A.            There are a number of people like you who do not know who is looking after their KiwiSaver account. They are generally people who have been auto enrolled through their work, and for some reason the letters confirming their membership have not reached them or they have thrown them away without realising their importance.

People who are auto enrolled through work are allocated to one of the nine default providers by Inland Revenue and they are put into a conservative fund.   The expectation is that they will at some stage check that the fund is suitable for them and change if it is not.

They receive confirmation from Inland Revenue that they are in KiwiSaver and then they receive a welcome letter from the fund manager to which they have been allocated. This relies on Inland Revenue knowing your current address. As you do not know where your KiwiSaver is you may not be at the address that Inland Revenue has for you.   However, IRD knows which fund manager you are with, so that is where you should start with your enquiries.

Have you set up a MyIR login on the IRD website? This is a good idea for all taxpayers and KiwiSaver members. Through the MyIR login you can check up on your KiwiSaver and request a contributions holiday should you want one. You can also use the login for other IRD matters such as calculating your eligibility for a tax refund or Working for Family Tax Credits. 

To set up a MyIR login you need your IRD number. Follow the registration process outlined on the IRD website, then ring IRD on 0800 227 7700 to confirm the registration. Once you have completed your registration you can log in to your MyIR account and manage all your IRD matters online, including changing your address or bank account details and working out your income tax filing options. You can find out whether you are owed a tax refund and claim it yourself, rather than using a tax agent who will charge you for what may be a very simple process.

You can also see which fund manager is looking after your KiwiSaver account. Follow the link to your fund manager’s website and let them know your correct address. Most KiwiSaver fund managers encourage you to set up an online account to track your KiwiSaver and update any personal information such as a change of address or tax rate.

Through the MyIR login you can also track all KiwiSaver contributions that are made through your employer. This is a good way to find out how much you may be entitled to in Member Tax Credits each year, and top up your account if you don’t quite make the full entitlement of $521. 

A reminder to readers that their top up should reach Inland Revenue or their fund manager by 30 June to qualify for MTC in the current KiwiSaver year.