PPF also known as the Public Provident Fund is a savings scheme in India. Owing to its features like tax savings overall safety and returns, this scheme has garnered a lot of positive attention from the people all these years. This scheme was introduced in 1968 with the primary objective of helping the citizens to save more. This is why it offers an attractive rate of interest so that more and more people can take this scheme’s advantage.
Interest Rate | 7.1% |
Tenure | 15 years |
Amount of Investment | Minimum Rs.500 & Maximum Rs.1.5 lakh |
Maturity Amount | Depends on the investment tenure |
Needless to say, that PPF is one of the best investment tools for a regular citizen. With a PPF account in place, a person can earn more than 7% yearly returns without any kind of risk involved. The returns are fixed this is one reason why the PPF account is an excellent opportunity for those whose risk appetite is low but who want stable returns.
Here are some essential features of a PPF account that you should know about!
For the unversed, PPF comes under the EEE (Exempt Exempt Exempt) category. So, what does this mean? This means that the deposits that you make in Public Provident Fund will be deductible under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Also, the amount that you accumulate along with the interest will be exempt from tax. So, when the time comes to withdraw the interest you don’t need to pay any tax. This is good news for those who want to make a safe and secure investment.
If you meet the following criteria, then you can open a PPF account at your respective bank branch or at any of the post offices:
Here’s how you can open a PPF account :
A PPF account can only be closed after the demise of the account holder. However, one can request to close the account by submitting the form that is duly signed by the account holder with a proper reason stated for withdrawal.