Get Sorted: $375 on my mind

Once you know what the government pension provides, almost 8 in 10 of us realise that we'll need more income than that to live comfortably. Photo / Thinkstock

Why it pays to remember the new NZ Super rate.

For some reason my seven and nine-year-old boys seem to be suffering from a fit of precision. They can't stand me rounding numbers.

If I say, "It's 8 o'clock," they're quick to respond, "No, it's really 7.53pm". Or if I point out that something costs $35, they chime in to correct me that "it's really $34.95". It must be a stage or something.

Admittedly, seven long minutes will be much more significant to the kids than it is to me. After all, they can fit in two or three more YouTube clips in that time! But sorry, that 5c difference should not matter even to them - but of course it does when they're trying to get me to spend $34.95 on scooter wheels!

Today I bring you this year's nicely rounded number of $375. It's worth keeping in mind. As of 1 April next week, $375 will be the new weekly rate of NZ Super for individuals. For couples it will be $576, a 2 per cent increase over last year so that it always equals 66 per cent of the average net wage.

Why remember $375? Well, once you know what the government pension provides, almost 8 in 10 of us realise that we'll need more income than that to live comfortably. It's easy to see that $375 will simply not cut it for many of us to fund our future lifestyles.

In fact, you can boil retirement planning down to simply filling the gap between the rate of NZ Super and the weekly amount you'll need. To estimate the gap to fill for your future, this retirement planner can help.

Once you figure out how much you'll need, you'll find ways to hit your target. KiwiSaver can surely help close the gap. However, check whether it will be enough by using our KiwiSaver account calculator.

So $375: etch it in your head, tattoo your brain, burn it into your retinas. At least until next year.

But if the kids asked, I'd be telling them it's $374.53.

Get Sorted is written by Sorted's resident blogger, Tom Hartmann. Check out the guides and calculators at Sorted - brought to you by the Commission for Financial Capability - at sorted.org.nz.