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In this episode of the Property Apprentice Podcast, host Debbie Roberts, financial adviser and owner of Property Apprentice, breaks down the latest KiwiSaver changes announced in the government’s May 22nd, 2025 Budget. Whether listeners are saving for their first home, planning for retirement, or simply trying to make sense of the updates, this episode delivers clear and practical insights.

Here’s what’s covered:

• 16- and 17-year-olds will now receive employer and government contributions to their KiwiSaver accounts
• The default employee and employer contribution rate will increase from 3% to 3.5% in 2026, and to 4% by 2028
• The annual government KiwiSaver top-up will be halved from $521 to $260.72 as of July 1, 2025
• Individuals earning over $180,000 will no longer receive any government contributions
• What these changes mean for savers and how they could affect long-term balances
• Why this is a great time to help teens start contributing to KiwiSaver
• Tips on how to make the most of what's still available

Debbie encourages listeners to check out the updated KiwiSaver Calculator at www.sorted.org.nz to assess how the changes might impact their savings goals.

Whether it's good news for young savers or a wake-up call for high earners, Debbie offers a balanced take on what the new rules mean for Kiwis — and how to adapt.

🔔 Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone who has a KiwiSaver account or is thinking of starting one.

#KiwiSaver #NZBudget2025 #PropertyApprentice #FinancialAdviceNZ #FirstHomeBuyer #RetirementPlanning #DebbieRoberts #SortedNZ #FinancialLiteracyNZ

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*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

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Topic #1:  1News 28th of May -Banks lower interest rates as Reserve Bank cuts OCR again

Topic #2: RNZ 29th of May - Are credit card rewards schemes worth it?

Topic #3: Good Returns  28th of May - First home buyers outgun investors again

Topic #4: Interest.co.nz 29th of May - Residential construction continues to decline in Auckland and still has some way to go before it hits the bottom

Topic #5: Interest.co.nz 29th of May -ANZ Property Focus Report says ample supply of homes for sale is keeping a lid on prices - expects mortgage rates to bottom out around the end of the year

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  NZ Herald 20th of May -Auckland Council to release new property valuations in early June

Topic #2: Oneroof 22nd of May - 'Pretty bad at the moment': Wait times for home loan approvals have blown out, say brokers

Topic #3: Good Returns  21st of May - Hawks, doves and Kiwis

Topic #4: Good Returns 22nd of May - KiwiSaver contribution rates to increase; Cuts to Govt contribution

Topic #5: RNZ 22nd of May -The social housing waitlist: Woman told no emergency homes available at all

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  RNZ 13th of May - Lull in property values present home buyers 'rare opportunity'

Topic #2: Stuff 15th of May - People selling their home within three years could be facing a loss, new report finds

Topic #3: Interest.co.nz  15th of May - Housing sales and selling prices both edged lower in April, with REINZ saying buyers are being picky

Topic #4: RNZ 15th of May - Falling interest saving home loan borrowers $2.2b, bank says

Topic #5: Oneroof 14th of May -Tony Alexander: Reasons to be cheerful - but don’t expect a boom anytime soon

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  Good Returns 7th of May - House prices, rent rises to be restrained in the short term: RBNZ

Topic #2: RNZ 7th of May - Methamphetamine use still a headache for landlords, regulatory decisions due this year

Topic #3: Stuff 7th of May - ‘It's tough out there at the moment’: Number of adult children moving home on the rise

Topic #4: Oneroof 7th of May - Tony Alexander: Home loans are cheaper, so why has the housing market stalled again?

Topic #5: Oneroof 7th of May -Revealed: Green homeowners could save up to $98,000 on their mortgage bill

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  Corelogic 1st of May - Momentum gradually builds in market upturn

Topic #2: RNZ 1st of May - Like the look of that house? 'Visit 50 properties before you buy'

Topic #3: Interest.co.nz 30th of April - ANZ's economists see an upturn in house prices but expect it to be restrained by high volumes of houses for sale

Topic #4: RNZ 30th of April - When and where house sellers have made 100 percent in five years

Topic #5: RNZ 29th of April -Time to pick a home loan strategy, ASB says

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  RNZ 23rd of April - 'Pain' for property investors as renting listing levels hit decade high

Topic #2: Oneroof 23rd of April - Tony Alexander: Global trade war’s effect on house prices - the good, bad and ugly

Topic #3: RNZ 23rd of April - House sellers cut prices, March sales 'roaring back to life'

Topic #4: NZ Herald 23rd of April - Roofing Association ‘deeply concerned’ over claims of ‘reckless’ activity

Topic #5: Good Returns 22nd of April -Sitting back and taking a calm attitude

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  Good Returns 15th of April - Non-banks may offer lower rates under deposit insurance scheme

Topic #2: NZ Herald 15th of April - NZ’s house price median drops $30,000 annually, Auckland down 2.8%: REINZ

Topic #3: Oneroof 20th of April - ‘Too much of a risk’ - Agents to fire landlords who ignore Healthy Homes deadline

Topic #4: NZ Herald 14th of April -Kiwi card spending drops 0.8% in March, Stats NZ data reveal

Topic #5: Corelogic 16th of April -Buyer power dynamics are changing

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  Good Returns 9th of April - BREAKING: OCR: 3.5% - Further reduction in OCR appropriate

Topic #2: NZ Herald 8th of April - House prices flat to start 2025 – which regions fared better than others?

Topic #3: Good Returns 8th of April - Longer term fixed interest rates slowly bite into floating terms

Topic #4: NZ Herald 8th of April -First-home buyers face challenges as KiwiSaver balances drop

Topic #5: Corelogic 9th of April -NZ residential construction cost growth slows to near-record low

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.

Topic #1:  NZ Herald 1st of April - Green shoots of optimism as number of Kiwis behind on payments falls

Topic #2: The Mortgage Mag 1st of April - RBNZ does a u-turn on bank capital requirements

Topic #3: RNZ 2nd of April - Problems ahead unless government changes retirement policy - report

Topic #4: NZ Herald 2nd of April -Barfoot & Thompson unsold houses hit record: 6200 places available

Topic #5: Oneroof 30th of March - ‘Scary’ trend: Homeowners losing thousands of dollars with short-term mortgage fixes

Support the show

*Nothing from this episode should be taken as individual financial advice.

*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.