tmmonline.nz  |   landlords.co.nz        About Good Returns  |  Advertise  |  Contact Us  |  Terms & Conditions  |  RSS Feeds

NZ's Financial Adviser News Centre

GR Logo
Last Article Uploaded: Saturday, December 7th, 8:03AM

Investments

rss
Latest Headlines

NZSF responds to United Future

Paul Costello of NZSF responds to United Future's finance spokesman Gordon Copeland.

Monday, September 1st 2003, 10:48AM
Dear Mr Copeland

Re: Decision to focuson pre-NZ tax returns

I noted an article on goodreturns.co.nz on Friday 22 August 2003 (view previous article here) which referred to a recent press release from your office questioning the decision of the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation to focus on pre–New Zealand tax returns.

You compared the after tax return to a New Zealand investor of a dividend payment carrying full imputation credits with the same dividend on a United States share. Quite appropriately you noted that the domestic share carrying imputation credits provided an enhanced return to the New Zealand investor on an after tax basis. This led you to question whether the Board had failed to take this into account in setting the asset allocation for of the Fund.

The Board is aware of this advantage and has factored it into its assessment of New Zealand shares as an asset class. The decision to focus on the pre-tax return means that when a dividend is received on a domestic share, it is grossed up by the value of the imputation credit. In this way the 6% dividend in your example would be treated as 8.95% of pre-New Zealand tax return in the Fund (assuming full imputation credits) compared to a stable 6% for the international share dividend. In this way, its superior contribution to the portfolio is clearly recognised. This approach has been addressed in correspondence between the Minister of Finance and the Board.

The decision to focus on pre-tax returns was largely driven by the expected value to the portfolio from active management of assets. As you would be aware, New Zealand investors are overwhelmingly attracted to passive investment portfolios due to the capital gains tax relief provided compared to active management. If the after-tax return had been the priority for the Guardians, passive investment would have been a key component of the portfolio.

It was clear from research, however, that active managers of most asset classes have been able to add significant value over passive portfolios in the recent past. The Board is confident that it will be able to construct a portfolio to achieve this out performance in the future. Accordingly, the decision to focus on pre-tax returns enables the Fund to pursue active management in order to maximise returns to the portfolio as a whole. This avoids the risk that a superior after tax return (as a result of passive investing) may in fact result in a sub-optimal gross return to the Crown by ignoring the value added by active managers.

I hope this explains the main rationale for the Guardian’s decision. I wish to reassure you that our approach does not minimise the return to the Fund of New Zealand imputation credits when compared to foreign income. We believe that we are able to capture these benefits, while providing a superior total return to the New Zealand taxpayer.

Paul Costello
Chief Executive

« New 15% SSCWT rate for low income earnersWorkplace super changes more complicated »

Special Offers

Commenting is closed

 

print

Printable version  

print

Email to a friend
News Bites
Latest Comments
  • Advisors must take note of supervisor guidelines on AML/CFT
    “When I read this, the following memory plucked a note. Venue was a US financial planning conference maybe 30 years ago. Speaker...”
    1 day ago by Murray Weatherston
  • Partners kills its matrix
    “@Backstage, thanks. I agree there is no relationship to CoFI, though, from a service perspective, I have two other providers...”
    4 days ago by JPHale
  • Partners kills its matrix
    “Partners Life has decided to stop using its COM for advisers as it believes the system may breach the CoFI regulations which...”
    4 days ago by Amused
  • Partners kills its matrix
    “Insurance companies should stick to their lane. They are not advisers and even those that employ advisers should not be crossing...”
    4 days ago by Tash
  • [GRTV] The nitty gritty of Smart’s ETFs
    “Advisors should consider all gateways into investment markets including cheaply priced ETFs to provide access to low priced...”
    5 days ago by Pragmatic
Subscribe Now

News and information about KiwiSaver

Previous News
Most Commented On
Mortgage Rates Table

Full Rates Table | Compare Rates

Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
AIA - Back My Build 4.94 - - -
AIA - Go Home Loans 7.49 ▼5.79 ▼5.49 ▼5.59
ANZ 7.39 6.39 6.19 6.19
ANZ Blueprint to Build 7.39 - - -
ANZ Good Energy - - - 1.00
ANZ Special - 5.79 5.59 5.59
ASB Bank 7.39 ▼5.79 ▼5.49 ▼5.59
ASB Better Homes Top Up - - - 1.00
Avanti Finance ▼7.90 - - -
Basecorp Finance ▼8.35 - - -
BNZ - Classic - 5.99 5.69 5.69
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
BNZ - Mortgage One 7.54 - - -
BNZ - Rapid Repay 7.54 - - -
BNZ - Std 7.44 ▼5.79 ▼5.59 5.69
BNZ - TotalMoney 7.54 - - -
CFML 321 Loans 6.20 - - -
CFML Home Loans 6.45 - - -
CFML Prime Loans 8.25 - - -
CFML Standard Loans 9.20 - - -
China Construction Bank - 7.09 6.75 6.49
China Construction Bank Special - - - -
Co-operative Bank - First Home Special - 5.69 - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 6.95 5.79 5.59 5.69
Co-operative Bank - Standard 6.95 6.29 6.09 6.19
Credit Union Auckland 7.70 - - -
First Credit Union Special - ▼5.99 ▼5.89 -
First Credit Union Standard ▼7.69 ▼6.69 ▼6.39 -
Heartland Bank - Online 6.99 ▼5.49 ▼5.39 ▼5.45
Heartland Bank - Reverse Mortgage - - - -
Heretaunga Building Society 8.60 6.65 6.40 -
ICBC 7.49 ▼5.79 ▼5.59 5.59
Kainga Ora 8.39 7.05 6.59 6.49
Kainga Ora - First Home Buyer Special - - - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
Kiwibank 7.25 6.89 6.59 6.49
Kiwibank - Offset 7.25 - - -
Kiwibank Special 7.25 5.99 5.69 5.69
Liberty 8.59 8.69 8.79 8.94
Nelson Building Society 7.94 ▼5.75 ▼5.99 -
Pepper Money Advantage 10.49 - - -
Pepper Money Easy 8.69 - - -
Pepper Money Essential 8.29 - - -
SBS Bank 7.49 6.95 6.29 6.29
SBS Bank Special - 6.15 5.69 5.69
SBS Construction lending for FHB - - - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
SBS FirstHome Combo 4.94 5.15 - -
SBS FirstHome Combo - - - -
SBS Unwind reverse equity 9.75 - - -
TSB Bank 8.19 6.49 ▼6.39 ▼6.39
TSB Special ▲8.64 ▲6.74 ▲6.49 ▲6.39
Unity 7.64 ▼5.79 ▼5.55 -
Unity First Home Buyer special - 5.49 - -
Wairarapa Building Society ▼7.70 ▼5.95 ▼5.75 -
Westpac 7.39 6.39 6.09 6.19
Westpac Choices Everyday 7.49 - - -
Westpac Offset 7.39 - - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
Westpac Special - 5.79 5.49 5.59
Median 7.54 5.99 5.89 5.69

Last updated: 6 December 2024 9:11am

About Us  |  Advertise  |  Contact Us  |  Terms & Conditions  |  Privacy Policy  |  RSS Feeds  |  Letters  |  Archive  |  Toolbox  |  Disclaimer
 
Site by Web Developer and eyelovedesign.com