposit.

After just three years in KiwiSaver, your teen may be eligible to withdraw their savings to help buy their first home. For a teenager, that means joining now could make them eligible in their early 20s, just when many start thinking seriously about getting onto the property ladder.

With housing costs rising, giving your child a financial head start could make all the difference. It’s one of the most practical, empowering reasons to open a KiwiSaver account during the teen years.

Where does the money come from?

The good news is, there’s no required minimum contribution for under-18s. That means parents, grandparents or the teen themselves can contribute as much or as little as they like.

For teenagers earning money from part-time jobs, they can choose to contribute from their wages, even if employers don’t yet top it up. And with no fees for under-18s in Christian KiwiSaver Scheme, that money goes straight towards building their future.

Some families treat KiwiSaver like a long-term gift account, contributing birthday or Christmas money, or setting up a small weekly transfer. Even $5 a week, left to grow over decades, adds up.

Joining early builds financial confidence

KiwiSaver is a great learning opportunity. Having an account introduces teenagers to real-life financial lessons like making regular contributions, understanding investment growth, and reading account statements.

Research shows that growing financial literacy helps young people manage money “with confidence and without parental or other intervention.” And with financial literacy now becoming a standard part of the school curriculum, more and more teens are ready to get involved.

By starting early, KiwiSaver becomes normal. And that helps build strong financial habits for life.

Why Christian KiwiSaver Scheme?

At Christian KiwiSaver Scheme, we believe in supporting long-term financial wellbeing in ways that reflect our values. That’s why we:

• Don’t charge fees for members under 18, so every dollar stays in their account
• Offer a choice of funds to suit different needs and timeframes
• Invest in ways that are values-aligned, and consistent with our Christian principles.

Then, when your teen becomes a first -home buyer, we can be there to support them with a competitive mortgage.

For many families, opening a KiwiSaver account is a practical expression of stewardship; a way to prepare for the future, make thoughtful decisions, and help the next generation thrive.

Ready to start? It’s simple

Here’s how to get going:

1. Talk about the benefits with your teen or as a family
2. Choose a provider that aligns with your values (like Christian KiwiSaver Scheme)
3. Open an account and start small, even a few dollars a week makes a difference.

The sooner you start, the more time you give your money to grow. And when it comes to KiwiSaver, time really is the greatest gift.

Now is the perfect time to begin

Joining KiwiSaver is about learning, growing, and preparing for the future. Whether you use it to buy your first home, build long-term wealth, or simply form good money habits, the benefits of starting early are clear.

Start your journey with Christian KiwiSaver Scheme today and help your teen lay a foundation shaped by faith, purpose, and possibility.

Christian KiwiSaver Scheme is managed and issued by The New Zealand Anglican Church Pension Board (trading as Anglican Financial Care). The Product Disclosure Statement can be found here Documents | Christian KiwiSaver Scheme.

At Christian KiwiSaver Scheme, we view investing as a form of stewardship; a responsibility to manage resources in ways that reflect our faith and values. A key part of this faith-led approach is active fund management.

So, what does ‘active management’ mean, and how does it shape the way we invest on behalf of our members? To help explain this, we spoke with Manher Sukha, Investment Manager here at Anglican Financial Care, who shared his insights on how active management guides our approach.

What is active management?

At its simplest, active management is about being hands-on. We make decisions every step of the way, rather than simply following market movements. As Manher explains, “Active management involves carefully selecting the investments we want to include or exclude, and putting our investors’ funds to work in a considered, purposeful way.”

Active management happens on two levels:

• Choosing where to invest – known as asset allocation. This might mean deciding how much of our funds should go into shares, bonds, or alternative assets, based on our outlook and our members’ risk profiles.
• Choosing what to hold within each area – actively selecting which shares, bonds or alternative asset to invest in, rather than simply tracking an index.

This approach ensures that every investment is chosen with care, in line with our commitment to ethical investing and accountability.

In contrast, passive funds track an index, following the market’s ups and downs. They typically have lower fees, but offer less flexibility to change direction, as the market moves. “In a passive fund, you’re following the market,” Manher adds. “But when markets go down, you go down too. Active management means constantly reassessing and refining our approach.”

Active management in practice at Christian KiwiSaver Scheme

For our investment team, active management means staying constantly engaged. It’s about asking the right questions every day: which shares, bonds or alternative assets offer real value and align with our faith and our Ethical Investment Policy? How much should we hold in each area? When is it time to make a change – and when is it better to hold steady?

As Manher explains, “I look after cash, which often goes into term deposits, and I’m always checking whether to reinvest for four months, six months, or another timeframe. Our offshore assets are partially hedged against currency changes at all times, so I think about where the exchange rates are going daily and decide whether to change cover levels (i.e. increase or decrease hedge)!”

This daily attention doesn’t mean we’re making constant changes. In fact, Manher says, “Being active means looking at the situation, thinking about it carefully, and then deciding whether to make a change or to do nothing at all – and doing nothing can be an active decision too!”

Day-to-day decisions and long-term thinking

Our team meets weekly to discuss what’s happening in the markets, in the world, and in our portfolios. Manher shares that these meetings are both formal and informal, reflecting our collaborative culture. “Because we’re a small team, we have ongoing conversations about what we’re reading, what’s happening, and how it might affect our approach,” he says. “We also listen to others’ views – not just our own – and bring that into our decisions.”

We report to our Investment Committee and Board every three months. This ensures there’s always accountability and oversight, which is a vital part of our promise to members that their savings are looked after with integrity.

Balancing risk and return

Active management is also about managing risk and return in a thoughtful, long-term way. Manher says, “We’re always balancing risk and return. If something is expensive, compared to what we think it’s worth, that’s a risk. If it’s below what we think is fair, that can also be a risk – because the market view might be overly negative at that time.”

In other words, active management is about more than finding low prices or avoiding high ones; we work to understand why the price is where it is, and whether the market’s view reflects deeper issues.

Rather than reacting to short-term market movements, we focus on whether an investment offers real value in the long term. “We don’t react to every headline,” Manher says. “Unless we think there’s a fundamental change, we stay true to our investment strategy.”

This approach ensures we stay aligned with the risk profiles of each fund, whether it’s the Growth Fund, Balanced Fund, or Income Fund. While we might make slight adjustments within each fund if needed, we always respect our members’ overall appetite for risk.

Ethical investing at the heart of our approach

Ethical investing is core to Christian KiwiSaver Scheme. Before an investment is made, we check that it aligns with our ethical policy. This involves working with an external provider who reviews every investment in shares, and alerts us if there are any concerns.

Manher says, “Before we make any investment in shares, we check it with an external provider to ensure it aligns with our Ethical Investment Policy. If an investment no longer meets that standard, we remove it from our portfolio.”

This approach reflects our commitment to Christian values.

Navigating global uncertainty

We know that global events and economic shifts can affect markets. But rather than being driven by fear, we look at how these events impact the big picture and our members’ long-term financial wellbeing. Our approach is measured and considered – we focus on what we can control, and avoid knee-jerk reactions to market volatility.

Manher says, “Yes, we’re cautious right now because there’s so much uncertainty out there. But we’re not reactionary. We’ve positioned ourselves to take on the right level of risk – not too much, not too little – and we watch closely to see if anything truly changes that picture.”

By staying disciplined and aligned with our members’ values, we aim to navigate uncertainty with integrity. This means staying alert to global challenges, but also keeping sight of the long-term goals that matter most to our community.

Stewardship in action

For us, active fund management looks like this in practice:

• Making careful decisions on what to include and what to avoid.
• Monitoring investments every day, every week, and every quarter.
• Acting if something no longer aligns with our values.
• Prioritising members’ needs for a long-term sustainable investment.
• Staying true to our shared faith and ethical commitments.

Manher sums it up well: “At the end of the day, investing is half science, half art. Over time, you learn what to trust and what to watch out for. Our team here is exceptionally experienced, and we apply that experience to make the best decisions for our members.”

Active fund management is a practical way of using solid Investment Knowhow, to put Faith into Action, every day

Call us today to learn more about Christian KiwiSaver Scheme, and discover how simple it is to join.

Christian KiwiSaver Scheme is managed and issued by The New Zealand Anglican Church Pension Board (trading as Anglican Financial Care). The Product Disclosure Statement can be found here Documents | Christian KiwiSaver Scheme.

Choosing the right fund is an important part of your KiwiSaver journey. It comes down to understanding your personal goals and your comfort with investment risk.

At Christian KiwiSaver Scheme, we believe investing is an expression of our Christian faith. We offer a values-guided way to support your financial goals while being part of a community of believers who care about where and how their savings are invested.

Our three Funds are actively managed, globally diversified, and focused on supporting our members’ investment goals without compromising Christian values.

You can invest in a single Fund or a combination of Funds. Members can change their Fund selection at any time as their needs or circumstances change. Taking time to understand your options is a valuable act of stewardship.

Actively managed with care

Christian KiwiSaver Scheme’s Funds are actively managed. This means that a dedicated investment team carefully selects, and changes when considered appropriate, the investments within each Fund, based on research, expertise, and ethical guidelines.

In contrast, passively managed funds follow a market index, regardless of changing conditions. By being actively managed, our Funds can respond to market movements, seek out new opportunities, and avoid investments that do not align with our Christian values. It’s another way we express stewardship; managing entrusted resources with expertise and care.

Each of our three Funds offers a different approach to investment, which our members can choose depending on the level of growth, income, and risk they are seeking.

Here’s a closer look at each Christian KiwiSaver Scheme Fund:

GROWTH FUND

Christian KiwiSaver Scheme’s Growth Fund is designed for people seeking long-term investment growth and who are comfortable with greater short-term ups and downs.

This Fund invests around 75% of its assets into growth assets such as New Zealand and international shares, and 25% into income assets like bonds and cash.

The Growth Fund may experience more movement in value over short periods but has the potential for higher returns over the long term. It may suit people who have a longer investment timeframe and are prepared for some ups and downs along the way.

BALANCED FUND

Our Balanced Fund offers a middle-ground approach, with balanced exposures to growth and income assets.

It invests approximately 50% in growth assets and 50% in income assets.

This balanced mix means the Fund still has the opportunity for growth but with less volatility than the Growth Fund. It may appeal to people with a medium to long-term investment outlook who are seeking medium returns and a medium degree of risk.

INCOME FUND

Christian KiwiSaver Scheme’s Income Fund focuses on providing modest returns, compared to the Balanced and Growth Funds, through investing solely in income assets.

It invests 100% of its assets in fixed interest investments such as bonds and cash. It does not invest in growth assets like shares.

The Income Fund may experience smaller fluctuations in value compared to the Growth or Balanced Funds. It may suit people who prefer a lower-risk approach, including those nearing retirement or already retired who are focused on preserving their savings.

Understanding your risk appetite

Everyone’s financial journey is different, and no one Fund suits all people. If you would like help understanding your comfort with investment risk, we recommend using the Investor Profiler tool from Sorted.org.nz – It can help you reflect on your goals, your investment timeframe, and your tolerance for ups and downs in value. You can also speak to a financial adviser for personal advice, or contact our member services team for general information.

Investing with purpose and faith

When you join Christian KiwiSaver Scheme, you are becoming part of a community of believers who see saving and investing as an extension of their Christian faith.

Our approach is guided by principles of stewardship, ethical responsibility, and faith in action. Just as we express our devotion through prayer, service, and everyday choices, entrusting our savings to Christian KiwiSaver Scheme is another way to give witness to being a Christian.

As Colossians 3:17 encourages us:

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Together, we are building a community that believes in making careful, values-aligned decisions about where and how we invest.

Christian KiwiSaver Scheme is managed and issued by The New Zealand Anglican Church Pension Board (trading as Anglican Financial Care). The Product Disclosure Statement can be found here Documents | Christian KiwiSaver Scheme.