There’s a lot of jargon used when it comes to KiwiSaver. It’s used by the media, the regulators and also people like us, your KiwiSaver provider. We try to use plain English but every now and again a bit of jargon is inevitable in our communications with you. We’re going to cover a few terms in each newsletter. Please tell us if there is something you’d like us to explain.
KiwiSaver provider means the organisation responsible for managing a KiwiSaver scheme, e.g Anglican Financial Care is the organisation responsible for managing the Christian KiwiSaver Scheme.
Regulator generally means the Government body responsible for overseeing the particular product, service, etc. For KiwiSaver schemes this means the Financial Markets Authority (also referred to as the FMA). They’re important as they keep an “eye” on the providers and others involved with your KiwiSaver scheme.
KiwiSaver scheme is the scheme you join. You can only belong to one KiwSaver scheme at a time. The Government sets out the rules for KiwiSaver schemes in an Act of Parliament, the KiwiSaver Act. A KiwiSaver scheme is run by a KiwiSaver scheme provider and a KiwiSaver provider can offer more than one KiwiSaver scheme. Typically each scheme has a number of funds into which you can invest. Anglican Financial Care has only one scheme, the Christian KiwiSaver Scheme and within it offer 3 funds – the Growth, Balanced and Income Funds.
Restricted KiwiSaver scheme is a KiwiSaver scheme that is not open to the general public, and has restrictions on who can become a member, i.e. the Christian KiwiSaver Scheme is not open to everyone.
Licensed Independent Trustee. Each restricted KiwiSaver scheme must have a Licensed Independent Trustee. The FMA oversees who can be a Licensed Independent Trustee. Brendan O’Donovan is the current Licensed Independent Trustee member of Anglican Financial Care’s Board.
There is a KiwiSaver Glossary on the website under Documents/Guides & Policies that explains most of the KiwiSaver related jargon.
