Welcome! If you're a New Zealand tax resident investing in overseas assets – like international shares, ETFs (e.g., Vanguard S&P 500 - VOO, VT), or foreign unit trusts – you've likely encountered mentions of the Foreign Investment Fund (FIF) rules. Understanding your NZ tax obligations on these foreign investments can seem daunting. Official guidance is thorough but often uses technical language that's hard for everyday investors to decipher.
That's why this website exists. We're here to translate the complex FIF tax rules into plain English. Our goal is to be the most helpful, practical resource for individual Kiwi investors, providing clarity on whether the rules apply to you, how calculations work (like FDR and CV methods), and what you need to consider when managing your portfolio and tax compliance. We want to empower you with the knowledge to invest internationally with confidence.
Do FIF Rules Apply to Me?
Understand the crucial NZ$50,000 cost threshold exemption and other key FIF exemptions
Try the NZ FIF Calculator
Estimate your FIF income using the common FDR and CV methods
Common FIF Questions
Find answers to frequent queries about FIF tax
Who Is This Site For?
This resource is designed primarily for:
- Individual NZ tax residents investing internationally
- Users of investment platforms like Sharesies, Hatch, Stake, IBKR, etc.
- Investors nearing or exceeding the NZ$50,000 cost threshold for foreign investments
- Anyone confused by terms like FDR, CV, attributing interest, or FIF cost basis
- Recent migrants understanding their tax obligations after transitional residency
Latest Updates (August 2025)
Bill Introduced: New FIF Revenue Account Method for Recent Migrants
On 27 August 2025, the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2025-26, Compliance Simplification, and Remedial Matters) Bill was introduced to Parliament. This bill proposes significant FIF rule changes, including:
- Revenue Account Method (RAM): A new FIF calculation method for recent migrants and returning New Zealanders (those becoming tax residents on/after 1 April 2024). RAM would tax foreign investments on a realisation basis with a 30% discount on capital gains, rather than the current deemed income approach.
- Extended RAM for US citizens/green card holders: Broader eligibility allowing application to all FIF investments, not just pre-migration holdings.
- Non-resident visitor provisions: Remote workers could stay up to 275 days without triggering NZ tax residency (effective 1 April 2026).
Note: These are proposed changes currently before Parliament. If passed, the RAM provisions would apply retroactively from 1 April 2025.
Learn more about the proposed Revenue Account Method →