What Kiwis wish they’d known about their finances.
This opinion article by Karla Byrnes, Strategic Partnerships Lead for AMP, is published as advertorial.
Teenagers in 2026 are growing up with more information at their fingertips than any generation before them. Yet some of the most important lessons still aren’t being
taught or reinforced enough.
Until recently, financial literacy was absent from the core school curriculum, and new research commissioned by AMP shows nearly three in five New Zealanders aged 50+ haven’t shared their financial lessons with their children1. In many Kiwi households, hard-earned financial knowledge and experience simply isn’t being passed on.
For many young people, home is still where the most meaningful financial lessons can be learned. Teenagers may not always welcome advice from their parents, but some lessons are too important not to keep repeating – especially the idea that small financial choices made consistently over time can lead to greater freedom and opportunity later in life.
One of the most crucial is compounding interest: the simple but powerful concept that money invested early can grow significantly over time as returns generate further returns. For young people, time is their greatest advantage. But it’s only later in life that people appreciate how powerful those early habits could have been.The research, conducted on behalf of AMP by Dynata, asked 800 nationally represented New Zealanders a series of questions to determine how financially confident they feel about retirement. It suggests that hindsight, while strikingly clear, often arrives late. Fewer than half of Kiwis say they feel financially confident about retiring 1, and many admit they only began paying serious attention to the subject in their 50s.
We hear it all the time. Many people assumed they had more time, or that retirement would be simpler than it turned out to be.
For many, retirement planning was something to be dealt with later – after the mortgage was under control, careers were established, and children were raised. But later, it turns out, has a habit of arriving sooner than expected.
Retirement-aged respondents to the survey were candid about what they wished they’d done differently. Most said they would have saved earlier and more consistently, rather than waiting for their income to rise. Others spoke about understanding how money grows over time, and thinking ahead, even when retirement felt decades away.
What really stands out is how consistent that advice is. With hindsight, what matters becomes clearer – the value of time, the power of compounding, and the confidence that comes from understanding what your future could look like.
We often hear about having a ‘retirement number’, but there’s no universal figure – only your number. It depends on what retirement means to you, and that looks different for everyone. Knowing how much you need to live the retirement you want can bring a greater sense of clarity and confidence, and help you close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.
Despite coming to these realisations themselves, however, many New Zealanders never pass them on. Money, the survey suggests, remains a topic people are reluctant to talk about – even when they wish someone had talked to them sooner.
At the same time, younger New Zealanders are entering the workforce with limited understanding of how small decisions made early can shape outcomes later.
This matters more than ever. New Zealanders are living longer; almost a quarter of the population will be over 65 by the late 2040s, according to Stats NZ. While NZ Super remains a critical part of the retirement landscape, it was never intended to fund the lifestyle many people picture.
A lot of people only start asking the bigger questions quite late. What will my life look like day‑to‑day? What choices do I want? How long might my money actually need to last?
These questions can feel confronting, which is one reason so many people put them off. The survey found that only around half of New Zealanders have ever sought financial advice1, often because they fear discovering they’re behind where they “should” be.
But the opposite is usually true. When people finally look at where they’re at, the anxiety often softens. Clarity gives people back a sense of control.
To help people begin that conversation, AMP has introduced a Retirement Check‑Up, available at no cost to both customers and non‑customers. It aims to help people take stock – to talk through priorities, concerns, and expectations, and map out what retirement might realistically look like.
Some of the most valuable financial advice worth passing on to our children still relies on someone taking the time to talk about them. Kiwis now wish they had started or understood more sooner. Passing those lessons on could make all the difference for our children, because time holds the most power when you realise its value early.
Find out about AMP’s Retirement Check-Up. Eligibility criteria may apply. www.amp.co.nz/retirement
1 AMP Retirement Confidence Pulse survey, February 2026
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