Non-qualified partner included in NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension

What it means and what you need to do when you have a non-qualified partner included in your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payments.

Before 9 November 2020, you could include your partner in your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payments. You could do this if you qualified for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension but your partner didn't (e.g. they were under 65).

If you didn't include your partner before 9 November 2020, you cannot include them now.

If you included your partner before 9 November 2020

If your partner is included in your payments, you get a different rate of NZ Super or Veteran's Pension. If you and your partner are getting other income, it will affect your payments.

If your partner is excluded from your payments, you cannot include them again. They could be excluded for a number of reasons (e.g. they qualify for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension in their own right).

Your fortnightly payments are:

After tax at 'M' (fortnightly) Before tax (fortnightly)
Up to $787.58 each Up to $903.42 each

Your and your partner's combined income will affect your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payments.

Combined income includes any income either of you have from, for example:

  • earnings
  • rental properties, less certain expenses (for example house insurance, rates, repairs and maintenance)
  • interest
  • shares
  • money from a retirement fund that you can access and withdraw
  • an overseas pension, unless it’s already being deducted from your payment.

How income affects your payments

If you have income, the total rate between you and your partner ($1,806.84 before tax) will be reduced as follows:

  • the first $160 of combined income a week (before tax) doesn’t affect your payments
  • for every $1 you get over $160, your total NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payment is reduced by 70 cents.

The reduced rate will then be divided into 2 and you and your partner will get half each (after tax).

If your income is over $40,036.29

If your income is over $40,036.29 or more (before tax) a year, you’ll get more NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension if your partner is not included in your payments.

At that stage, you’ll need to decide if you want to either:

  • keep your partner included in your payments, or
  • exclude your partner from your payments.
Rates for getting NZ Super and Veteran’s Pension in your own right

If you decide to exclude your partner, you won’t be able to re-include them at a later date.

You can call us to talk about the best option for you.

You and your partner need to tell us about any changes that could affect your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension. If you don't tell us about these changes, your payment could reduce or stop.

Find out what you and your partner need to do:

Your obligations if you're getting NZ Super or Veteran's Pension
Obligations for partners included in NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payments

How to tell us about changes

You can use MyMSD to tell us about changes, or call us to talk about this.

Go to My MSD login
Our phone numbers

If your partner is excluded from your payments, you can't re-include them again.

Some reasons they could be excluded are:

  • you choose to exclude them, or
  • they qualify for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension in their own right.

Your rate will change

Your rate will change to $828.34 (after tax) a fortnight, or $952.94 (before tax) a fortnight.

Your partner will no longer get payments.

What your partner needs to do

Your partner may be able to apply for a benefit instead. If they qualify for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension in their own right, they will need to apply for this.

Apply for NZ Super
Apply for Veteran's Pension

You may also be able to get other payments from us for health or household costs.

You can use our online tool to check what you might get.

Check What You Might Get tool