Martin Hawes: Is a flexible Superannuation scheme worth it?

But right now, it's on to something a little different.

It's Smart Money.

And as you know, we want your calls on 0800 80 1080.

The usual comment from me as well, You don't have to have the answer to the meaning of life that's going to solve all our problems with your one magnificent call.

You just need to contribute to the conversation.

And I always say dumb questions are great.

Often the dumbest questions are usually the smartest questions.

Almost sounds like a slogan, doesn't it? Anyway, there has been a suggestion that sort of popped up in our conversation as we're getting ready for the week.

There's a proposal to shake up the way we use superannuation, and it's from the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand, and it's talking about having a flexible choice of when people can start receiving New Zealand super.

Could improve its affordability.

And look, actually, there's a whole bunch of questions around it.

But the idea might be that you might delay receiving your super because you're still earning a living.

I mean, for how many people is 65 the day that they stop working? I'm not sure.

I mean, we've had discussions around raising the eligibility to 67.

And apparently it doesn't really substantially reduce the long-term cost.

So there's some modelling that suggests that you spread the uptake over the first five years and maybe you opt out of receiving it earlier and return for a bit more later on.

In fact, I'm not completely across the whole mechanics of it.

But what do you make of that? Would you...

Would you opt to receive money later if you could maybe get a little bit more at the time? It still can't be worth it.

I still can't work out how that saves money, but maybe they're just banking.

I mean, they're always banking on how long you're going to live, aren't they? That's the whole game.

But anyway, to discuss that and other things, because the other question we've got to look at is there are a lot of people I know who are thinking, oh, my KiwiSaver's not that flash, but what's going to happen is I'm going to sell the house and I'm going to downsize, move to another town, and that's my retirement.

But not necessarily going to deliver you the windfall you think.

So is that the right way to go? We're going to dig into those two things.

We'd love your thoughts on 0800 80 1080, text 9292.