Question 1

What are income assets in KiwiSaver?

Accepted Answer

Income assets are bonds (fixed interest securities) and cash investments that provide steady income with low volatility. Funds with 70%+ income assets prioritize capital preservation over growth. They're designed for first home buyers (1-3 years), near-retirees (5 years from retirement), and conservative investors who need stability.

Question 2

Who should choose high income asset KiwiSaver scheme funds?

Accepted Answer

Ideal for: First home buyers needing money in 1-3 years, people within 5 years of retirement, those with low risk tolerance, investors protecting capital for short-term goals. NOT suitable for: Young investors (20s-40s) with long timeframes, those seeking maximum growth, anyone 10+ years from retirement.

Question 3

What returns can I expect from high income asset funds?

Accepted Answer

High income asset funds (70%+ bonds/cash) typically return 2-5% annually. Returns are lower than growth funds but more stable. In good years: 4-6%, bad years: 0-2%, rarely negative. The trade-off is safety vs growth - these funds protect your money when you need it soon, but won't grow wealth as much over 20+ years.

Question 4

Are high income asset funds safe?

Accepted Answer

High income asset funds sit at the lower-risk end of the FMA risk scale but are not risk-free. They invest mainly in government and corporate bonds and cash, which can lose value if interest rates rise. Historically their falls have been smaller than growth funds, which have dropped 20-40% in severe market falls. They are typically considered where capital stability over a short timeframe matters more than long-term growth.

Question 5

Do people move to high income asset funds before buying a first home?

Accepted Answer

Some people move to high income asset funds (70%+ bonds/cash) 1-2 years before a first-home purchase, to reduce exposure to a market fall close to the withdrawal date. Growth funds have fallen 15-20% in some periods. High income funds typically move less but can still lose value, and have lower expected long-term returns. The right approach depends on individual circumstances — a licensed financial adviser can advise on a specific situation.

Rank	Fund Name	Provider	Income Assets	5-Year Return	Fees	Risk
#1	Milford Conservative Fund	AMP	81.0%	7.19%	1.33%	3/7
#2	Conservative Portfolio	Maritime	81.7%	3.53%	0.61%	4/7
#3	Quaystreet Conservative Fund	Smartshares	80.0%	3.53%	0.86%	3/7
#4	Default Conservative Fund	Fisher	77.8%	3.34%	0.51%	3/7
#5	Cash Fund	Fisher	100.0%	2.78%	0.47%	1/7
#6	Milford Kiwisaver Conservative Fund	Milford	81.7%	2.76%	0.85%	3/7
#7	Automatic Fund (Age 80)	SuperEasy	74.8%	2.73%	0.51%	3/7
#8	Goalsgetter Amova Nz Cash Fund	Nikko	72.8%	2.73%	0.40%	2/7
#9	Conservative Fund	Westpac	74.9%	2.72%	0.40%	3/7
#10	Pathfinder Kiwisaver Conservative Fund	Pathfinder	87.2%	2.71%	1.01%	3/7
#11	Milford Kiwisaver Cash Fund	Milford	100.0%	2.63%	0.20%	1/7
#12	Capital Guaranteed Fund	Booster	88.7%	2.63%	1.03%	2/7
#13	BNZ Kiwisaver First Home Buyer Fund	BNZ	85.7%	2.62%	0.45%	3/7
#14	BNZ Kiwisaver Cash Fund	BNZ	100.0%	2.62%	0.30%	2/7
#15	Investnow Macquarie Nz Cash Fund	Fundrock	100.0%	2.58%	0.34%	2/7
#16	Defensive Conservative Fund	Westpac	80.0%	2.57%	0.40%	3/7
#17	Superlife Conservative Fund	Smartshares	70.5%	2.54%	0.67%	4/7
#18	Lifestages Auto Option Age 65+	SBS	70.7%	2.52%	0.96%	3/7
#19	Conservative Fund	Fisher	74.9%	2.49%	0.90%	4/7
#20	BNZ Kiwisaver Conservative Fund	BNZ	80.9%	2.49%	0.45%	3/7
#21	UK Cash Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	2.48%	0.52%	4/7
#22	Conservative Fund	MAS	79.9%	2.44%	0.85%	3/7
#23	Nz Cash Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	2.41%	0.62%	2/7
#24	Cash Fund	Westpac	100.0%	2.38%	0.25%	2/7
#25	Responsible Conservative Fund	Mercer	80.5%	2.35%	0.49%	3/7
#26	Cash Fund	MAS	100.0%	2.33%	0.25%	1/7
#27	Conservative Fund	ASB	73.8%	2.33%	0.40%	3/7
#28	Cash Fund	ANZ	100.0%	2.32%	0.22%	2/7
#29	Cash Fund	ANZ	100.0%	2.32%	0.22%	2/7
#30	AMP Cash Fund	AMP	100.0%	2.31%	0.65%	2/7
#31	AMP Conservative Fund	AMP	77.9%	2.28%	0.84%	3/7
#32	AMP Conservative Fund (Lifesteps)	AMP	77.9%	2.28%	0.84%	3/7
#33	Conservative Fund	SuperEasy	80.7%	2.27%	0.32%	3/7
#34	Nz Cash Fund	ASB	100.0%	2.18%	0.35%	2/7
#35	Pie Kiwisaver Conservative Fund	Pie	75.0%	2.16%	0.69%	3/7
#36	Cash Fund	Mercer	100.0%	2.16%	0.32%	2/7
#37	Bcf Kiwisaver Scheme	Arotahi	100.0%	2.16%	0.76%	3/7
#38	Conservative Fund	Simplicity	80.3%	2.12%	0.24%	3/7
#39	Enhanced Cash Fund	Booster	100.0%	2.09%	0.75%	2/7
#40	Cash Fund	Mercer	100.0%	2.05%	0.46%	2/7
#41	Conservative Fund	Mercer	81.5%	2.03%	0.69%	3/7
#42	Conservative Fund	ANZ	79.9%	2.01%	0.60%	3/7
#43	Conservative Fund	ANZ	79.9%	2.01%	0.60%	3/7
#44	Global Select Conservative Fund	AMP	77.0%	1.91%	1.08%	3/7
#45	Income Strategy	NZ Funds	100.0%	1.85%	1.12%	4/7
#46	Nz Bonds Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	1.77%	0.54%	3/7
#47	Quaystreet Fixed Interest Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	1.73%	0.86%	3/7
#48	Income Fund	Anglican	100.0%	1.46%	0.80%	3/7
#49	Superlife Age Steps - Age 80	Smartshares	90.1%	1.25%	0.56%	3/7
#50	Goalsgetter Amova Nz Corporate Bond Fund	Nikko	100.0%	1.16%	0.80%	3/7
#51	Asset Class Conservative Fund	Booster	71.3%	0.93%	1.11%	4/7
#52	New Zealand Fixed Interest Fund	Koura	100.0%	0.68%	0.73%	3/7
#53	Quaystreet Income Fund	Smartshares	92.7%	0.49%	0.56%	3/7
#54	Superlife Income Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	0.34%	0.66%	3/7
#55	Overseas Bonds Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	0.33%	0.59%	3/7
#56	New Zealand Fixed Interest Fund	ANZ	100.0%	0.15%	0.34%	3/7
#57	SBS Wealth Income Fund	SBS	100.0%	-0.04%	0.87%	3/7
#58	S&P/Nzx Nz Government Bond Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	-0.14%	0.64%	3/7
#59	Overseas Non-Government Bonds Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	-0.14%	0.54%	4/7
#60	AMP Global Fixed Interest Fund	AMP	100.0%	-0.81%	0.84%	3/7
#61	International Fixed Interest Fund	ANZ	100.0%	-0.87%	0.49%	4/7
#62	AMP Nz Fixed Interest Fund	AMP	100.0%	-0.90%	0.86%	3/7
#63	Global Aggregate Bond Fund	Smartshares	100.0%	-1.46%	0.59%	3/7

High Income Assets KiwiSaver Scheme Funds

Why Choose High Income Asset Funds?

✓ Perfect For:

⚡ Key Benefits:

💡 Important: Long-Term Trade-off

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