Default Member

SuperEasy is the brand name for the superannuation schemes managed by Civic Financial Services. Over 60 years ago, local government councils joined forces to pool resources for services like insurance and finance – this collaboration became Civic Financial Services.

Later, Council management wanted to do more to support their staff and created the SuperEasy Local Government Superannuation Scheme – helping employees plan for a secure retirement and ensure their financial wellbeing.

In 2007, the government introduced KiwiSaver – requiring all employers to contributes to their employee’s savings (KiwiSaver) – we expanded our services by launching SuperEasy KiwiSaver, and we’ve been helping members ever since.

Our KiwiSaver scheme is fully compliant with Financial Markets Authority and adheres to the KiwiSaver Act 2006. We operate just like the big providers – but with one key difference: we’re here for you, not for profit.

SuperEasy is a restricted scheme, meaning only council staff and their whānau can enroll with us. It also means that we are for purpose – everything we do is focused on supporting our members.

While some KiwiSaver providers spend heavily on advertising, sales teams, and celebrity endorsements, we prefer to focus on:

• Strong investment returns
• Low fees
• Personal service

Because we are by councils, for council staff, our scheme is stronger when we are together. We are proud to support your financial future, and we thank you for being apart of our community.

If you do not already have KiwiSaver, but are eligible to join, your new employer is obligated to enroll you in a KiwiSaver scheme when you start your new job. While KiwiSaver is voluntary, your new employer will enroll you and it is up to you to opt out later if you do not want to join.

If you do not tell your employer which scheme you want to join, then you will automatically be enrolled in your employer’s default scheme, if they have one.

As SuperEasy is owned by councils to support their staff, SuperEasy is the default KiwiSaver for over 90% of New Zealand councils.

All new default providers are enrolled in our unique Automatic Fund.

You can learn more about this and our other fund options on our main FAQ page here.

If you didn’t select a provider when you first enrolled in KiwiSaver, you were automatically placed into your employer’s default scheme. SuperEasy is the default KiwiSaver provider for over 90% of New Zealand councils, meaning you might already be with us by default. So you are a Default Member!

An Active Choice member is someone who has deliberately chosen their KiwiSaver provider and fund type. If you’ve joined SuperEasy from another provider, you’ve made an active choice to be with a provider designed specifically for local government employees and their whānau, offering personalized service and competitive fees – great decision!

We love having you as a member, no matter which way you found us. Welcome aboard!

The government established KiwiSaver in 2007 because they were concerned that living off NZ Super (pension) alone might be difficult for many people. KiwiSaver is a long-term savings initiative designed to help.

Here’s how it works:

1. You contribute
   You choose a percentage of your pay to go into your KiwiSaver account
2. Your employer also must contribute
   They must contribute at least 3% (this is changing to 3.5% 1 April 2026) – but can pay more – check your employment agreement)
3. Your money is invested
   All contributions are invested on your behalf in a ‘fund’ to help it grow in value over time

KiwiSaver funds are generally locked in until you reach 65 (the current NZ retirement age) but you may be able to access it early if:

• You’re buying your first home
• You’re experiencing significant financial hardship
• You face a serious health issue (or in the event of death)

If any of these apply, please reach out – we are here to help you.

When you contribute to KiwiSaver, your money is combined with funds from other KiwiSaver investors and is invested by professional fund managers. These investments can include government bonds, shares, cash accounts or property.

The good news is that you can choose the level of risk you take. Some funds are riskier with possible high rewards; some are more conservative with less risk and possibly less reward.

We offer five different funds, so you can choose the one that best suits you. You can learn more about that in our main FAQ section here.