Some 55% of New Zealanders worry about money daily or weekly, and only 44% feel prepared for retirement, according to the Financial Services Council’s Financial Resilience Index 2025.
The FSC says in a statement that its annual tracker of the financial confidence and wellbeing of New Zealanders reveals mixed signals with some signs of optimism returning as cost-of-living pressures ease, while there remains continued concern over day-to-day financial stability and long-term preparedness.
It notes the key findings are:
- 55% of New Zealanders – equivalent to just over two million people – worry about money daily or weekly
- Only 44% feel prepared for retirement – returning to 2023 levels
- 80% of respondents feel secure in their current roles, however this has slipped from 85% in 2024 and 89% in 2023
- Concerns around inflation, housing prices and interest rates have eased slightly across the board
- KiwiSaver remains the top investment New Zealanders have, with 81% of Kiwis enrolled – more than double the 40% who hold cash investments like term deposits
The full report says that with regard to financial preparedness this year, fewer people overall are feeling prepared for retirement, with those not being prepared at all rising to a fifth of respondents. Some 36% are ‘not particularly prepared’; 37% ‘reasonably prepared’; and just 7% ‘fully prepared’.
The report says there is a slight positive shift in the number of respondents that could maintain their lifestyle with retirement savings, with fewer only being able to maintain their lifestyle for less than a year and more now reporting they could maintain
their lifestyle for six years and more.
FSC CEO Kirk Hope says these results show “…while there’s potential for optimism many households are still feeling the pinch. The data reflects that financial pressure hasn’t disappeared.”
He notes that with KiwiSaver being the primary investment vehicle for most New Zealanders “…it’s essential that we re-examine settings around contributions and enrolment. Ensuring people can maximise the benefits of KiwiSaver is critical not just for their retirement, but for the long-term financial wellbeing of the country.”
Hope adds that at present fewer than half of Kiwis feel financially prepared for retirement “…a phase of life that should be defined by security and peace of mind.”
The FSC has tracked New Zealanders’ financial confidence and wellbeing since March 2020, when the Covid pandemic first began impacting households across the country.
Click here to get a copy of the full report.
