Inside Money: Will Kickstart get the boot on Zero Budget Day?

Opinion

A family member hit me up the other day for some KiwiSaver advice.

"Should I join the **s**** scheme," she asked.

Of course, I had no comment. As per previous disclosure statements on this blog, I am not qualified to give financial advice.

Seek out your nearest AFA, if you're interested in that kind of stuff.

But what I did say, as a general observation without have any bearing on her personal financial situation, was that some of the incentives for joining KiwiSaver were quite compelling and that choice of provider was of secondary importance.

"Just stay away from that *** scheme," I would've said if the law had allowed me to.

"I suppose I should really get in before the government takes away the incentives," she said to no-one in particular.

I nodded, but that wasn't intended to endorse any course of action she may, now or at a later date, choose to embark upon in regards to her personal financial choices.

"That was just a general nod and was in no way directed at influencing your personal financial choices," I said while handing over a legal waiver for her to sign.

She did have a point, though, about the incentives.

If you watch Bill 'Zero Budget Man' English drone on about the dire state of the economy or read any of the many news items warning of fiscal unpleasantness, you'd have to have wonder about those KiwiSaver incentives.

If English does choose to remove KiwiSaver sweetners as part of the Zero Budget target, the most likely one to go is the $1,000 KickStart payment, for which about $300 million was set aside in the 2010 Budget.

But please don't mistake this speculation, in any way whatsoever, as advice to rush through your KiwiSaver applications.

My lawyer will be mailing out waivers next week.