Claiming a Deceased Person's KiwiSaver: Every Major NZ Provider Compared

Every major KiwiSaver provider at a glance

There is a common misconception that you can “nominate” who receives your KiwiSaver when you die. You cannot — KiwiSaver has no binding beneficiary nomination. On death, the balance forms part of your estate and is dealt with like any other estate asset. The practical questions are therefore: does the provider need a grant of probate or letters of administration, and which form do they use? The table below sets out the published position of New Zealand’s main providers as at July 2026.

KiwiSaver provider	Releases without a grant up to	Form / process	Contact
Fisher Funds (incl. former Kiwi Wealth)	$40,000 (solicitor emails the form if over $50,000)	KiwiSaver Deceased Member Withdrawal Form	0508 347 437 · enquiries@fisherfunds.co.nz
Westpac	$40,000	Deceased Estate Withdrawal form	Westpac estate team
Milford	$15,000	Death of a Member Withdrawal Form	0800 662 346
Booster	$15,000	Withdrawal Due to Death of a Member Form	kiwisaver@booster.co.nz
ANZ (largest provider)	Not separately published — via estates team	Deceased estates process	0800 269 296
ASB	Not published — assessed as part of the estate	Deceased Estate Notification	0800 111 191 · asbestates@asb.co.nz
BNZ	Not published — via the withdrawal form	Deceased Estate Withdrawal Application	0800 500 280
Generate	Paid to the personal representative on request	Deceased member withdrawal form	0800 855 322 · info@generatekiwisaver.co.nz
Simplicity	Not published — lodge a request	Online request (help.simplicity.kiwi)	via online help centre
AMP	Not published — part of the estate	Contact provider	via AMP

Published figures can be out of date. The providers still showing $15,000 appear simply not to have updated their forms to the current $40,000 statutory figure, rather than to have chosen a deliberate lower limit. Because of that lag, always confirm the current position directly with the relevant provider before assuming funds will — or will not — be released without a grant.

Why the thresholds are inconsistent — and why it matters

The threshold figures trace back to the same source as the bank thresholds: the Administration Act 1969 allows small sums to be paid out without a grant, and that “prescribed amount” rose from $15,000 to $40,000 on 24 September 2025. Some providers have updated their forms to the new $40,000 figure (Fisher Funds, Westpac); others still publish the old $15,000 (Milford, Booster); and several publish no figure at all. The most likely explanation for the stragglers is simply that they have not yet updated their forms to the new statutory amount — not that they have deliberately set a lower limit. Because published figures can lag the law, the practical takeaway is the same whatever the cause: confirm the current threshold directly with your provider before assuming a grant is or is not required. A provider still publishing $15,000 may be willing to release up to the current $40,000 limit once asked — but that is for the provider to confirm.

This mirrors the pattern for bank accounts — see our bank-by-bank comparison of deceased account rules, which most banks have aligned to $40,000.

Provider-by-provider detail

Fisher Funds (including former Kiwi Wealth members)

Fisher Funds releases a deceased member’s balance without a grant where it is under $40,000, using its KiwiSaver Deceased Member Withdrawal Form. For balances over $50,000, the form is submitted through a solicitor. Contact 0508 347 437 or enquiries@fisherfunds.co.nz.

Westpac

Westpac’s KiwiSaver Deceased Estate Withdrawal form releases balances of $40,000 or less without a grant; above that, probate or letters of administration are required. Westpac’s estate team handles the process alongside any bank accounts.

Milford

Milford still publishes the $15,000 threshold on its Death of a Member Withdrawal Form — under $15,000, no grant is required; over it, probate or letters of administration are needed. Contact 0800 662 346.

Booster

Booster’s Withdrawal Due to Death of a Member Form also uses the older $15,000 threshold. Contact kiwisaver@booster.co.nz.

ANZ

ANZ — the country’s largest KiwiSaver provider — handles a deceased member’s KiwiSaver through its deceased-estates process rather than publishing a separate KiwiSaver threshold. Notify the estates team on 0800 269 296; they will confirm whether a grant is needed based on the balance.

ASB

ASB treats the KiwiSaver balance as part of the estate, distributed under the will or the intestacy rules. Start with its Deceased Estate Notification and provide a death certificate and estate representative details. Contact 0800 111 191 or asbestates@asb.co.nz.

BNZ

BNZ uses a Deceased Estate Withdrawal Application for its KiwiSaver scheme, handled by the same Bereavement Assistance team as its bank accounts. Call 0800 500 280.

Generate

Generate pays the balance to the deceased member’s personal representative on request, using its deceased-member withdrawal form. Contact 0800 855 322 or info@generatekiwisaver.co.nz.

Simplicity

Simplicity handles deceased-member withdrawals through its online help centre — lodge a request and the team responds with the documents required.

The documents providers ask for

The underlying document set is consistent across providers:

• A death certificate — certified copy
• The provider’s deceased-member withdrawal form — signed by the personal representative
• Proof of your authority — a grant of probate or letters of administration where the balance is above the provider’s threshold, or a statutory declaration / indemnity where it is below
• Certified photo ID of the person claiming
• Bank account details for payment into the estate account

Because KiwiSaver is paid to the estate, the funds go into the estate account and are then distributed with the rest of the estate — not paid directly to a family member.

When you will need probate or letters of administration

You will need a grant if:

• The KiwiSaver balance is above the provider’s threshold ($40,000, or $15,000 at providers that haven’t updated)
• The provider does not publish a threshold and requires a grant for the amount involved
• The wider estate needs a grant anyway — for example it includes property, or a bank holds more than $40,000 (see accessing a deceased person’s bank accounts)

If a grant is required, our complete guide to probate explains the process, and letters of administration covers the no-will situation. Simply Probate prepares both — probate from $699 + GST, letters of administration from $999 + GST.

How to claim a deceased member’s KiwiSaver

1. Notify the provider using the contact in the table above, and ask which of its forms you need and its current threshold.
2. Complete the provider’s deceased-member withdrawal form and gather the death certificate and your ID.
3. Provide a statutory declaration (small balances) or a grant of probate / letters of administration (larger balances), as the provider requires.
4. Nominate the estate account for payment. The provider pays the balance into the estate, not to an individual.
5. Distribute the KiwiSaver with the rest of the estate, under the will or the intestacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can I nominate who gets my KiwiSaver when I die?

No. KiwiSaver has no binding beneficiary nomination. On death the balance is paid to your estate and distributed under your will, or under the intestacy rules if you have no will.

Do you need probate to withdraw a deceased person’s KiwiSaver in NZ?

Only above the provider’s threshold. Most providers release small balances without a grant on a death certificate and statutory declaration. The threshold is $40,000 at some providers (Fisher Funds, Westpac) but still $15,000 at others (Milford, Booster), and some publish none — so confirm with your provider.

Who does a deceased person’s KiwiSaver get paid to?

The estate — specifically the personal representative (executor or administrator), who pays it into the estate account. It is then distributed to the beneficiaries with the rest of the estate.

Why do KiwiSaver providers have different thresholds?

The threshold derives from the Administration Act 1969 small-payments limit, which rose from $15,000 to $40,000 on 24 September 2025. Providers still showing $15,000 appear simply not to have updated their forms to the new amount rather than to have set a deliberate lower limit. Because published figures can be out of date, always confirm the current threshold directly with your provider.

How long does it take to withdraw a deceased member’s KiwiSaver?

Once the provider has the completed form and required documents, small withdrawals are often processed within a few business days. Larger balances that need a grant take as long as it takes to obtain probate or letters of administration first.