KiwiSaver alone won't get you there.
Most Kiwis assume KiwiSaver plus NZ Super will be enough. The data says otherwise. Here's exactly how big your gap is — and what to do about it.
Retirement gap calculator
What's your gap?
Based on the 2025 Massey University Retirement Expenditure Guidelines — real NZ spending data, not estimates.
Retirement lifestyle
KiwiSaver at 65
$733k
projected balance
KiwiSaver drawdown
$29k/yr
over 25 yrs
NZ Super
~$28k
per year (single)
Annual gap
None
vs lifestyle target
No gap — on paper.
Your projected KiwiSaver and NZ Super covers this lifestyle target. But this assumes you retire at exactly 65, stay healthy, and have no surprises along the way. Real financial independence means building a buffer well beyond this number.
These figures don't include healthcare costs, home maintenance, aged care, or living longer than expected — all of which can add hundreds of thousands to your real retirement need. Even a “no gap” result should be treated as a minimum, not a finish line.
Source: Massey University NZ Retirement Expenditure Guidelines 2025. NZ Super approximate single-person after-tax rate.
What the calculator doesn't include
The costs most people never plan for.
These are real NZ figures — and none of them are covered by NZ Super or KiwiSaver drawdown projections.
Rest home care
$75k–$90k
Per year for standard residential aged care. Average stay is 2–3 years, but dementia can mean 5+ years.
High likelihood after 80Hip replacement
$35k–$45k
Private surgery to avoid public wait times of up to 444 days. Knee replacements are similar cost.
Common after 65Hearing aids
$3k–$10k
Per pair. Most need replacing every 4–6 years. Over a 20-year retirement that's $10k–$50k total.
Affects 1 in 3 over 65Dental implants
$6k–$7k
Per tooth. Full arch replacement runs $20k–$35k. Not covered by most health insurance policies.
Very common over 70Home maintenance
$20k–$80k
Roof replacement, re-pile, re-wire, or weathertightness repairs. Older NZ homes are especially vulnerable.
Unpredictable but inevitableHealth insurance 65+
$4k–$10k/yr
Average NZ private health cover premiums climb sharply with age — roughly $4k/yr at 65 rising to $10k+/yr by 80. Over a 20-year retirement that's $120k–$200k+.
Essential after 65Realistic unexpected buffer needed
$150k–$300k+
On top of your regular lifestyle costs — and on top of whatever gap the calculator already showed you.
Sources: Massey University Retirement Expenditure Guidelines 2025 · QuoteHub NZ 2026 · ClinicCompare NZ 2025 · MoneyBalance NZ 2026 · Resonatehealth.co.nz 2026
The solution
How FIRE closes the gap
KiwiSaver is designed to supplement NZ Super — not replace it. For most Kiwis, the combination still falls short of a comfortable retirement, let alone an early one. The FIRE approach is to build a separate investment portfolio outside KiwiSaver that you can access before 65.
Track your savings rate
Fireball calculates exactly how much of your income is becoming wealth, not just tracking where it went.
Build outside KiwiSaver
Index funds, ETFs, and managed funds accessible before 65. Fireball tracks all of it alongside your KiwiSaver.
See your projected FIRE date
Add your lifestyle target and Fireball estimates when your investments could support it.
Ready to close your gap?
Fireball connects to your real NZ accounts and projects your personalised FIRE date — no spreadsheets required.