🔍 What Other PPF Calculators Don’t Show You
Every PPF calculator we reviewed during FiiPay’s research phase showed exactly one number: your 15-year maturity amount. None showed what your corpus becomes if you extend for another 5 or 10 years — which is often when compounding does its most dramatic work. None calculated your partial withdrawal eligibility by year, or how much loan you can take against your PPF from Year 3. We built 3 modes to answer what the basic calculators skip entirely.
After 15 years, extend in 5-year blocks. See how your corpus grows with or without fresh deposits. This is where PPF becomes most powerful.
PPF allows partial withdrawal from Year 7, and loan against PPF from Year 3 to Year 6. Enter your PPF details to see exact eligibility.
What Is PPF and Why Is It Genuinely Unique?
The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a government-backed savings scheme that offers something no other investment in India can: fully tax-free returns at every stage. Investment qualifies for Section 80C deduction (up to ₹1.5 lakh/year). Interest earned is tax-free every year. The entire maturity amount — including every rupee of compounded interest over 15 years — is withdrawn with zero tax liability. This triple exemption (EEE status) is unique to PPF and a handful of other government schemes.
The current PPF interest rate for Q1 2026-27 (April–June 2026) is 7.10% per annum, compounded annually, set by the Ministry of Finance via National Savings Institute. For a 30% tax bracket investor, the effective pre-tax equivalent return is approximately 10.14% — because you would need to earn 10.14% in a taxable instrument to net the same 7.10% after tax.
PPF interest is calculated on the minimum balance between the 5th and last day of each month. If you deposit ₹1,50,000 before 5th April (start of the financial year), you earn interest on the full deposit for all 12 months of that year. If you deposit after 5th April, you lose one month’s interest on the new deposit — effectively reducing your annual return slightly. On ₹1.5L at 7.10%, one month of lost interest = approximately ₹887. Over 15 years, this timing discipline adds ₹13,000–₹15,000 to your maturity amount.
PPF Rules 2026 — Quick Reference
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current Interest Rate | 7.10% p.a. (Q1 2026-27) — compounded annually on 31st March |
| Minimum Deposit | ₹500 per financial year (account becomes inactive if missed) |
| Maximum Deposit | ₹1,50,000 per financial year — amounts above returned with no interest |
| Mandatory Tenure | 15 financial years from year of opening |
| Extension | Unlimited 5-year blocks after 15 years, with or without deposits |
| Partial Withdrawal | From Year 7 — max once/year — up to 50% of lower of (Year 4 / Prev Year) balance |
| Loan Against PPF | Year 3 to Year 6 only — max 25% of balance 2 years prior — repay in 36 months |
| Tax on Maturity | Zero — full maturity is tax-free (EEE status) |
| Where to Open | Post Office, SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, and most scheduled commercial banks |
| 80C Deduction | Up to ₹1.5L per year — old tax regime only |
| * Rate set quarterly by Ministry of Finance. Verify current rate at nsiindia.gov.in before investing. | |
Source: National Savings Institute; PPF Scheme 2019 (Ministry of Finance); Income Tax Act Section 80C.
PPF Maturity at Different Deposit Levels — Real Numbers
All figures at 7.10% p.a., deposited before 5th April each year (full 15 years):
| Annual Deposit | Monthly Equiv. | Total Deposited | Interest Earned | Maturity (15 Yrs) | 30% Slab Tax Saved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₹12,000 | ₹1,000/mo | ₹1,80,000 | ₹1,48,483 | ₹3,28,483 | ₹37,440 |
| ₹60,000 | ₹5,000/mo | ₹9,00,000 | ₹7,42,415 | ₹16,42,415 | ₹1,87,200 |
| ₹1,00,000 | ₹8,333/mo | ₹15,00,000 | ₹12,37,358 | ₹27,37,358 | ₹3,12,000 |
| ₹1,50,000 (max) | ₹12,500/mo | ₹22,50,000 | ₹18,56,037 | ₹41,06,037 | ₹4,68,000 |
| * 7.10% p.a. compounded annually. Tax saved = 30% slab × deposit × 15 years (approximate, excluding cess). Actual tax saved depends on your slab each year. | |||||
PPF vs FD vs SIP — One Key Comparison
PPF at 7.10% looks lower than some FD rates, but the tax-free nature changes the comparison completely. At a 30% tax slab:
- Bank FD at 7.25% → post-tax return = ~5.07%
- PPF at 7.10% → post-tax return = 7.10% (fully tax-free, every year)
- PPF wins the FD comparison by ~2% per year post-tax for 20–30% bracket investors
For comparison with market-linked returns, use our SIP Calculator to model equity fund scenarios, and our FD Calculator to compare post-tax FD maturity for your specific slab. For a full PPF vs ELSS vs NPS breakdown, see our comprehensive comparison guide.
The majority of PPF investors close their account at 15 years and withdraw. This is the least optimal decision if you do not need the money immediately. Extending without fresh deposits — just letting ₹41 lakh sit in PPF at 7.10% — earns ₹2.91 lakh in tax-free interest in Year 16 alone, with zero new investment required. Use Mode 2 (Extension Calculator) above to see exactly what your corpus becomes at Year 20, 25, and 30.
Compare PPF with Other Investments
See how PPF maturity stacks up against SIP, FD, and RD before making allocation decisions
SIP Calculator → FD Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
PPF’s headline rate of 7.10% understates its actual value for investors in the 20–30% tax bracket. The EEE status, sovereign guarantee, and the compounding extension option after Year 15 make it one of the most efficient long-term instruments in India for conservative savers. Start with the maximum annual deposit (₹1.5 lakh), time it before 5th April, and extend rather than close at Year 15 — these three habits alone optimise your PPF returns without any additional complexity.
➡️ PPF vs ELSS vs NPS — Full comparison with return and tax analysis
➡️ SIP Calculator — Model equity fund returns alongside PPF
➡️ FD Calculator — Compare post-tax FD vs PPF maturity
➡️ FD vs Mutual Fund — Where PPF fits in the broader instrument landscape