PPF Calculator
Year by year
| Year | Deposited | Interest | Balance at year end |
|---|
The rule that decides how much you earn
PPF interest is calculated on the lowest balance in the account between the 5th and the last day of each month, then credited once a year at the end of March. That one sentence has a larger effect than most people realise. A deposit made on the 6th sits in the account all month and earns nothing for it, because the lowest balance between the 5th and the 31st does not include it.
So a yearly deposit made in early April earns interest for twelve months, while the same amount put in on the 31st of March earns for none. Over fifteen years that difference compounds into a large sum — switch the timing option above and watch the maturity figure move.
Why the rate is not filled in as a fact
The government reviews the PPF rate every quarter. A calculator that hardcodes a number is right until the day it silently isn't. Take the current rate from your bank or the post office.
The limits
- ₹500 minimum in a financial year, or the account is treated as discontinued.
- ₹1,50,000 maximum. Anything more earns no interest and comes back to you.
- Fifteen years, counted from the end of the financial year in which you opened it.
- Extensions in blocks of five years, with or without further deposits.
Why the effective return is higher than it looks
PPF is exempt at all three stages: the deposit counts under section 80C, the interest is untaxed and so is the maturity amount. For someone in a higher tax bracket under the old regime, a taxable deposit would have to pay noticeably more to match it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Because the government sets it every quarter and it changes. Any calculator showing a rate as though it were fixed will eventually be wrong without saying so. Take the current rate from your bank, the post office or the Finance Ministry notification and enter it here.
Very much. Interest is worked out on the lowest balance in the account between the 5th and the last day of each month, so a deposit made on the 6th earns nothing for that month. Depositing on or before the 5th — and for a yearly lump sum, in early April — is worth real money over fifteen years.
At least ₹500 and at most ₹1,50,000 in a financial year. Anything above the ceiling earns no interest and is simply returned. The tool warns you rather than quietly calculating on an amount you cannot actually deposit.
Fifteen years from the end of the financial year in which the account was opened — so it is a little more than fifteen years from the day you opened it. After that you can extend in blocks of five years, with or without further deposits.
No. PPF is exempt at all three stages under the old regime: the deposit qualifies under section 80C, the interest is not taxed and the maturity amount is not taxed. That is what makes the effective return higher than the headline rate for anyone paying tax.
Partial withdrawal is allowed from the seventh year, subject to limits, and a loan is possible between the third and sixth. Closing early is permitted only in specific situations and costs one percent of the interest. This calculator assumes you leave it alone.