mySTART® FAQS
Anyone can use mySTART® to help reach short and long-term savings goals: for children’s education, property purchases, holidays and anything else you wish to save for. Investors can start with as little as $100 per month, or a lump sum of $1,000. It’s our flexible investment solution, to help people start investing.
What is mySTART®?
Our mySTART® service is . flexible and comprehensive. You decide how much and how often to invest, and have access to your money at anytime. mySTART can help you meet short and long-term savings goals, from a holiday to your children’s education or a property purchase.
You can start investing with as little as $100 per month, or a lump sum of $1,000 and build your own portfolio from our list of Investment Options. You control the funds or shares to invest in with the help of an investment adviser, and you can then track your progress using our Client Portal and Mobile App.
How does mySTART® work?
Investments for different types of investment goals.
We can offer you a choice of investments with different levels and characteristics of risk.
You can choose from over 190 different investment options, such as global and Australasian equities, investment trusts, New Zealand managed funds, exchange traded funds and listed property trusts.
Varied investment options.
You can build a portfolio that suits your appetite for risk and investment objectives by choosing from our list of investment options.
Easy access to your money.
Your money is not locked in and there are no restrictions on when you can access it.
Qualified financial advisers.
We have qualified and experienced financial advisers in branches throughout New Zealand. You can choose someone near you to help you select your investments and answer any questions you may have.
Access to research.
You will have access to our company research reports. These reports can help you make informed decisions about which investments might be right for you.
A custodian will hold your investments.
Our custodian (CIP No. 1 Nominees Limited) will hold the investments on your behalf as bare trustee. You remain the beneficial owner and in complete control of all investment decisions.
Flexible options for investment payments.
You can:
- make regular investment payments
- make lump sum payments at times that suit you
- do both of these.
You can change the amounts you are investing whenever you like.
Control of your investments.
You can change your investment choices whenever you like.
How we charge for this service
The mySTART Investment Options include a range of investments such as global, New Zealand and Australian equities, investment trusts, managed funds, index funds, listed property trusts and cash. The Investment Options are grouped by asset class. By viewing this document you will be able to see & understand what management fees are charged. The actual fees charged during the most recent year will be provided in your quarterly report.
What returns will I get?
Your return is the amount your investment pays you back. Key factors that may affect your returns are:
- how much you invest and how often
- what dividends and interest your investments earn
- changes in the value of the security or the unit price of the fund (investment performance)
- fees, expenses and taxes
- how much you withdraw
We do not promise or guarantee an amount of return.
All investments involve risk
With any investment, there is a chance that the return may be different to what was expected. The value of an investment might go up, or it might go down and in extreme circumstances, investments may lose their entire value.
Experience tells us that we can reduce the overall risk by investing in a number of securities, and in different markets, so that the downward movements may be balanced by the upward movements over time.
As noted above, investment performance is a key factor in your returns. The principal risks that might affect returns are:
- market and specific investment risk
- self-selected portfolio risk
- currency and hedging risk
- interest rate risk
- counterparty risk
- manager risk.
Several factors can contribute to the growth of your investments including:
- Share Performance
When the values of your shares increase, so does the value of your investment portfolio.
- Dividends and Distributions
Any dividends and interest from your investments will be paid to your portfolio cash account.
- Interest on Cash and Fixed Interest Securities
Interest earned on your deposits held in Cash Management Accounts is compounded monthly.
Quarterly Report Changes
You may notice that your mySTART Quarterly Report looks a little different from March 31, 2023. For further information about the changes please refer to the FAQs below.
Feedback from both our members and industry specialists provided guidance on ways to make our reports easier to understand.
The updated report template was included in the 31 March 2023 report packs.
The following layout changes have been made to the Fees and Expenses page of your report:
Total Fund Charges
The layout of this table has been revised to make the Total Fund Charges components easier to identify. The components themselves and the underlying calculations of the information has not changed.
Other Charges
This table has been revised to include the Administration Fee only.
Total Fees Charged (new)
A new table has been added to provide a summary of the total fees charged (Total Fund Charges + Other Charges) during the reporting period. This information is calculated using the information shown in the Total Fund Charges and Other Charges tables presented above it.
Trading Expenses (new)
A new table has been added to summarise any applicable Brokerage, Stamp Duty and/or FX Margin charged during the reporting period. This information was previously shown as a combined number for Brokerage, Stamp Duty and FX Margin within the ‘Other Charges’ table of the Fees and Expenses. The components themselves and the underlying calculations of the information has not changed.