Withdrawing savings if you have a congenital condition

If you have a life-shortening congenital condition (a condition you’ve had since birth), you may be able to access your KiwiSaver savings, as if you had reached New Zealand superannuation age, which is currently 65.

If you make a withdrawal for a life-shortening congenital condition, you can choose to continue working. However, you will no longer be eligible for government Contributions or compulsory employer contributions.

Who is eligible

To be eligible, you must have a condition that has existed since you were born and which is:

• identified as one of the following “listed conditions” under law:
  • Down Syndrome (Down’s Syndrome)
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Huntington’s Disease (Huntington’s Chorea)
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; or
• not a “listed condition” but you have medical evidence to verify that the congenital condition is expected to reduce your life expectancy (or the life expectancy for people with the same condition) to below the age of 65.

How to apply

You’ll need to complete a withdrawal request (including a statutory declaration), and provide a completed medical practitioner’s declaration that you have a life-shortening congenital condition.

If you would like to apply for a withdrawal in this situation, fill in the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme life-shortening congenital condition withdrawal application form PDF 162KB.

Once you’ve filled in this form, take it to a Justice of the Peace, a solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, notary public or another person authorised to complete the statutory declaration section of the form. Then you can choose to drop your completed form into any BNZ branch, email it to KiwiSaver_Support_Team@bnz.co.nz, or send it to:

Freepost BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme,
Private Bag 92208,
Auckland 1142,
New Zealand.