PPF Calculator - LazyTools

Period	Total deposited	Maturity amount	Total interest	CAGR
15 years	Rs.22.5L	Rs.40.7L	Rs.18.2L	7.1% (tax-free)
20 years	Rs.30L	Rs.66.6L	Rs.36.6L	7.1% (tax-free)
25 years	Rs.37.5L	Rs.1.00Cr	Rs.62.5L	7.1% (tax-free)
30 years	Rs.45L	Rs.1.45Cr	Rs.1.00Cr	7.1% (tax-free)
FD equivalent (30% tax)	—	Need 10.1% FD	—	To match PPF post-tax
FD equivalent (20% tax)	—	Need 8.9% FD	—	To match PPF post-tax

Feature	LazyTools	ET Money PPF	ClearTax PPF	Groww PPF
15/20/25 year options	✓ Yes	✓	✗	✓
CAGR calculation	✓ Yes	✗	✓	✓
80C tax saving estimate	✓ Yes	✓	✓	✗
FD equivalent rate	Yes (in ref)	✗	✗	✗
No registration needed	✓ Yes	✗	✗	✓
Free to use	✓ Yes	✓	✓	✓

📖 Complete guide

PPF Calculator: Complete Guide

The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is arguably the best risk-free investment available to individual Indian taxpayers. The combination of EEE tax status, guaranteed government-backed returns, and 15-year compounding makes it a cornerstone of any long-term financial plan.

EEE status: the most valuable tax status in Indian finance

PPF is one of very few investments that are fully exempt at all three stages: investment (Section 80C up to Rs.1.5 lakh), accumulation (interest tax-free each year), and withdrawal (maturity proceeds completely tax-free). For a 30% taxpayer investing Rs.1.5 lakh annually: the 80C saving is Rs.45,000 per year; the interest on a large accumulated corpus would be heavily taxable in FDs but is zero in PPF; and the maturity amount requires no tax declaration.

The optimal PPF deposit strategy

PPF interest is calculated on the minimum balance between the 5th and end of each month. To maximise interest, deposit your annual amount before the 5th of April (the start of the financial year). This way, the full deposit earns interest for the entire year. Depositing after the 5th of April means you lose one month's interest on the deposit.

PPF with 5-year extensions: the power of continued compounding

Many investors withdraw PPF at 15 years, missing the opportunity to continue compounding in a tax-free environment. Extending for one 5-year block with continued deposits at Rs.1.5 lakh/year takes the 15-year corpus from approximately Rs.40.7 lakh to approximately Rs.66 lakh (at 7.1%). A second 5-year extension takes it to approximately Rs.1.0 crore. The compounding at later stages is dramatically more powerful.

PPF in the new tax regime

The new tax regime has been the default since FY2023-24 (Union Budget 2023) for taxpayers who do not opt out to the old regime. Under the new regime, Section 80C deductions (including PPF) are not available. However, PPF interest and maturity proceeds remain tax-free under the new regime. This makes PPF less attractive as a tax-saving tool under the new regime, though still excellent as a risk-free, guaranteed-return, tax-free compounding vehicle.

Frequently asked questions

What is the current PPF interest rate?

The PPF interest rate for 2024-25 Q1 (April to June 2024) is 7.1% per annum, compounded annually. The rate is set by the Government of India every quarter but has been unchanged since April 2020. PPF interest is credited on March 31 each year and is completely tax-free.

What is EEE status in PPF?

PPF enjoys EEE (Exempt-Exempt-Exempt) tax status: investments up to Rs.1.5 lakh per year are exempt under Section 80C; interest earned is completely exempt from tax; maturity proceeds are completely tax-free. This triple tax exemption makes PPF one of the most tax-efficient investments available in India.

Can I extend PPF after 15 years?

Yes - PPF can be extended in blocks of 5 years after the initial 15-year period. You can extend with contributions (and continue to earn interest and get 80C deduction) or without contributions (the corpus continues earning interest but no new deposits). You must apply for extension within 1 year of maturity; failing to do so keeps the account earning interest without further deposits.

When can I make partial withdrawals from PPF?

Partial withdrawals are permitted from the beginning of year 7. The maximum withdrawal is 50% of the balance at the end of year 4 or the immediately preceding year, whichever is lower. Only one withdrawal per financial year is permitted. Withdrawals from PPF are completely tax-free.

What is the PPF loan facility?

You can take a loan against your PPF account from the 3rd to the 6th financial year. The loan amount is limited to 25% of the balance at the end of the 2nd preceding year. The interest on PPF loan is 1% above the PPF interest rate. All loan principal must be repaid within 36 months.

Who can open a PPF account?

Any resident Indian can open a PPF account. A guardian can open an account on behalf of a minor child. NRIs cannot open new PPF accounts but can continue accounts opened when they were residents until maturity. Joint accounts are not permitted - PPF is strictly individual.

What is the maximum PPF investment per year?

The maximum annual deposit in a PPF account is Rs.1,50,000. You can make up to 12 deposits per year. The Section 80C deduction is also capped at Rs.1.5 lakh across all eligible investments including PPF, ELSS, LIC premium, EPF contribution, and home loan principal. If you already use the full 80C limit, additional PPF deposits still earn tax-free interest but without additional deduction.

How does PPF compare to other safe investments?

PPF vs FD: PPF interest is tax-free while FD interest is fully taxable - for a 30% taxpayer, PPF's 7.1% is equivalent to an FD yielding approximately 10.1% post-tax. PPF vs NSC: NSC earns 7.7% but the interest is taxable; PPF wins on post-tax returns for most investors. PPF vs ELSS: ELSS potentially offers higher returns (12-15%) but with market risk; PPF is risk-free and suitable as the debt/fixed component of a portfolio.

How to use this calculator for tax planning

Financial calculations are most valuable when used proactively - before making decisions, not after. Use this calculator to model different scenarios: what happens if you increase the investment amount by 20%? What if the tenure changes by 5 years? What if the interest rate moves by 1%? Scenario modelling with a calculator is free and takes minutes, but the decisions it informs can save or earn lakhs of rupees over a lifetime. Revisit your calculations annually as rates, tax rules, and personal circumstances change - the financial landscape in India evolves significantly year to year.

Regulatory and rate changes in effect for 2025-26

The current financial year 2025-26 (April 2025 to March 2026) applies the following key rates and rules. In India: LTCG on equity funds is 12.5% above Rs.1.25 lakh (Finance Act 2024, in force since 23 July 2024). STCG on equity is 20%. Small savings scheme rates stable: PPF 7.1%, SSY 8.2%, POMIS 7.4%. In the UK (2026/27 tax year): Employee NI 8%, employer NI 15% above £5,000. CGT 18%/24% on all assets. BADR 18% from 6 April 2026. Always verify current rates with official sources (income tax India: incometax.gov.in; HMRC UK: gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs) before making significant financial decisions.

Common mistakes in personal finance calculations

The most common errors in personal financial planning: (1) Using pre-tax return rates when the investment is taxable - always compare on a post-tax basis. (2) Ignoring inflation when planning long-term goals - Rs.10 lakh needed in 20 years requires Rs.32 lakh at 6% inflation. (3) Not accounting for charges: expense ratio on mutual funds, processing fee on loans, and withdrawal penalties on fixed income instruments all reduce actual returns. (4) Planning for best-case returns rather than conservative estimates - model at 10% return, not 15%, for long-term equity SIP projections. (5) Treating past performance as future guarantee - historical equity fund returns have been volatile decade to decade.

Privacy and data security

All calculations on LazyTools run entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No input data - salary, investment amounts, loan details, or personal information - is transmitted to any server, stored in any database, or shared with any third party. The calculator works offline once the page has loaded (except Google Fonts). LazyTools is monetised through Google AdSense display advertising, which uses advertising cookies independent of calculator functionality. If you prefer completely ad-free use, your browser's reading mode or a content blocker will hide the ad units without affecting the calculator.

Linking this calculator to your broader financial plan

No single financial calculator exists in isolation. Take-home pay calculations feed into EMI affordability checks. Loan EMI calculations feed into investment capacity planning. Investment corpus calculations feed into retirement income planning. Use the related tools linked below to build a complete picture of your financial position. A comprehensive financial plan typically covers: income and tax optimisation (salary structure, HRA, 80C investments); debt management (home loan, car loan, personal loan); medium-term savings (SIP, ELSS, PPF, RD); and long-term retirement planning (EPF, NPS, SSY for daughter). Each LazyTools calculator addresses one piece of this puzzle.

Getting the most from this calculator

For the best results, revisit this calculator whenever your financial situation changes: salary increment, change in loan, new investment, or a change in tax rules. Financial calculations are dynamic - a 1% change in interest rate or return can significantly alter outcomes over 10-20 year horizons. LazyTools calculators are updated to reflect current rates and tax rules. Bookmark this page and return annually to recalibrate your financial plan. If you are making a significant financial decision - taking a large loan, making a major investment, or restructuring your salary - consider consulting a certified financial planner (CFP) or chartered accountant (CA) alongside using this calculator. Free calculators provide accurate mathematical output but cannot replace personalised professional advice that accounts for your specific circumstances, goals, risk tolerance, and legal situation.

Frequently missed optimisations in personal finance

Most people focus on the obvious aspects of financial planning - saving more, investing more - and miss structural optimisations that can deliver equivalent results with no extra money. For salaried employees: salary restructuring (maximising HRA, food coupons, transport allowance, LTA) can reduce taxable income by Rs.60,000-1,20,000 per year without spending more. For borrowers: matching loan prepayment with annual bonus cycles (rather than keeping bonus in savings) can save more in interest than the savings account earns. For investors: booking Rs.1.25 lakh of equity gains annually (the LTCG exemption under Finance Act 2024) and immediately reinvesting effectively eliminates LTCG tax on growing portfolios. For retirees: sequencing withdrawals from taxable accounts first (FD, RD) and preserving tax-free accounts (PPF, EPFO) as long as possible minimises lifetime tax. These structural moves require no additional cash flow - just informed decision-making, which is exactly what these calculators are designed to support.

Sources and authoritative references

This calculator uses rates and rules from the following official sources. Verify current rates before making financial decisions, as these can change:

LazyTools calculators are updated to reflect legislative changes. Last verified: May 2026. This tool provides mathematical calculations only and does not constitute financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified accountant or financial adviser for decisions affecting your specific circumstances.

PPF Calculator 2024 — EEE Tax-Free Returns

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PPF maturity at Rs.1,50,000/year (maximum deposit) at 7.1%

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