PPF Calculator
The Public Provident Fund is India's beloved safe haven: government-backed, tax-free at every stage (EEE status), and currently paying 7.1% a year. The catch? A 15-year lock-in that rewards only the patient.
Max it out — ₹1.5 lakh a year for 15 years at 7.1% — and you get about ₹27.1 lakh, of which ₹4.6 lakh is interest the taxman never touches. Extend in 5-year blocks after maturity and the compounding really takes off.
Four steps, thirty seconds.
Enter your yearly deposit. Between ₹500 and ₹1.5 lakh; the max gives the full 80C benefit too.
Check the interest rate. Defaults to the current 7.1% — the government revises it quarterly, so verify if you're planning far ahead.
Choose the duration. Minimum 15 years; you can extend in 5-year blocks after that.
Study the year-by-year table. Watch interest overtake your deposits in the later years — that's compounding on a 15-year leash.
The formula (yearly deposits, annual compounding): FV = P × [((1+i)n − 1) / i] × (1+i).
Worked example: ₹1.5 lakh/year for 15 years at 7.1% → ≈ ₹40.68 lakh (₹22.5 lakh deposited + ₹18.18 lakh interest, all tax-free).
PPF scheme rules and rate per Department of Economic Affairs quarterly notifications; formula is standard annuity-due mathematics.
Yes — PPF enjoys EEE status: deposits get 80C deduction, interest is tax-free, and maturity is tax-free. One of the few truly tax-free instruments left in India.
Partial withdrawals are allowed from the 7th year (one per year, capped). Full closure is allowed only in specific situations (medical, education) after 5 years with a 1% interest penalty.
Extend in 5-year blocks with or without fresh deposits, or close and withdraw everything tax-free. Extending without deposits still earns interest on the balance.
PPF: safe 7.1%, 15-year lock-in, tax-free. ELSS: market-linked ~10–12% potential, 3-year lock-in, taxable gains. Many investors split 80C between both.
PPF interest is calculated on the lowest balance between the 5th and month-end. Deposit before the 5th of April each year to earn interest for the full year.
Disclaimer: Educational illustration only — not financial advice. PPF rate is revised quarterly by the government; the calculator uses the rate you enter.