Michael Arthurs plans to keep working now that he’s 65. His KiwiSaver account is a handy fund to help him make family events, like Christmas, just that little bit more special.
Not all KiwiSaver members realise they can leave their savings invested after they turn 65. What made you decide to keep your KiwiSaver invested instead of taking it all out at once?
That’s an easy answer! I didn’t need to draw it down when I turned 65 because I’m still working. I plan to work for as long as I can, so leaving my KiwiSaver invested gives me a nice little fund that I can draw on occasionally, if I need to.
So, you’re still making contributions to KiwiSaver even though you’ve reached retirement age?
Yeah, exactly. It makes sense for me to continue to contribute as I’m still working. It’s easy enough to do, and it’s a good way to keep saving into my retirement fund while I’m still able to.
Do you have any significant plans for your retirement?
I don’t plan to retire! I love my job. It keeps me physically and mentally active – and that’s important to me. I’ve seen retired people go downhill after retiring and I don’t want to do that, so I plan to keep working for as long as I can.
Has KiwiSaver helped set you up for a more financially secure retirement?
I’ve got two chapters to my life. I have older children with grandchildren, as well as a second family of younger children. So, for me, my KiwiSaver fund helps me make family events, like Christmas, more special.
The flexibility of the system – being able to draw down funds as and when I want to – is perfect for me. It’s a handy fund just ticking away in the background.
What advice would you give to someone in their 20s or 30s about saving for retirement?
It’s a no brainer. I’ve learnt the lesson that little and often is vital. You really can’t catch up, and that’s what I’ve found. You can’t catch up later in life, because you’ve always got new drains on your income. If you’ve got into the routine of that amount of money not being available, you’ve committed it, you’ll be better off.
What do you like about Booster and the Booster KiwiSaver scheme?
It’s a painless process. It’s accessible, I have a look online now and again. Booster’s app is easy to use. Whenever I communicate with Booster, I get good service. It all happens very quickly and professionally.
