The Fund has several different membership categories and different rates of contributions apply to the different membership categories.

If your employer is a contributing organisation then the amount that you and your employer contribute is set by your employer. For some membership categories, only the employer contributes.

If your employer is not a contributing organisation then you set the amount that you contribute.

Your contributions and your employer’s contributions after tax has been deducted (as applicable) are credited to an account in the Fund in your name called your Member’s Account.

You can make voluntary contributions (including one-off lump sum contributions) in addition to your regular contributions.

However, if your voluntary contributions total more than $10,000 in a 12-month period, you will be required to comply with the requirements of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009. We have prepared a Guide to help you with this.

We maintain separate Pools within the Fund for the investment of your savings. You have a choice between the Balanced Pool and the Conservative Pool (or you can choose a mix of both Pools).

The Balanced Pool has moderate exposure to both growth assets (shares, forests and forest land) and income assets (fixed interest, mortgages and cash). It is intended to have a medium risk profile and to appeal to members willing to accept a medium degree of risk to pursue long term growth.

The Conservative Pool invests solely in income assets (fixed interest, mortgages and cash). It has a low-risk profile and is designed to appeal to members close to retirement (who consider they may not have enough time to ride out investment highs or lows) or who are more risk-averse.

At the end of each quarter, we allocate investment earnings to your Member’s Account based on returns from the relevant Pool after adjusting for costs, expenses and investment income tax.

The investment performance of the two Pools is on the Fund Performance page under Retire Fund.

Your savings are invested under our Ethical Investment Policy. Our policy is founded on Christian values so we do our best not to invest in things that would generally be inconsistent with a Christian worldview.

When you reach age 65 you are eligible to receive your retirement benefit (even if you continue to work). At 65 you can choose to:

• defer payment of your benefit from the Fund and continue as a Retired Member. You and your employer (if applicable) can continue contributing to your Member’s Account; or
• withdraw a portion of your benefit and remain in the Fund as a Retired Member. You and your employer (if applicable) can continue contributing to your Member’s Account; or
• take all of your benefit from the Fund and stop being a member of the Fund.

Your retirement benefit is the total amount in your Member’s Account.

Prior to your 65th birthday, we will send you a Benefit Entitlement Form for you to select which of the above options you wish to take.

If you die, we will pay the total amount in your Member’s Account to your estate.

If you cease to be employed by an organisation who is contributing to the Fund prior to age 65 you are eligible to receive your withdrawal benefit. Your options are:

• defer payment of your benefit from the Fund and continue as a Retired Member. You can continue contributing to your Member’s No.1 Account; or
• withdraw a portion of your benefit and remain in the Fund as a Retired Member. You can continue contributing to your Member’s No.1 Account; or
• take all of your benefit from the Fund and stop being a member of the Fund.

Your withdrawal benefit is the total amount in your Member’s No.1 Account and either the total amount in your Member’s No.2 Account or a percentage of that balance as set by the employer.

You and your employer will need to complete a Benefit Payment Form and return it to us. On that form, you select which of the above options you wish to take.

You do not have to withdraw all your savings on retirement or resignation.

You can choose to defer payment of your retirement/withdrawal benefit and to become a “Retired Member”. As a Retired Member, you can make partial withdrawals from your Member’s Account by completing a Partial Withdrawal Form.

If you do decide to withdraw all of your funds your account will be closed and you will be unable to rejoin the Fund at a later date.

Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Finance of Terrorism Act 2009 we are required to obtain information about your identity and residential address. We cannot accept funds from you, or pay funds to you, until both your identity and your residential address have been verified.