InvestNow KiwiSaver Scheme Review

We review InvestNow's 30 fund KiwiSaver scheme that's big on choice, actively managed fund and low on fees

Updated 14 July 2021
Summary of InvestNow KiwiSaver
  • Unique to KiwiSaver, InvestNow doesn't charge the annual membership or administration fee. Every fund charges a management fee; this ranges from 0.27% p.a. to 1.53% p.a and a select number of funds charge a performance fee on top of this.
  • There is a choice of 26 Active Funds and 7 Passive/Index Funds. You can invest in as many (or as few) funds as you want.
  • InvestNow does not manage any of the funds; managers include well-known investment companies such as Castle Point, Fisher Funds, Harbour, Hunter, Milford, Mint and Russell Investments with many funds previously unavailable to KiwiSaver investors.
  • The 30+ funds offer something for everyone, with low-risk cash and fixed interest funds, index-tracking funds, ethical-specific and growth-focused funds available. All funds are run by established managers with a track record.
  • InvestNow publishes their underlying fund performance data; you can see the past performance data here.
  • If you're comfortable with building a portfolio or choosing "just" one or two funds, the InvestNow KiwiSaver will be an attractive offering.
  • The scheme will appeal to people who want a range of funds to diversify or because they like the underlying funds.
Read this First: Fees, Performance and Understanding What's Best For Your Situation
A lot of media attention focuses on KiwiSaver fees, but this is only one thing to consider when picking the most suitable provider and fund for your retirement needs. Being comfortable with what you're investing in is the most important aspect of saving for your retirement. InvestNow KiwiSaver's funds have a broad range of management fees, from less than 0.30% p.a. to over 1.50% p.a. There are no ongoing membership fees to factor in; all the fees you'll pay will be deducted by the fund manager - InvestNow doesn't deduct any fees.

We believe that InvestNow KiwiSaver goes above and beyond in fee transparency, fund choice and high-quality managers who, for the most part, are active investors. The only limitation is the sheer number of funds - it's arguably a lot to choose from, and it may seem overwhelming. However, being able to mix your money in as many funds as you like can spread the risk. 

Our Review 
In this guide, we outline what the InvestNow KiwiSaver scheme is, outline the dozens of funds they offer to KiwiSaver members, as well as looking at alternatives and the level of fees involved.
 
Please note: MoneyHub is not a Financial Adviser, and this guide has been published to explain the investment fundamentals and outline the pros and cons of InvestNow KiwiSaver as a KiwiSaver investment option.
​
This Guide covers:
How does InvestNow KiwiSaver compare with other options?
Advertising Disclosure: We include the funds below based on merit, although we may have commercial arrangements with specific innovative and market-leading schemes for general promotion. Our Advertising Policy has more details. We rely on Morningstar data for all fund returns information.

InvestNow KiwiSaver Fees

Unique to KiwiSaver, InvestNow doesn't charge the annual membership or administration fee. Almost all KiwiSaver schemes charge this, and it can range from $18 to $35+ a year which is directly deducted from your investment. However, there are still one or two fees charged by InvestNow KiwiSaver funds:

1. Management Fees
Every fund charges a management fee; this ranges from 0.27% p.a. to 1.53% p.a. We itemise the 30 funds and their respective fee in the next section.

2. Performance-Based Fees
Some InvestNow KiwiSaver funds charge performance-based fees. Fund managers who do this include Castle Point, Harbour Asset Management, Milford and Salt. The reality is that these fees get charged when the fund has overperformed, so your fund will have usually increased in value significantly to trigger such fees.

The Specs of the InvestNow KiwiSaver Scheme and Where Your Money is Invested

In a nutshell, InvestNow KiwiSaver offers:
  • 26 Active Funds (i.e. are managed by an investing team who continuously look for sharemarket opportunities)
  • 7 Passive/Index Funds (i.e. follow an index, as outlined here)
  • Free membership fees (most other schemes charge $18 - $35+ per year)
  • Fund fees of between 0.27% p.a. to 1.53% p.a.
  • Fund selection is made by the member; you can invest in one fund, or as many as you like at the weighting you prefer (i.e. 20% in one fund, 50% in another fund and 30% in another)

The funds are comprised of:
  • 20 Single-Sector Funds (i.e. funds which invest in a particular sector or asset, such as property, ethical companies, Australasian equities and International Equities)
  • 10 Diversified Funds (i.e. Conservative, Balanced and Growth funds) which invest in a range of sectors. InvestNow classifies these as "Diversified" funds here.

InvestNow KiwiSaver's 20 Single-Sector Funds

Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash funds are conservative, low-risk funds that invest in term deposits and on-call interest-earning bank accounts. InvestNow KiwiSaver offers one cash fund, managed by AMP:
  1. AMP Capital NZ Cash Fund (fund fee: 0.27% p.a.)

New Zealand Fixed Interest
Similar to cash funds, fixed interest funds invest in bonds and other interest-earning assets. They are low risk and usually popular with people who want to protect their KiwiSaver balance. InvestNow KiwiSaver offers three such funds:
  1. Harbour NZ Core Fixed Interest Fund (fund fee: 0.65% p.a.)
  2. Russell Investments NZ Fixed Interest Fund (fund fee: 0.76% p.a.)
  3. AMP Capital NZ Fixed Interest Fund (fund fee: 0.58% p.a.)

International Fixed Interest
Similar to New Zealand Fixed Interest funds, International fixed interest funds invest in bonds and other interest-earning assets secured by companies and companies globally. They are low risk and usually popular with people who want to protect their KiwiSaver balance. InvestNow KiwiSaver offers three such funds:
  1. Hunter Global Fixed Interest Fund (fund fee: 0.54% p.a.)
  2. Russell Investments Global Fixed Interest Fund (fund fee: 0.78% p.a.)
  3. Hedged Global Fixed Interest Index Fund (fund fee: 0.41% p.a.)

Australasian Equities
Australasian equity funds invest in shares listed in New Zealand, Australia and/or within Asia. InvestNow KiwiSaver offers five such funds from well-known fund managers such as Harbour, Mint, Salt and Castle Point:
  1. Harbour Australasian Equity Focus Fund (fund fee: 1.50% p.a.)
  2. Mint Australasian Equity Fund (fund fee: 1.21% p.a.)
  3. NZ Shares Index Fund (fund fee: 0.33% p.a.)
  4. Salt NZ Dividend Appreciation Fund (fund fee: 1.16% p.a.)
  5. Castle Point Trans-Tasman Fund (fund fee: 1.07% p.a.)

International Equities
International equity funds invest in shares listed in America, Europe and emerging markets. InvestNow KiwiSaver offers five such funds:
  1. Clarity Global Shares Fund (fund fee: 1.06% p.a.)
  2. Russell Investments Global Shares Fund (fund fee: 1.50% p.a.)
  3. Russell Investments Hedged Global Shares Fund (fund fee: 1.53% p.a.)
  4. T. Rowe Price Global Equity Growth Fund (fund fee: 1.20% p.a.)
  5. All Country Global Shares Index Fund (fund fee: 0.40% p.a.)

Listed Property
Listed property funds invest in property (focusing on commercial and industrial) via listed shares which are property specific. InvestNow KiwiSaver offers three property-focused funds:
  1. Australasian Property Index Fund (fund fee: 0.45% p.a.)
  2. Salt Enhanced Property Fund (fund fee: 1.15% p.a.)
  3. AMP Capital Global Property Securities Fund (fund fee: 1.38% p.a.)

InvestNow KiwiSaver's 13 Diversified Funds

Diversified funds are, as the name suggests, diversified. They invest in a range of assets in different risk categories; for example, a Growth fund may have 80% of its money in equities and 20% in low-risk cash and term deposits. No diversified fund is the same; InvestNow KiwiSaver offers ten such funds:
  1. Castle Point 5 Oceans Fund (fund fee: 1.36% p.a.)
  2. Fisher Funds Growth Fund (fund fee: 1.02% p.a.)
  3. Harbour Active Growth Fund (fund fee: 0.99% p.a.)
  4. Hunter Balanced Fund (fund fee: 0.37% p.a.)
  5. Hunter Growth Fund (fund fee: 0.37% p.a.)
  6. Milford Balanced Fund (fund fee: 1.08% p.a.)
  7. Milford Conservative Fund (fund fee: 0.95% p.a.)
  8. Milford Active Growth Fund (fund fee: 1.25% p.a.)
  9. Mint Diversified Growth Fund (fund fee: 1.23% p.a.)
  10. Mint Diversified Income Fund (fund fee: 0.95% p.a.)
  11. Pathfinder Ethical Growth Fund (fund fee: 1.45% p.a.)
  12. AMP Capital Ethical Leaders Balanced Fund (fund fee: 1.32% p.a.)
  13. Smartshares Growth Fund (fund fee: 0.51% p.a.)

InvestNow KiwiSaver - What You Need to Know

Claims made by InvestNow KiwiSaver:

"Low fund charges and no KiwiSaver administration fees"
and
"The InvestNow KiwiSaver Scheme has low-cost investment options with management fees starting from just 0.27% p.a., including GST"

Is it true?
  • Yes - InvestNow doesn't charge an annual administration or member fee (saving $18 - $35+ a year, as almost all KiwiSaver schemes charge this fee). The fees charged range from 0.27% (AMP Capital NZ Cash Fund) to 1.53% (Russell Investments Hedged Global Shares Fund). The fees charged by each of the 30 funds are the same as what you'd pay if you invested directly. InvestNow makes its money by charging the funds a platform fee for being available to investors and, arguably, only works with high-performing and established fund managers with a solid track record.

"We’ve got expert fund managers covering a wide range of sectors and management styles within the InvestNow KiwiSaver Scheme"

Is it true?
  • Yes - ​the managers include Castle Point, Harbour, Hunter, Milford, Mint and Russell Investments. These fund managers often appear on our list of favourite funds. Many funds have been around for at least three years, and some have 10+ years of performance history per this table. InvestNow doesn't work with too many index funds, so you won't find offerings from Simplicity, Kernel or Superlife on the platform.

"The investment options within the InvestNow KiwiSaver Scheme are technically brand new funds, meaning historical performance information is limited."

Is it true?
  • Yes, but InvestNow publishes their underlying fund performance data, which dates back to their foundation (as all the funds offered for investment are established funds). You can see the past performance data here. InvestNow makes it clear that their KiwiSaver Scheme is invested 100% into the underlying funds, and each fund option charges the same fee as the corresponding underlying fund, so the performance of an InvestNow KiwiSaver Scheme fund is expected to be identical to the performance of the corresponding underlying fund.

Who is InvestNow KiwiSaver Suited To?

InvestNow KiwiSaver has a number of unique advantages no other KiwiSaver scheme offers. Firstly, it offers thirty well-regarded funds to choose from - but you can invest in as many (and as much of your total KiwiSaver investment) as you like. Very few schemes offer this, and no one offers more options than InvestNow KiwiSaver. In addition to this, most of the funds are exclusive to InvestNow KiwiSaver. If you invested in these funds outside of KiwiSaver you would need a significant minimum investment (unless using the InvestNow platform).

Secondly, the fees are low and straightforward. There's no annual membership fee. Instead, fund managers charge annual fees (and in some cases performance fees), which are in line with what the funds offer directly to their investors. 

If you're comfortable with building a portfolio or choosing "just" one or two funds, the InvestNow KiwiSaver will be an attractive offering. This will appeal to people who want a range of funds to diversify or because they like the underlying funds.

Standout Features:
  1. The transparent fees - the fees are charged directly by the fund's manager. Additionally, no annual membership fees make InvestNow KiwiSaver a leading platform in its own right.
  2. It's free to change funds and/or change the proportions you invest.
  3. The 30 funds offer something for everyone, with low-risk cash and fixed interest funds, index-tracking funds, ethical-specific and growth-focused funds available. All funds are run by established managers with a track record.

Be aware:
  1. As with any investment, markets go up and down. The Dotcom bubble in the early 2000s sank global share markets, as did the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. While many global share markets are now at record highs, this is no guarantee of future earnings.
  2. The funds don't have a lot of "KiwiSaver" performance data despite being long-established funds. To see long-term return data, InvestNow offers a useful table.
The Bottom Line
  • InvestNow KiwiSaver delivers on all its promises and is a refreshing entrant to the KiwiSaver market.
  • The opportunity to select one or many funds may feel intimidating when most schemes offer three or five choices, but the process doesn't need to be overwhelming.
  • Eliminating annual membership fees is innovative and makes the scheme an attractive offering, given it signals low cost while the fund offering is arguably high-quality. There are no joining fees, no exit fees and only a small number of funds charge performance fees. You can adjust your portfolio allocation as little or as often as you like.
  • If you want to invest in index funds (just as Simplicity offers), both the Hunter Balanced Fund (fund fee: 0.37% p.a.) and Hunter Growth Fund (fund fee: 0.37% p.a.) offer low-cost diversified funds. Hunter Investments is 50% owned by Implemented Investment Solutions (IIS), the ultimate owner of InvestNow.
  • InvestNow KiwiSaver may not appeal at first - you may be unsure of what to invest in given the numerous options, but we don't think this should put anyone off. Instead, we believe it's an opportunity to properly understand KiwiSaver and take control of your future.
  • To help investors assess and select funds, in line with FMA guidance, each fund has a risk number (1 = lowest, 7 = highest).

8 Must-Know InvestNow KiwiSaver Facts

InvestNow KiwiSaver is new, but the funds it offers are managed by reputable companies such as Harbour Asset Management, Milford and Russell Investments, among others. Our must-know facts below highlight key information about the scheme and who is behind it.

InvestNow KiwiSaver is an extension of the core InvestNow platform

The InvestNow platform continues to grow as a popular choice for non-KiwiSaver investment, just as Sharesies and Hatch are. You don't need to be a member of InvestNow to join InvestNow KiwiSaver. And, unlike most other schemes, InvestNow doesn't offer its own funds - it selects a mix of actively-managed funds and index funds with a range of fees and investment objectives.

It doesn't matter what your employer's default KiwiSaver provider or fund is - you can select InvestNow KiwiSaver and the fund you want

Because InvestNow KiwiSaver launched in late 2020, most employers won't have heard of it, and even fewer will have considered it as a default provider contender for their employees. But none of that matters - any KiwiSaver member has the right to pick any one of the 25+ providers and the fund they want. So while InvestNow KiwiSaver may be unknown to your employer, you're 100% entitled to pick it as your provider.

There is no minimum investment, no membership fees and it's easy to take contribution holidays (i.e. savings suspension)

As an InvestNow KiwiSaver member, you have full control over where your money goes by way of allocating your money to one or more funds. Unlike most other KiwiSaver schemes, you won't pay a monthly membership fee. And if you want to contribute to your fund at a level above your fixed salary contribution, you can do this by contacting InvestNow's client services team. You can also request a savings suspension at any time.

Dividends your fund(s) receive are reinvested, meaning more cash is invested on your behalf

Most of the InvestNow KiwiSaver funds invest in shares, and many will pay dividends. These cash payments represent the profits from companies returning it to the shareholders, i.e. you. When a company declares a dividend, your fund will receive money and it is re-invested into more shares, growing the value of your fund. Despite being a cash payment, and as is the case with ALL KiwiSaver funds, there is no option to take this money as cash until you turn 65. Best of all, all of the funds available for investment are PIEs which means the top tax rate applied to dividends will be 28% (as InvestNow explains here).

InvestNow KiwiSaver offers many actively managed funds from popular and arguably proven fund managers who are focused on outperforming market results by picking market-beating shares

Many of InvestNow KiwiSaver's funds are run by active managers such as Castle Point, Harbour, Hunter, Milford, Mint and Russell Investments. These fund managers often appear on our list of favourite funds. The people who look after your money analyse a range of companies and pick ones they believe are undervalued and have a positive future. By doing this, there is an expectation that the share price will increase, giving a return to the investor when it's later sold. 

​Signing up isn't complicated, but you’ll need to decide what fund to invest in first

Signing up to InvestNow KiwiSaver is effortless, but you’ll need to decide your fund first. If you need some assistance, you can use a KiwiSaver Robo and Digital Advice Tool to help guide you as to what type of fund is best for you. Best of all, these tools are free, and one of the services is offered by Milford, which has two funds available via InvestNow KiwiSaver.

Generally, if you're looking for a safe investment with the lowest risk of seeing your original investment fall, a conservative fund could be a suitable option. If you're looking for a higher return and are prepared to have your money in higher-risk investments that could fall in value, you should consider the balanced or growth funds, as they operate in this manner.

If you're not sure of what to invest in and want to have a range of options to pick from, look at Sorted's FundFinder tool.

InvestNow KiwiSaver is operated by InvestNow which has a proven reputation as a funds management platform

With around one billion dollars of (non-KiwiSaver) money invested on the InvestNow platform, the company has a proven experience in offering New Zealanders entry into funds for small minimum investments. We understand that the KiwiSaver offering is an extension to the existing platform and aims to bring top-performing funds that otherwise aren't offered by other schemes. There are some exceptions (Milford and AMP), but otherwise the funds available are exclusively available to KiwiSaver members via InvestNow KiwiSaver.

The funds have, overall, strong performance, but past results are no guarantee of future growth

As the funds launched in late 2020, they won't show up in Morningstar KiwiSaver data until late 2021. However, the funds appear on Morningstar's managed fund screener. However, InvestNow publishes monthly performance data on all funds here. Between these tools, an InvestNow KiwiSaver member has a lot of data to make an informed decision. However, as with any fund, past results don't indicate the future, and no return is guaranteed.
How does InvestNow KiwiSaver compare with other options?
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