springbeeagain

Hi there,
Can anyone tell me if/how we are entitled to pension here one day? In Canada, we weren't because we immigrated there late and didn't stay too long so we would have never qualified. Wondering if same here. Thoughts/experience/knowledge? Thanks

Justcol

My understanding is currently 10 years to be eligible for NZ superannuation.
there is a paper going through parliament (or may have gone through by now) to raise that to 20 years.

springbeeagain

Thanks Justcol.
Oh shit 20 years would make it hard for us. Does it depend on how much you contributed to their tax system e.g in Canada I remembered we had to be contributing a certain amount of money or years in taxes before we could get it or something like that.

Justcol

You have my neighbour Mark Paterson to blame for that. He started the change to the legislation.

Check out the website in the link for more info
From this it looks like it's still 10. Maybe the thought migrant bashing wasn't a vote winner

Pulaski

How long did you live and work in the UK?

Unless you left the UK before your late 20's you are likely entitled to something (minimum 10 years NI, including deemed years when you were age 16-18) , and unless either you left before your mid 20's (paid less than 3 years NI) , OR have already reached retirement age, there is likely a low cost, or cheap, way to increase the UK state pension you're entitled to.

springbeeagain

Thanks Pulaski Left UK too long ago

SanDiegogirl

From your posts you have only been in NZ for a year and having to accumulate 20 years of contribution to obtain a NZ pension might be too long for you.

Have you not accumulated a pension anywhere?

SanDiegogirl

A state pension, (old age pension) is usually based on how much you have contributed to the National Insurance scheme (via payroll )in whatever country you have lived in.
i.e in UK you pay into National Insurance scheme ; in US you pay into Social Security scheme ........ usually only entitled to get pension based on what you've paid in.

BEVS

Not for New Zealand. It is based on years of residency. At the moment that is ten year since you turn 20 and 5 or more years must be after the age of 50. It is not based on monetary contributions .

For the OP this might fit the need depending on their current age now and if the proposed legislation happens or not.

OP: If you were not in Canada long enough and left the UK in your early 20's , then where have you been residing . This is not being nosey . It is with regard to state pensions/superannuation and agreements.


edit... Oh ! Were you resident in Oz ?

Justcol

And then there's New Zealand 🙄

Pulaski

So you didn't work for three years in the UK?

It's hard to give you decent advice if we don't know where you have worked in your life time. We don't need your detailed life history, just some basic information about where you have worked and for how many years then we might be able to give you some pointers.

springbeeagain

Thanks Pulaski. Unfortunately the longest I was anywhere as an adult was in Australia and worked there for 10 years, then I've been skipping around countries. lol So that's why ... I don't think I qualify.
BEVS should be a PI!

Pulaski

Understood, but if you worked for three years UK, not continuously, and they don't even need to be three whole years (when I was a student I got full year credits for working just 12-14 weeks), you can buy into the UK system, so long as you haven't reached retirement age yet.

BEVS

Ha! I enjoy my genealogy and Search Angel Quests.[/quote]


OK. So I think you should make an appointment to talk with the pension area of NZ work and income.

"Generally, to be eligible you need to be: at least 65 years old and retired from work - an Australian resident and have lived in Australia for at least 10 years. "

plus

Oz and NZ do have a reciprocal agreement.

Obvs we don't know your age or citizenship and we're not asking. However I think the pensions people here are best able to help you with this.

With regard to the UK state pension scheme and topping that up, your first port of call is to contact THe Future Pension centre for a state pension forecast. This will tell you what is or is not there. From that , depending on your age and intentions, you might choose to top up or not. If you intended to remain in NZ and will meet the 10 year criteria OR tht Work and Income Pensions NZ have advised ref. your ten years in Oz under the Oz/NZ reciprocal agreement , then topping up will not gain anything.

Go and have the conversation


edit.... You could think to load into a Kwisaver.

spouse of scouse

That's good advice BEVS. OP, if it helps at all here's the guff from the Aussie side
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au...014-2205en.pdf