Kōura Wealth managing director Rupert Carlyon said the government proposal aligns with the National Party's efforts to make KiwiSaver withdrawals available to New Zealanders who want to invest or own a business. Photo: 123RF
Government's plans to change KiwiSaver regulations for farmers and others, opens the door for retirement funds to be used to invest in a business or a rental property.
The proposed changes would alter KiwiSaver to allow first-time farm buyers to buy a farm business with a home, while workers in employer-provided housing would be able to withdraw funds to buy a first home -- but not as their primary residence.
Fund managers said the proposed change could equally apply to a shopkeeper buying a business with living accommodation upstairs, or a New Zealand miner living in worker-accommodation in Western Australia and wanting to use their KiwiSaver to buy a house in New Zealand.
Kōura Wealth managing director Rupert Carlyon said the government proposal aligns with the National Party's efforts to make KiwiSaver withdrawals available to New Zealanders who want to invest or own a business.
"It's been pretty well flagged by National, I think for quite a long time that they want to do this," he said, adding the proposal was raised at least three times over the past four or five years.
"National (has) been trying pretty hard to figure out ways to allow people to withdraw KiwiSaver for business purposes."
Kōura Wealth managing director Rupert Carlyon. Photo: Supplied
Simplicity managing director Sam Stubbs said the KiwiSaver was designed to be a long-term retirement savings plan, rather than a savings plan to buy a business or a rental property.
He said letting farmers buy a farming business with a house on it is much the same as many other types of businesses, such as dairy owners who live upstairs from their shop.
"So what you're doing here is you're making an exception for farmers, and it's understandable why they're doing that, but it is also challenging, because maybe other people should benefit from the same set of rules," Stubbs said.
"To make an exception just for farm workers is, I think, a little bit unfair to the other New Zealanders who may be in those circumstances."
In any case, Carlyon said the changes would make little difference.
"I very much doubt there will be very many farmers that end up using KiwISaver to buy their farms that are not already doing so," he said, adding that farmers could already buy a farm using their personal name, rather than a business name.
"I also support the idea that people provided with housing for their work will be able to buy a house using their KiwiSaver," he said.
"My only concern would be - is this a great use of Parliament's time. I suspect we are talking about hundreds of additional withdrawals a year here -- a lot of effort for a pretty small change."
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