Simplicity Review - is this the KiwiSaver scheme for you?

We review the funds, fees, mortgage rate offer and pros and cons of the scheme

Updated 14 January 2021
Summary of Simplicity
  • Funds: Simplicity KiwiSaver offers ​three funds, with annual fees set at 0.31% of total investment plus a $20 membership fee, much lower than comparative funds from ANZ KiwiSaver, Milford KiwiSaver, SuperLife and Westpac KiwiSaver.
  • Fees: The management company behind Simplicity operates as a not-for-profit, claiming profits from any fees will be given back to investors. There are also no membership fees for children under 18. 
  • Assets: Funds invest in cash, bonds and the sharemarket, the mix depends on the risk profile of the fund. 
  • Performance: In the latest Morningstar KiwiSaver quarterly survey to 30th September 2019, most of Simplicity’s funds ranked 1st or 2nd amongst at least 20 competitors for performance over a three year period. While past returns are no guarantee of future results, Simplicity's commitment to investing in indexes means you invest in some of the biggest and most profitable companies in the world.
  • Home Loans: Simplicity members can enter a ballot to arrange market-beating floating mortgage rates, currently 2.25% p.a., with terms that include no break or penalty fees. This allows Simplicity members to repay any or all of the mortgage at any time, at no extra cost.
  • Our view: Simplicity is an excellent choice for KiwiSaver participants looking to invest in a low-risk, index fund with low fees and historically strong results. Its recent Canstar award for KiwiSaver's Most Satisfied Customers suggests members are very positive about what Simplicity is delivering.
We are not a fan of high KiwiSaver fees, and for a while there wasn't much change since KiwiSaver first launched. New providers entered the market and charged 1-2-3%, depending on what they offered. With the arrival of Simplicity, we're pleased to see a lower fee point and a commitment to fee transparency. But, is Simplicity right for your retirement savings? 

Our Review
In this guide, we outline what Simplicity is, how it differs from standard KiwiSaver providers, what index funds are and how they're different to other funds, as well as looking at whether it's safe to invest in given its recent appearance as a KiwiSaver provider. We cover:
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 Simplicity as a KiwiSaver provider.​

How does Simplicity compare with other options?
First Steps - What is an 'index fund'?
  • An index fund is a type of investment that is established to invest in or track the components of a market index, such as the New Zealand NZX50 (our largest 50 companies) or the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500).
  • An index fund provides a diversity in risk, as your investment is spread over many companies within the index, proportioned by the size of each company's market value.
  • The index fund benefits from low operating expenses and management fees due to the fact that the fund must invest in the companies within the index and therefore doesn't need fund managers to make judgments or research in order to make the investments.
  • An index fund operates no matter the state of the markets, so as markets overall go up your investment is worth more, and vice versa.
  • An index fund is different to many other KiwiSaver funds, which have investment managers hoping to predict market movements and make investments on your behalf to add value to your portfolio. Simplicity does none of this, instead it simply invests in the specified index and value is created by the movement in the overall sharemarket. 

The Specs of Simplicity Funds (including Mortgage Rates)
​Simplicity offers three different funds, and each fund is comprised of over 3,000 different investments in 23 countries, and are 100% hedged to the NZ dollar. This means that if the NZ Dollar rises against any overseas currency, the value of the overseas investment is not diminished due to the hedging and therefore eliminating exchange rate movement as an investment risk.  
 
The fees are as followed: 
  • Annual fees (which are the same for all three funds): $20 + $3.10 for every $1,000 in your account. Excluding the annual fee, the management fee is 0.31% on your invested funds. If you're under 18, this fee is waived.
  • ​Transfer in and exit fees: There are no exit fees, but your existing KiwiSaver scheme provider may charge an exit fee - you'll need to contact them to find out what that is. 
  • Minimum Initial Investment: $1 for all funds.

Investment Products include:
  • Cash (i.e. bank deposits in New Zealand banks)
  • New Zealand Fixed Income (i.e. investments in government bonds or company debt)
  • New Zealand Shares (i.e. shares in Spark, Fletcher Building and Air New Zealand)
  • Australian Shares 
  • International Fixed Income bonds and deposits
  • International Shares

Simplicity Floating Mortgage Rates and Home Loans

Launched in October 2019, Simplicity offers best-in-market floating first home interest rates, available exclusively to its KiwiSaver scheme members. The specs include:
  • Current Floating Interest Rate: 2.25%
  • Fees: The loans have no break or penalty fees, and members can repay any or all of the mortgage at any time, at no extra cost. This is standard with floating interest rate mortgages.
  • Loan Value: Up to 80% of the value of a first home, as long as repayments do not exceed 30% of combined after-tax income.
  • Potential Savings: As an example, for a first home buyer with a $600,000 home loan, the interest savings are $6,000 in the first year alone where the interest difference is 1%. Over the life of the loan, the savings could be more than $130,000. 
  • Floating vs Fixed Interest Rates: While all first home loans will be at a floating rate, members are given at least three months notice if interest rates rise. This gives borrowers time to adjust to the new rates or switch providers.

How to apply?
  • Firstly, to be eligible for a Simplicity first home loan, applicants will need to have been a Simplicity KiwiSaver member for at least one year. Applicants will also need to meet the criteria of a first-time homebuyer.
  • Ballot: First home loans will be offered via a ballot system run monthly.
  • Simplicity members can register for the first ballot on November 1st 2019, which will be drawn in early December. Successful members will then have 6 months to find their first home.

How does Simplicity compare with other options?

What Funds are Available, and What's the Difference Between Them?
Simplicity KiwiSaver offers three funds - Conservative, Balanced and Growth. Generally, the rule is that the higher the percentage invested in shares rather than cash deposits and fixed income, the riskier the investment. This is because shares fluctuate in value, whereas cash deposits don't and your investment is near-guaranteed for anything classes as cash or fixed-income.

1. Conservative Fund
This fund investments largely in fixed-income (78%) and cash (2%), leaving an exposure to the sharemarket of 20% of funds invested, with most of the risk in overseas shares. Based on this, most of the fund's return can be predicted year-on-year and this is the safest Simplicity fund currently offered.  

The fund comprises of:
  • Intl Fixed Income 39%
  • NZ Fixed Interest 39%
  • Intl Shares 12%
  • NZ Shares 4%
  • Australian Shares 4%
  • Cash 2%

2. Balanced Fund
This fund is a bridge between the Conservative fund above and the Growth fund below, offering a midway point for someone looking for higher returns without high risk. As such, the fund is 56% shares and 44% fixed income. 

The fund comprises of:
  • Intl Shares 36%
  • Intl Fixed Income 21%
  • NZ Fixed Interest 21%
  • NZ Shares 10%
  • Australian Shares 10%
  • Cash 2%

3. Growth Fund
The most aggressive fund Simplicity offers, with 86% tied up in shares in New Zealand and around the world. The return and value of this fund will depend heavily on how international sharemarkets are performing. 
 
The fund comprises of:
  • Intl Shares 58%
  • NZ Shares 14%
  • Australian Shares 14%
  • Intl Fixed Income 6%
  • NZ Fixed Interest 6%
  • Cash 2%

Announcement of Icehouse Ventures investments: In April 2019, Simplicity KiwiSaver announced it was allocating investor money in its Growth fund to "support start up and high growth companies" and that Simplicity expected Icehouse Ventures, its investment vehicle, "to be involved in over 50% of NZ’s start up companies". As a proportion of the fund being invested in such companies, Simplicity "expects to invest up to $100m over five years, with the total value of investments never being more than 5% of the total size of the growth fund". So, while Simplicity is offering a KiwiSaver first by investing in private New Zealand startups, its exposure is limited to a maximum of 5% of the total fund value, given the higher-risk nature of this asset class.

If investors don’t want any exposure to this particular asset class, Simplicity's alternatives include the Conservative, Balanced and Guaranteed Income funds.

How does Simplicity compare with other options?

Who is Simplicity Suited to?
  • Best For: Long-term KiwiSaver participants looking for stability and growth that is passive with low management fees, with the Growth fund being a popular choice.
  • Not suitable for: KiwiSaver participants looking for aggressive, active funds that aim to beat the markets year on year. 

Standout Features:
  1. Simplicity is New Zealand’s lowest priced KiwiSaver fund, with management fees capped at 0.31% of your fund's balance (compared to the industry norm of 1-2%).
  2. Stuff.co.nz reported in December 2018 that Simplicity's Growth Fund outperformed all other KiwiSaver growth funds in the six months to November 30 2018. 
  3. Simplicity charges a very low administration fee of $20 per year, irrespective of how much you have invested.
  4. The scheme has a commitment to return all profits to investors.
  5. Simplicity does not make investments in tobacco, nuclear weapons and landmines

Simplicity - What You Need to Know

​The Claim
Simplicity advertises that it offers a "low-cost, hassle-free investment solution for KiwiSaver participants looking for low fees and safe investment". It states that it offers a “nonprofit retirement savings vehicle which charges members only what it costs to deliver”. As such, the platform is 100% online and doesn’t offer financial advisers or other industry participants commissions.
 
Is it True?
Yes. It’s new to the market but is on a mission to slash fees and deliver market-tracking results. Having formed in mid-2016, it’s funded exclusively by ex-Tower Insurance CEO Sam Stubbs who also acts as the platform’s Managing Director. Its success so far is due in large part to its marketing of ethical and low-cost index funds. These are a type of investment fund that invests in a number of securities, including from cash deposits, bonds, New Zealand shares and international shares. The more “aggressive” the fund, the higher the investment in shares. 

Simplicity FAQs

​How does the investing happen and why are the fees lower than other KiwiSaver providers?

There are two fund managers involved. Firstly, the Simplicity team manage the New Zealand assets and are responsible for getting the lowest costs. The manager of offshore investments is Vanguard Asset Management Limited (Vanguard), the world’s second-largest fund manager. As Vanguard looks after $6 trillion in assets already around the world, Simplicity investments in Vanguard’s own funds to establish the specific portfolio diversification. This keeps costs low for Kiwi investors. As the international investing is outsourced to Vanguard and New Zealand investment is index-based, there are no fund managers and investment analysts to pay. This allows the savings to be passed on to investors, hence the low 0.31% annual fee. 

If I invest with Simplicity, is my money going into the sharemarket?

For all funds, the answer to this is yes. However, the percentage of your money invested in the sharemarket depends on the fund and its risk profile - the Conservative Fund has the least money in sharemarket, whereas the Growth Fund invests the most money in the sharemarket. However, all of the investments are diversified so you are protected if and when one or two investments don’t work out.

Risk - the three funds each offer a unique investment strategy. Some are low-risk, some are medium risk and some are high risk. The returns/profit you make don’t necessarily depend on the risk you take. 

How big is Simplicity?

We define 'big' as the total funds under management. Because it's a young scheme, it is smaller than other established providers like ANZ, Westpac etc. But in 2018 the scheme doubled in size, in both members and funds under management. Recent figures are below:
  • November 2016: $8.5m, 277 KiwiSaver members
  • March 2017: $91m, 3,531 KiwiSaver members
  • December 2017: $318m 10,258 KiwiSaver members
  • May 2017: $414m, 13,854 KiwiSaver members
  • January 2019: $623m, 20,049 KiwiSaver members
  • July 2019: $950m, 27,098 KiwiSaver members
  • January 2020: $1.5b, 35,546 KiwiSaver members
  • June 2020: $1.7b, 42,398 KiwiSaver members
  • January 2021: $2.5b, 53,348 KiwiSaver members

The Simplicity scheme started in 2016 – can I trust it and is it safe for me to invest?

On the issue of trust, the answer is yes. All KiwiSaver providers must comply with a number of strict rules to ensure the funds of their clients (i.e. what KiwiSaver investors put in) are kept completely separate from the funds used to run the scheme (i.e. money to pay the staff and run the business). Simplicity appoints Public Trust as their independent supervisor and custodian. Public Trust has been around for almost 150 years and is ‘guaranteed independent’ under the Public Trust Act 2001.

​Should Simplicity close down, your funds would transfer to another provider under the rules of the KiwiSaver.
With regards to whether it’s safe to invest, no fund is guaranteed, but the risk profile indicates where your money will be invested. This is the case with any KiwiSaver scheme, and not unique to Simplicity. If a Simplicity fund went ‘bad’, then you could see similar negative results in other funds given Simplicity heavily diversifies its investment in New Zealand and around the world.

The Competition - Simplicity vs SuperLife vs the Rest
Simplicity and SuperLife currently offer the only index fund investment schemes in KiwiSaver. We've included the ANZ Balanced Fund to show fees of an actively managed investment portfolio. 

SuperLife: This is a KiwiSaver provider that offers funds similar to Simplicity, with investments in shares, bonds, and cash under an index fund arrangement. SuperLife doesn’t offer similar fees - latest data of its range of funds puts the annual management fee at around ~0.50% on a $10,000 investment, far higher than the 0.31% charged by Simplicity. There is also a $2.50 per month membership fee.

ANZ (Balanced Fund): This fund invests in bonds, shares and cash in New Zealand, Australia and around the world, but isn't an index fund and the fund managers will buy and sell investments based on market movements. The fees are 1.01% on a $10,000 investment, plus a $2 per month membership fee.

The numbers
Comparing the above funds with Simplicity's 0.31% + an annual $20 fee, the cost of a $10,000 investment would be $51 with Simplicity, $80 with SuperLife and $125 with ANZ's Balance fund.

What Others Are Saying:

Stuff.co.nz reported in December 2018 that Simplicity's Growth Fund outperformed all over KiwiSaver growth funds in the six months to November 30 2018.

Stuff.co.nz reported in 2016 that Simplicity offered New Zealanders the chance to be “$65,000 better off in retirement”, claiming Kiwis could expect to pay $54,700 on KiwiSaver fees on current structures over their working lives.  

The New Zealand Herald published an article looking at the fees and how a Kiwi with $50,000 invested in the Simplicity growth fund over 10 years could be $13,000 better off than if an investment was made in an average fund. The 0.31% annual fee compared favourably to other provider conservative fund fees which range between 0.97 per cent and 2.38 per cent, balanced fund fees which range between 1.16 per cent and 2.75 per cent and growth fees which range from 1.25 per cent to 2.93 per cent.  

The National Business Review published a piece looking at the ambitions of Simplicity, citing managed investment schemes as a $40 billion market and with an average management fee of about 1.6%, Kiwis are paying $640 million taken out in fees per year. Simplicity “hoped to get 10% of that market in five years.”

The Bottom Line
Simplicity is a good choice if you want to save on fees and want exposure to the share market (both in New Zealand and overseas) without significant risk. In short, it’s a “set and forget” offering an extensive diversification in investments, from cash and government bonds to shares in American and Australian companies. The underlying rationale to the scheme is that market investment always beats a fund manager in the long term, and as KiwiSaver is about the long term, the risks are low and the return is seen to be reliable.

With regards to user experience, logging in is seamless and the dashboard breaks down your total fund invested into components including returns since you joined. There is also a feel-good graph showing projected totals until you reach 65 years of age based on your previous contributions.

But, ​Simplicity is not for everyone. If you are an active or aggressive KiwiSaver investor and want a fund manager to continuously pick shares or other securities for short/medium term investment, Simplicity is not for you.
Limitations
Simplicity doesn’t have a customer-facing office, but it does have a phone number to call - 022 548 0212. Contact can also be made by email, Twitter or Facebook, and the website also offers a “phone me back”. 
 
If you’re looking for funds investing in specific industries, such as oil and gas, agriculture or mining, Simplicity it not for you. Its offering is focused on diversified equity investments in the biggest companies in New Zealand and around the world. As such, you would need to find a specialist fund for such an investment. 

10 Things to Know About Simplicity's Kiwisaver Scheme

Your KiwiSaver balance will be largely based on the rise and fall of sharemarkets

Depending on which Simplicity fund you invest in, the movements in New Zealand, Australian and/or overseas share prices will affect the value of your investment. What's important is not to look at the day to day, but the year-on-year return. Markets are volatile, and individual shares more so, but as every company on the sharemarket is profit-orientated, over time the value of the share index as a whole will increase, and as will your investment.
​

The Simplicity fees are the lowest in the KiwiSaver market

We've not seen anything like it, with 0.31% of funds invested + a $20 annual fee outpacing any other provider. Low fees in KiwiSaver make a huge difference to your overall fund value over time due to the benefits of compounding interest/returns. In short, low fees are excellent. 
​

Simplicity offers a proven investment model by investing in index funds

Index funds historically outperform managed funds. According to Fortune Magazine, the S&P 500 (an American sharemarket index) outperformed more than 82% of all active funds over a 15-year period. Given the low fees an index fund charges and the reliability in outperforming active funds, it's a relatively conservative approach to investment for your retirement. 
​

It's usually free to change your KiwiSaver provider and join Simplicity

Check with your current provider so that you're aware, and follow the KiwiSaver transfer guidance to make sure you're not caught out.  
​

Simplicity operates as a non-profit enterprise, meaning it returns excess fees back to its investors (i.e. you)

Just to be clear, Simplicity is profit-orientated when it comes to investments, but the entity itself that operates the funds is a not-for-profit. This means that the $20 annual fee and 0.31% annual management fee on your invested funds may exceed what's required to operate the fund, and as such Simplicity pledges to return the excess to every investor. This is very different to standard KiwiSaver funds which are run as a for-profit enterprise. 

Simplicity isn't the only index fund on the market

Outside KiwiSaver, many index funds exist, so if you already have exposure to index funds through personal investments then you might want to look for another KiwiSaver option. Within KiwiSaver, SuperLife has a range of index-based funds. So while Simplicity isn't the only index fund provider, it does at the moment offer the lowest fees. 
​

Signing up isn't complicated

You'll need a form of ID, your IRD number and know your PIR (personal income tax) rate. It takes about three minutes via their online form.  Once submitted, Simplicity will then contact you and arrange the onboarding to their scheme.
​

Your support is online and by phone

Low fees can mean no frills and email-only, but in 2018 Simplicity started offering phone support. Simplicity also offers callbacks to new and existing customers, as well as email support. 
​

Major Kiwi companies have made Simplicity their default provider

The Warehouse Group (including The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Noel Leeming and Torpedo7), Spark, Genesis Energy, Foodstuffs (North Island only) and Z Energy are among many big companies that have made Simplicity their default employee KiwiSaver provider, convinced most likely by the low fees and low-risk investment strategy of index funds.
​

15% of management fees go to charity

While you won't get any tax credit directly from this, the charity donation is unique to KiwiSaver, and we're unaware of any other provider that does something similar. Whether this is good or bad depends on how you feel about charities as a whole. We couldn't find any information as to what charities received donations.

How Safe is My Money with Simplicity KiwiSaver?​

  • ​Simplicity is a licensed Fund Manager regulated by the Financial Markets Authority. When you invest in any KiwiSaver or Managed Investment Scheme, the manager does not get any of the money (apart from any fees it charges you).
  • The money goes into the Scheme’s bank account controlled by the Scheme’s Supervisor. In Simplicity's case, that is Public Trust. Your money is then invested in shares and bonds that are owned by the Scheme, and you become a member of the Scheme.
  • Simplicity manages the Scheme for you, and Public Trust makes sure they are managing the Scheme’s investments in line with the rules and regulations set out in the Scheme’s documents.
  • If for any reason Simplicity was to run into difficulties, your investments would not be affected. The Scheme’s investments would be transferred to another manager.
  • Simplicity manages the New Zealand bonds and shares, while the international shares and bonds are managed by Vanguard, but the investments are owned by the Scheme, not by Simplicity or Vanguard.
  • KiwiSaver is not a Government guaranteed investment; therefore, it is no different from other investments, including bank deposits.
  • If New Zealand was undergoing some kind of nationwide financial crises, the government has options that are currently available under legislation such as raising tax rates that are far easier than changing the law to allow it to access privately held assets such as your KiwiSaver money.
  • A market downturn will not impact your ability to withdraw funds from your account. Your funds are invested in liquid securities that can be realised at 2 days’ notice if necessary. If there was a significant financial crisis, it is possible there could be some kind of impact on your ability to access your funds for a few days. There were instances of this in 2008, although that generally related to structured products of some kind, and Simplicity does not hold that type of investment.
  • Simplicity's funds are very widely diversified across asset classes. This means that market movements tend to be smoothed out to a degree as different markets and countries do not have exactly the same performance.

Simplicity and Cyber Security:
  • As an online business, Simplicity takes the security of member personal data seriously, and they are confident any client data stored (as required by various regulations) is secure.
  • Once the application to join the scheme is submitted, the transmission of this information is encrypted and can not be intercepted.
  • Simplicity also has other internal controls and measures in place to ensure that member data is held in a secure manner. They do not hold member information on any devices and utilise cloud-based services offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to hold their data. ​
Our Conclusion
  • We think Simplicity is an excellent choice for KiwiSaver participants looking to invest in a low-risk, index fund with low fees. ​​
  • With investments funneled into New Zealand, Australian and international bank deposits, bonds and shares, Simplicity brings a number of passive funds to Kiwis looking for a steady return in the long term without active management. 
  • As previously mentioned, Stuff.co.nz reported in December 2018 that Simplicity's Growth Fund outperformed all over KiwiSaver growth funds in the six months to November 30 2018. COVID-19 has changed things, and we continue to monitor the performance of every KiwiSaver fund.

How does Simplicity compare with other options?

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