/THE HW EDITBig ideas.
Clearer decisions.
Election tax talk, buying new equipment and the extra cost of KiwiSaver. Three things worth knowing, without the accounting lecture.
Election season.
Tax season?
Kiwis vote on 7 November, and tax is on the agenda. There are proposals affecting assets, GST, companies and property. But a campaign promise isn't a tax rule.
The useful bit: Keep planning with today's rules, and review bigger decisions once any changes are confirmed.
Read our 2026 election tax roundupOur own plain-English guide to the proposals and what they could mean for business.
What would you most like clarity on?
Will the rules for new purchases change?
Current: Investment Boost allows a 20% upfront deduction for qualifying new assets.
Proposed: Labour would replace it with a full write-off for eligible assets costing up to $10,000, for businesses with annual revenue below $10m, from July 2027.
Could the GST threshold move?
Current: Compulsory GST registration generally applies once taxable turnover reaches (or is expected to reach) $60,000 over a 12-month period.
Proposed: Labour would lift this to $80,000. The existing $60,000 rule still applies.
What about company tax?
Current: The standard NZ company income tax rate is 28%.
Proposed: NZ First has proposed 20% for companies with turnover below $30m. The Greens have proposed 33% for those above $30m. Neither is law.
Could property gains be taxed differently?
Current: Tax on property sales depends on the existing land-tax rules and your circumstances.
Proposed: Labour has proposed a capital gains tax on certain residential investment and commercial property. Other parties have different land or wealth-tax proposals.
A snapshot, not a full party-policy comparison. All election changes discussed here are proposals, not enacted rules.
Ask us ↗Investment Boost.
Made simple.
If you buy an eligible new business asset, Investment Boost can bring forward part of your tax deduction. Here’s a quick example of the first-year difference.
Read our Investment Boost article ↗What difference could it make?
Illustration assumes an eligible asset used all year, 20% straight-line depreciation and 28% company tax, with enough taxable income to use the deduction. Figures exclude recoverable GST.
This brings deductions forward. It does not generally increase the total deductible cost over an asset’s life. Actual results depend on the asset and circumstances.
Check the eligibility rules at IRDHalf a percent.
Real money.
The default KiwiSaver employee and matching employer contribution rates went from 3% to 3.5% on 1 April 2026. For employers, that 0.5 percentage point can add up across a team.
Also check: Eligible 16- and 17-year-old members can now qualify for employer contributions. Another default increase to 4% is scheduled for April 2028.
See the KiwiSaver changes ↗How much does the extra 0.5% add up to?
Assumes all selected employees were on 3% and are now on 3.5%.
Illustrative gross contributions before ESCT, assuming the same annual eligible earnings and standard rates for everyone. Actual employer cost may vary due to remuneration terms, eligibility, temporary rate reductions and future law changes.
Your future money.
Made simpler.
We're teaming up with NZ Funds for a practical session on KiwiSaver, saving and investing, and how to think about paying down debt versus putting money aside.
With Reid Parker, Senior Wealth Adviser, NZ Funds. We'll use live clicker questions to get everyone involved.
Register now for the event ↗Register using the Hunter Withers booking page. The event is at our Pukekohe office.