What is the best month to invest in PPF?
If you follow the discussion above, the best month is therefore at the beginning of the financial year. Therefore April is the best month to invest in PPF since that will always give the highest interest.
However, experts suggest that it is beneficial to deposit money before the 5th of every month. This is because interest is calculated on the lowest balance in the PPF account after the 5th of every month to the last day of the month.
However, if the investor does it last minute every financial year for 15 years, he would earn an interest of Rs 15,48,515 instead of Rs 18,18,209. The maturity amount will also come down to Rs 37,98,515 instead of Rs 40,68,209. Besides, investing in one go every financial year is also preferable to monthly deposits.
How to Maximize PPF Returns? Invest before the 5th of every month. PPF interest is calculated on the lowest balance between the 5th and last day of every month.
One can deposit a maximum of ₹1.50 lakh in one PPF account during a financial year.
However, per the new PPF rules, there is no restriction on the number of deposits.
One needs to take their needs into account before investing in either LIC schemes or PPF. Both schemes offer tax benefits and are low-risk. If the motive of the investment is to create some wealth to beat inflation in the long run, the PPF may be a better choice.
2) Long lock-in period
Amit Gupta, MD, SAG Infotech said PPF's long lock-in period of 15 years, makes it unsuitable for short-term needs. “Investors might have to consider other solutions if they have any immediate needs," said Khandare.
The current PPF account interest rate remains unchanged by the Ministry of Finance for the current quarter 2023-24 is 7.10% p.a. as of February 2024.
The current interest rate for Q4 (January-March) FY 2023-24 for PPF accounts has been fixed at 7.1%, compounded annually. As compared to the corresponding fixed deposit (FD) rates in many banks, Public Provident Fund gives higher interest benefits to its subscribers.
How much will I get if I invest 1000 monthly in PPF for 15 years?
You will get ₹ 3,15,572 as maturity amount on Rs. 1000 deposits per month with 7.1% annual interest rate for 15 years. You can also deposit different amounts every month in PPF.
The PPF account interest rate for the recent quarter ranges up to 7.10% and is compounded on annual terms. The minimal tenure of investment is static till 15 years whereas the investment amount can vary between INR 500 to INR 1.50 lakhs within a financial year.
In addition to this, one must keep in mind that the minimum monthly balance between the last and fifth day of the month forms the basis for calculating the Public Provident Fund's interest. Therefore, if you are planning to invest in PPF on a monthly basis, it would be best to invest before the 5th of each month.
Yes, NRIs can invest in PPF under the following conditions: NRIs may invest in the PPF account they opened when they were Resident Indians. They cannot open a new PPF account after assuming Non-Resident Indian status.
- Union Bank of India.
- Central Bank of India.
- Bank of Maharashtra.
- Indian Overseas Bank.
- IDBI Bank.
- Punjab National Bank.
- UCO Bank.
- Punjab and Sind Bank.
No. Only one PPF account can be maintained by an individual, except for an account that is opened on behalf of a minor.
If you miss the PPF account minimum annual deposit requirement of Rs. 500 altogether it will lead to account deactivation. In such cases, you can reactivate the account by paying a penalty of Rs. 50 plus Rs.
No, you cannot invest in a Public Provident Fund (PPF) account using a credit card. PPF accounts are typically funded through cash deposits or transfers from a savings or current bank account. Credit cards are not accepted as a means of funding PPF accounts directly.
A PPF account can only be cancelled after 15 years from the end of the year in which the original subscription was made. The entire corpus can be withdrawn once you reach maturity. You must submit a properly completed Form C at the bank branch or post office where you hold your PPF account in order to do this.
PPF is EEE (Exempt-Exempt-Exempt) category investment, which means your investment, interest earned, and maturity is tax exempt. While in NPS, your maturity is partially taxable, as you have to pay tax on annuity income. Both NPS and PPF are eligible for a deduction of upto Rs. 1.5 lakh Under section 80C.
Is anything better than PPF?
PPF deposits have a lock-in period of 15 years. Whereas your investment in mutual funds (open-ended) can be redeemed on any business day. The flexibility of redeeming your funds as per the requirement makes mutual funds investment much more liquid than PPF deposits.
Mutual funds vs PPF – both are good investment options, but they have different features and benefits. PPF is a low-risk investment option with a lock-in period of 15 years. While mutual funds are a market-driven vehicle and have no lock-in period (Except ELSS funds).
Risk-free, guaranteed returns: The Public Provident Fund is backed by the Government of India. So, one of the most significant PPF account benefits is that it is entirely risk-free. The returns, too, are guaranteed by the government.
Maturity: A PPF account matures in 15 years, and you can extend it in blocks of 5 years each. You must extend the tenure within one year of maturity.
With PPF, you need not pay any tax on the interest earned. However in case of NSC, income earned on interest is taxable at the respective slab rate of the individual. The interest accrued on NSC is taxable. But, the tax is deductible under Section 80C.
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