Disclosure Statement
This disclosure statement provides important information about Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice, the financial advice we provide, how we are paid, and how we manage potential conflicts of interest.
As at .
Licensing information
Solid Steele Advice Limited, trading as Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice, holds a Financial Advice Provider licence issued by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) to provide financial advice services.
- Solid Steele Advice Limited: FSP1010211
- Financial Adviser - Cameron Steele: FSP1010212
Cameron Steele provides financial advice under the Financial Advice Provider licence of Solid Steele Advice Limited.
Our registrations can be checked on the Financial Service Providers Register.
Nature and scope of our advice
Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice specialises in KiwiSaver.
We provide financial advice about:
- KiwiSaver investment strategies
- KiwiSaver providers and funds
- KiwiSaver contribution strategies
- KiwiSaver planning for first-home buyers
- KiwiSaver retirement planning
Our personalised financial advice is limited to KiwiSaver and related KiwiSaver investment decisions.
We do not provide personalised advice on areas such as taxation, legal matters or estate planning. Where appropriate, we may recommend that you seek advice from another suitably qualified professional.
Technology and our advice
We use technology to research and compare KiwiSaver providers and funds, to model projections, and to reduce the time spent on administration. The calculators, quizzes and chat assistant on our website provide general information only and do not provide personalised financial advice.
Where an automated tool or AI assists with research, a comparison or a draft, the adviser reviews the output before it forms part of any advice. Cameron Steele remains responsible for every recommendation made to you.
Our Client Charter sets out in full how we use technology, how we protect your information, and the standards you can hold us to.
How we compare KiwiSaver providers and funds
We review and compare KiwiSaver providers and funds across the New Zealand market.
Our assessment is not limited to the KiwiSaver providers with which we have an adviser agreement.
This means we can compare your existing KiwiSaver provider and fund with alternatives across the wider market. If our assessment indicates that remaining with your existing provider or fund is appropriate for you, we may recommend that you stay where you are.
Our recommendations are not restricted to any panel. Where a change of provider is recommended, we implement that advice through a selected implementation panel of KiwiSaver schemes and options.
Our current selected implementation panel comprises the following ten KiwiSaver schemes and options:
- Booster
- Fisher Funds
- Generate
- Kernel Wealth
- Kōura Wealth
- Milford
- Pathfinder
- QuayStreet
- SBS Wealth
- Smart KiwiSaver
We select the schemes and options on our implementation panel based on our assessment of factors including their investment approach, long-term performance, fees, fund choice, responsible investment options, service, technology and suitability for different types of KiwiSaver members.
Being on our implementation panel does not mean a scheme or option will be appropriate for every client.
The panel was extended from five schemes to ten on 31 August 2026. The schemes added, and the basis on which each is remunerated, are recorded in the note on the five schemes added to the implementation panel.
Our recommendations are based on our assessment of your individual circumstances, objectives, investment timeframe, risk profile and preferences.
What does our KiwiSaver advice cost?
How we are paid depends on the KiwiSaver provider we recommend.
Provider-paid advice
With most of the KiwiSaver providers we work with, you do not pay an additional adviser fee to us for our advice.
Instead, Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice is remunerated directly by the KiwiSaver provider.
This may include an initial payment and/or ongoing remuneration calculated as a percentage of your KiwiSaver balance.
Advised KiwiSaver services
Some providers operate differently and offer an advised KiwiSaver service.
Under these arrangements, the provider's underlying investment management fees continue to apply and, in addition, Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice charges an adviser fee for the financial advice and ongoing adviser service you receive from us. The provider facilitates that fee through the advised arrangement; the fee is our remuneration, not a charge levied by the provider.
Our current adviser fee for these advised services is 0.25% per annum of your KiwiSaver balance with Kernel Wealth and Smart KiwiSaver, and 0.30% per annum of your KiwiSaver balance with Kōura Wealth.
For example, if the underlying fund management fee is 0.25% per annum and our adviser fee is 0.25% per annum, the combined fee would be 0.50% per annum. On the Kōura Wealth advised arrangement, the same underlying fund management fee of 0.25% per annum with our adviser fee of 0.30% per annum would give a combined fee of 0.55% per annum.
A direct or self-directed service with the same provider may have lower fees because it does not include our financial advice and ongoing adviser service.
We will always explain how we are paid and any adviser fee that applies before you decide whether to proceed with our recommendation.
How we are paid
Our current ongoing adviser remuneration arrangements are:
| KiwiSaver provider | Ongoing adviser remuneration | How we are paid |
|---|---|---|
| Generate | 0.25% p.a. | Paid by the provider |
| Pathfinder | 0.25% p.a. | Paid by the provider |
| Fisher Funds | 0.25% p.a. | Paid by the provider |
| QuayStreet | 0.25% p.a. | Paid by the provider |
| SBS Wealth | 0.25% p.a. | Paid by the provider |
| Milford | 0.20% p.a. | Paid by the provider |
| Booster | 0.50% p.a. | Paid by the provider |
| Kernel Wealth | 0.25% p.a. | Solid Steele adviser fee through Kernel's Advised KiwiSaver Solution |
| Kōura Wealth | 0.30% p.a. | Solid Steele adviser fee through the Kōura Navigator Service |
| Smart KiwiSaver | 0.25% p.a. | Solid Steele adviser fee through an advised KiwiSaver service |
Provider-paid remuneration does not result in an additional adviser fee being charged by us to your KiwiSaver account.
Where an adviser fee applies through an advised KiwiSaver service, that fee is additional to the provider's underlying investment management fees.
Some providers may also make an initial payment to us when a client joins their KiwiSaver scheme. This is paid by the provider, not the client.
We will clearly explain the remuneration associated with our recommendation before you decide whether to proceed.
Conflicts of interest and incentives
KiwiSaver providers use different methods and rates to remunerate financial advisers.
Some providers pay Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice directly, while under some advised KiwiSaver services our remuneration is paid through an adviser fee charged to the client's KiwiSaver account.
The amount of remuneration we receive also differs between some providers.
These arrangements create potential financial conflicts of interest. We recognise these conflicts and actively manage them.
The amount or method by which we are remunerated does not determine which provider or fund we recommend.
For seven of the ten KiwiSaver schemes and options on our selected implementation panel, our current ongoing remuneration is the same: 0.25% per annum of the client's KiwiSaver balance. Of the remaining three, one provider currently pays us 0.20% per annum, one pays us 0.50% per annum, and our adviser fee under the Kōura Wealth advised arrangement is 0.30% per annum.
Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice:
- reviews and compares KiwiSaver providers and funds across the New Zealand market, not just the providers with which we have an adviser agreement;
- may recommend that you remain with your existing KiwiSaver provider, in which case we may receive no remuneration;
- is not required to place any minimum level of business with any KiwiSaver provider or financial organisation;
- does not have production targets, sales quotas or contractual requirements requiring us to recommend a particular provider;
- does not receive additional remuneration for meeting sales targets with a particular provider; and
- follows a documented advice process designed to identify an appropriate KiwiSaver provider, fund and investment strategy for each client.
We do not have any contractual arrangement requiring us to recommend a particular KiwiSaver provider or to place any specified amount of client money or business with a provider.
Our recommendations are based on our assessment of your circumstances, objectives, investment timeframe, risk profile and preferences.
Where there is a conflict between our interests and yours, we are required to give priority to your interests.
How we manage conflicts of interest
We take reasonable steps to ensure that our clients' interests are given priority.
These steps include:
- following a documented advice process when assessing your circumstances and making recommendations;
- comparing your existing KiwiSaver arrangement with appropriate alternatives across the wider New Zealand market;
- considering relevant factors including investment strategy, long-term performance, fees, risk, fund choice and other features;
- documenting the reasons for our recommendations;
- clearly disclosing relevant remuneration associated with our recommendations;
- maintaining registers recording conflicts of interest, gifts and incentives;
- undertaking ongoing training regarding conflicts of interest and our regulatory obligations; and
- undertaking an annual independent Compliance Assurance Review.
From time to time, product providers may provide subsidised professional development, training, hospitality or other non-monetary benefits.
We have referral arrangements with some services who sometimes pay us for referring interested parties to them.
Any material benefit or potential conflict is managed in accordance with our conflicts-of-interest procedures.
Our duties to you
Solid Steele Advice Limited and anyone providing financial advice on its behalf have duties under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 and the Code of Professional Conduct for Financial Advice Services.
When providing financial advice, we are required to:
- give priority to your interests where there is a conflict of interest;
- exercise care, diligence and skill;
- meet the required standards of competence, knowledge and skill;
- meet standards of ethical behaviour, conduct and client care;
- treat you fairly;
- act with integrity;
- provide financial advice that is suitable for you; and
- take reasonable steps to ensure you understand our advice.
Complaints
If you have a problem, concern or complaint about our financial advice or service, please contact us first so we have an opportunity to resolve it.
Our internal complaints manager is Cameron Steele.
- Email: compliance@solidsteeleadvice.co.nz
- Phone: 022 657 8665
We will acknowledge your complaint within two business days.
We aim to resolve complaints within 10 working days of receiving them. If we require additional time, we will contact you and provide an indication of when we expect to respond.
We will contact you to explain whether we can resolve your complaint and what we propose to do.
External dispute resolution
If we cannot resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can contact our independent dispute resolution service:
Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL)
- Postal address: PO Box 5967, Wellington 6145
- Phone: 0800 347 257
- Email: complaints@fscl.org.nz
This service is independent and free for consumers to use.
Reliability history
Neither Solid Steele Advice Limited nor Cameron Steele has been subject to any material public disciplinary action or relevant criminal conviction that is required to be disclosed.
Handling of client funds
Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice does not receive or hold your KiwiSaver funds.
Any KiwiSaver contributions, transfers or withdrawals are handled directly by the relevant KiwiSaver provider or custodian.
Contact details
Solid Steele Advice Limited
Trading as Solid Steele KiwiSaver Advice
Financial Advice Provider: FSP1010211
Financial Adviser - Cameron Steele: FSP1010212
111 Early Valley Road
Lansdowne
Christchurch 7672
- Phone: 022 657 8665
- Email: cam@solidsteeleadvice.co.nz