Best Savings Plan

What is Savings Plan?

Savings is something one does to achieve some long or short term goal. Savings can be a child not spending the pocket money given to him/her to buy something he/she likes later. Or a mother saving money in the kitchen in spices boxes to use it during emergencies. Or any one saving money in a bank or any savings plan to achieve their goals. Savings can be very subjective and ambiguous. So is the best saving plan.

The word savings has evolved over a period of time with improvements in the economy. Currently, savings is defined as the money one has saved, especially through a bank or an official scheme. There are so many savings plans available in the market offered by Post Offices, Government, banks, and corporates. With so many savings plans available in the market it gets confusing and difficult to choose one plan. We at Scripbox, have decided to categorize savings plans in three broad categories. Namely, Government Savings, Bank Savings and Market Linked Savings plans.

Types of Savings Plans

Government Savings

Government savings schemes are offered by the Government of India. The purpose of government savings schemes is to encourage small savings among the citizens of India. They have different plans for different purposes. For example, they have savings plans exclusively for a girl child or retired citizens. The returns from government savings schemes are guaranteed. The risk involved in these plans is almost 0%. The lock-in for these plans varies from 5 years to 20 years. Hence these schemes are highly liquid. Tax treatment for government savings plans vary from one plan to the other. However, most of them qualify for tax deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Few of the government savings schemes are Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Savings Certificate (NSC), Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS), and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY).

Bank Savings

Bank savings schemes are offered by banks and some financial institutions regulated by the Reserve Bank of India. These schemes are for every citizen for India. They encourage savings by providing high liquidity. The returns from bank savings schemes are fixed and guaranteed. Similar to government savings schemes, the risk in them is almost negligible. Additionally, they are more liquid when compared to government savings schemes. The bank savings schemes have varying lock-in periods from 7 days to 10 years. The returns from bank savings schemes are taxable and are also subject to TDS. Bank savings schemes are Fixed Deposit (FD) and Recurring Deposit (RD).

Market-Linked Savings

Market-Linked products are those that are offered by asset management companies. The purpose of market-linked products is to provide an opportunity to invest in small amounts in market-linked securities like equities. The returns from these are not guaranteed and are linked to the equity or debt market. They are riskier than government and bank savings plans. However, they are highly liquid. Some specific financial products such as ELSS Funds come with a lock in period of three years. The capital gains from these are taxed.

Best Savings Plans in India to invest in 2024

Savings Plan	Interest Rate (p.a.)	Best for
Fixed Deposit	3.50% to 8.50% p.a.	Savings
Recurring Deposit	4.50% to 7.30% p.a.	Regular Savings
Public Provident Fund	7.10% p.a.	long-term saving
Liquid Mutual Funds	4.5%-7.5%	Short Term Investment
Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS)	12.00% to 15.00% p.a.	Tax Saving
Equity Mutual Funds	12%-15%	High Return
Employee Provident Fund	8.15% p.a.	Retirement Corpus
National Savings Certificate	7.70% p.a.	Small and middle-class investors
Post Office Senior Citizen Savings Scheme	8.20% p.a.	Low Risk
Post Office Monthly Income Scheme	7.40% p.a.	Fixed Income
Kisan Vikas Patra	7.50% p.a.	Low Lock in
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana	8.00% p.a.	Triple Tax Benefits
Atal Pension Yojana	Depends on Contribution Rates	Assured Income
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana	4% p.a.	Low Income Group
Unit Linked Insurance Plan	12.00% to 15.00% p.a.	Securing Future Goals

Fixed Deposits (FD) for Savings

• Purpose: Saving
• Interest: 3.50% to 8.50% p.a., guaranteed returns
• Minimum Investment: Varies from bank to bank
• Maximum Investment: No limit

For decades fixed deposits have been Indians best savings options. Fixed deposits are bank based investment products. RBI closely monitors the FDs and assures safety. These are low risk investments. With FDs, investors invest a fixed sum of money for a specified period of time and earn a fixed interest rate. The money invested can be redeemed along with interest earned upon maturity. This savings plan comes with a five year lock in period.

Premature withdrawals are not available for FDs. The interest rate offered by FD’s is higher when compared to savings bank accounts. It allows only a one-time lump sum deposit. Interest earned is subject to TDS upon maturity. Investments up to INR 1,50,000 are eligible for tax redemption under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act.

Investors can avail loan against their FD investments at lower interest rates. The interest rate for an FD investment is fixed at the time of opening the account. The interest rates are independent of any fluctuations in the market. Additionally, investors have an option to reinvest the interest to receive a lump sum amount upon maturity. FDs offer higher interest rates to senior citizens on their deposits. This helps them manage their post retirement expenses.

Recurring Deposit (RD) for Regular Savings

• Purpose: Regular Savings
• Interest: 4.50% to 7.30% p.a., guaranteed returns
• Minimum Investment: INR 500
• Maximum Investment: INR 1 Lakh per month

A recurring deposit is a term deposit that banks offer. RD is a savings plan that helps investors deposit money regularly and earn high returns upon maturity. RDs encourage saving habits among people. Investors can choose their term period, number of deposits and the amount that they wish to deposit.

The minimum amount for a bank RD is INR 500, and for a post office RD is INR 10. The interest offered varies from bank to bank. Also, the interest rates are sensitive to market fluctuations. RD savings plan tenure varies between 7 days to 10 years.

RD schemes allow premature withdrawals but with a penalty. Also, one can use RD investments as a loan collateral. Any individual, HUF, corporate, company, NRI, government organization, minor above age of 10, and minor below age of 10 under a legal guardian can open a RD account.

RDs offer higher interest rates to senior citizens. This savings plan doesn’t allow investors to change their monthly investment amount. Unlike equities, RD is a guaranteed income plan. A 10% TDS is applicable if the interest earned is more than INR 10,000 from RD investments.

Public Provident Fund (PPF) for Long Term Savings

• Purpose: Retirement
• Interest: 7.10% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: INR 500
• Maximum Investment: INR 1,50,000

PPF was launched in 1968 by the National Savings Institute. It is also one of the post office savings schemes. Government of India backs this tax saving investment plan and PPF is one of the most popular savings plans.

PPF contributions are eligible for tax deduction. Investments up to INR 1,50,000 qualify for tax deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Most importantly, returns from PPF are completely tax exempted as well. The minimum investment into a PPF account is INR 500 and the maximum investment is INR 1,50,000.

Investors cannot open multiple accounts. The interest is compounded annually. PPF investments can be payable in the form of lump sum or up to 12 deposits per financial year. PPF is easily transferable from one post office or bank to the other. The lock-in period is 15 years for PPF. Investors can extend their PPF savings by another 5 years.

Any Indian citizen can avail benefits of this savings plan. However, NRIs and HUFs are not eligible to open a PPF account. Additionally, investors can avail a loan against PPF investments. The loan can be availed between the third and fifth year.

Liquid Mutual Funds for Short Term Investment

• Purpose: Short term savings
• Interest/Growth Rate: 6.5% – 7.5% (Historical returns)
• Minimum Investment: INR 500
• Maximum Investment: No Limit

Liquid Funds are debt mutual funds that invest in very short-term market instruments. The short term market instruments such as government securities, treasury bills, and call money. Liquid funds invest in low-risk securities. They invest in securities which have maturity up to 91 days. Also, their average maturity is much lower than other funds. The average historical return of liquid funds is around 4.5% – 7.5%.

One can invest their surplus money for a short time. Liquid funds are the best alternative to savings accounts and FDs. Since liquid funds are a subset of debt funds, the taxation is similar to debt funds.  Therefore, short term capital gains (investments held for less than three years) are added to the investor’s taxable income and are taxed as per the applicable tax slab. While, the long term capital gains (investments held for greater than three years) are subject to 20% tax with indexation benefits.

However, from April 1st 2023, debt mutual funds will no longer have the LTCG benefit. Capital gains from debt fund investments from April 1st 2023, will be taxed as per the investor’s income tax slab rate.

Additionally, liquid funds have the lowest risk associated when compared to other debt funds. This is because liquid funds invest in fixed income securities with short maturity. Also, liquid funds do not have any entry or exit loads (after a 7 day period during which a staggered exit load is applicable).

Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS) for Tax Savings

• Purpose: Wealth creation through equity
• Returns: Market linked ( 12.00% to 15.00% p.a. historical returns)
• Minimum Investment: INR 500
• Maximum Investment: No cap on maximum investment,

ELSS are equity mutual funds that qualify for tax savings under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Indian citizens (residents and non-resident Indians) can invest in ELSS funds. They are diversified equity mutual funds that invest across market capitalization and sectors. They have a lock-in period of 3 years.

One can continue to invest in this scheme even after a 3 year lock-in and they need not withdraw their investments after. They charge an expense ratio on the NAV of the fund. No premature withdrawals are available. The investment up to INR 1.5 lakhs is eligible for tax exemption. However, the long term capital gains (LTCG) over INR 1 lakh are taxed. The minimum investment is INR 500 through SIP and there is no limit on maximum investment. Historically, these funds have given 12-15% annualized returns. However, past fund performance is only an indication as the returns from the funds are market linked.

They are the only kind of mutual fund that are eligible for tax savings. The key benefits of ELSS funds is that they can be used as tax saving instruments and for long term wealth creation.

One can invest in ELSS funds through online or offline mode. Through offline mode, one can directly approach the fund house to invest. Or they can go with an intermediary. Online investing can be again done through the fund houses’ website or any other online platform like Scripbox. There are many ELSS funds in the market. However, Scripbox uses its proprietary algorithm to rank the top funds. 

ELSS Funds to start with:

• Mirae Asset Tax Saver Fund 
• Motilal Oswal Long Term Equity Fund

Equity Mutual Funds for Highest Return

• Purpose: Long term wealth creation
• Interest/Growth Rate: 12% – 15% p.a (Historical returns)
• Minimum Investment: Rs. 500
• Maximum Investment: No Limit

Equity mutual funds invest in stocks/equities. As per SEBI categorisation, each mutual fund has to invest based on its investment objective. There are multiple categories under Equity mutual funds. They are Large Cap Fund, Mid Cap Fund, Small Cap Fund, Multi Cap Fund, Sector or Thematic, Value, Balanced, ELSS, and Index Funds.

Equity funds are best suited for long term goal based investing.

One can link their investments to a goal and invest towards it. Investments in equity mutual funds can be done either through lump sum route or SIP route.

These funds offer significant returns only when invested for long durations. Equity mutual funds are highly volatile and hence one can benefit only in the long term. Historical returns from investing in equity mutual funds vary based on the category. However, on an average the historical returns (fund performance) has been around 12% – 15%.

Equity mutual funds are taxed based on their holding period. Short term capital gains (investments held for less than one year) are taxed at 15%. While the long term capital gains (investments held for greater than one year) above INR 1 lakh are taxed at 10%. Equity mutual funds come with exit loads. Equity mutual funds are subject to market risks, therefore, investors who understand and are willing to undertake the risk associated should only invest.

Employee Provident Fund (EPF) for Retirement Corpus

• Purpose: Encourage savings for retirement
• Interest: 8.15% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: 12% of basic salary by employer and employee
• Maximum Investment: 12% of salary by employer, maximum limit of INR 15,000 salary. Employees can contribute more if he/she wants.

EPF is a popular savings scheme introduced by the Employee Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) under the supervision of the Government of India. It is a scheme that encourages savings among the salaried class employees.

Under the scheme, the employee has to pay a certain contribution which is matched by the employer. On retirement, the employee gets the lump sum amount along with interest. If the employee is below the pay of INR 15,000 a month then he/she is eligible for the scheme. Employees above this pay can also contribute to the scheme voluntarily.

12% of the basic salary goes towards EPF contribution. The employer also makes a similar contribution for the employee. The interest on EPF is calculated monthly and the current interest rate is 8.10%.

To withdraw money from an EPF account, the person has to attain the age of 55. A partial withdrawal is allowed when the person is above 54 years and 90% of the amount can be withdrawn. If the person decides to quit the job before the age of 55, EPF can still be withdrawn. However, only 75% can be withdrawn if the person remains unemployed for one month and the balance 25% can be withdrawn if the person remains unemployed for more than 60 days.

If the employee has provided 5 years of continuous service then he/she doesn’t have to pay tax on his/her premature withdrawal. EPF falls under EEE category under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. The investment, interest, and maturity amount all are exempt from tax.

National Savings Certificate (NSC) for Small and Mid Class Investors

• Purpose: Promotes small savings
• Interest: 7.70% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: INR 100
• Maximum Investment: No Limit

National Savings Certificate is a Government of India initiative to help investors start small savings. It is also one of the post office savings schemes. This tax saving investment plan encourages small to mid-income investors to invest while saving tax. One can invest in NSC by visiting the nearest post office.

The interest rates are revised every quarter. NSC investments are eligible for tax savings under the Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. For investments up to INR 1,50,000 investors can claim tax benefits. The interest earned from NSC investment is compounded annually. Also, by default, the interest earned is reinvested into the scheme.

Therefore, NSC offers fixed income to its investors. Upon maturity the investor gets the entire corpus. There is no TDS for NSC payouts. However, the returns add to the income of the investor and are taxable at the applicable Income Tax rate.

NSC doesn’t allow premature withdrawals. But there are exceptions, in case of death of the investor, or on a court order or on forfeiture by a pledgee who is a Gazetted Government Officer for it. Investors can use the NSC as a collateral. Banks and NBFCs accept NSC as a loan collateral. Finally, NSC suits anyone looking for a safe investment avenue to save taxes while earning fixed income.

Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) for Low Risk

• Purpose: Retirement Income
• Interest: 8.20% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: INR 1,000
• Maximum Investment: INR 15 Lakhs

A Senior Citizen Savings Scheme is a safe investment option available for retirement purposes. It is also one of the post office savings schemes. SCSS offers safety and regular income for its investors. Additionally, it is also an excellent tax saving plan. The plan is best suited for retired individuals looking at less risky products and focusing on minimising tax. Investors can invest through a certified bank or a post office across India.

Indian individuals who are at least sixty years old can invest in SCSS. However, individuals who have taken voluntary retirement or Senior Citizen Savings and are in the age range of 55 years to 60 years are also eligible for investing in SCSS.

HUFs and NRIs are not eligible to invest in this savings plan. An individual can open multiple SCSS accounts, however, the total across all the accounts shouldn’t exceed a maximum of INR 15 Lakhs. Also, a point to note is that the amount invested in the scheme cannot be higher than the money received at retirement.

Cash deposits are accepted if the amount is below INR 1 lakh, and for all investments above INR 1 lakh cheque deposit is mandatory.

The average tenure of the savings plan is five years, also it can be extended for three more years. Premature withdrawals attract certain penalties. In case of the demise of the investor, no penalty is charged for premature closure.

The interest rates offered under the scheme are revised every quarter. Also, investors are eligible for quarterly disbursals against their deposited amount. Investments up to INR 1.5 Lakhs are eligible for tax exemption under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. However, the interest received is subject to taxation as per the applicable income tax slab rate. Finally, SCSS savings are very safe, reliable and are one of the best saving plans available for retired individuals.

Post Office Monthly Income Scheme for Fixed Income

• Purpose: Monthly Income
• Interest: 7.40% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: INR 100
• Maximum Investment: INR 4,50,000

Post Office Monthly Income Scheme is a savings plan that gives its investors monthly returns in the form of interest payments. This is a low risk monthly income scheme. Therefore, the plan offers steady income for investors. POMIS is a government sponsored scheme. Upon maturity of the savings plan, one can choose to withdraw or reinvest the amount into the scheme. Returns from POMIS are high when compared to other savings plans and the returns are subject to taxation. Also, no TDS is deducted.

This savings plan is available only for Indian citizens.

Any number of accounts can be opened by an individual. However, the total amount held in all the accounts cannot exceed INR 9,00,000 in a single account and INR 15 Lakhs in a joint account.

The minimum amount for this post office savings plan is INR 100. In case of investor relocation, the account can be transferred to the new post office without any extra costs. The savings plan has a five year lock-in period.  POMIS allows investors to withdraw the deposited amount one year from the first deposit.

However, withdrawal between one and three years attracts 2% penalty and between three and five years attracts 1% penalty. Point to note, if the interest earned every month isn’t claimed by the account holder, then the interest shall not earn any additional interest. The interest earned isn’t subject to TDS, however it is added to the taxable income of the investor and is taxed as per their tax slab.

Use Post Office Monthly Income Calculator

Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) Low Lock in Period

• Purpose: Small Savings
• Interest: 7.50% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: INR 1,000
• Maximum Investment: No Limit

Kisan Vikas Patra is one of the post office savings schemes. Under this savings plan, the amount an investor invests doubles in a period of 124 months i.e. ten years and four months. Initially, this plan was only for farmers, however, now it is made available for everyone. The minimum investment is INR 1,000.

The government has made it mandatory to provide PAN Card as a proof for all investments above INR 50,000. And, for investments beyond INR 10,00,000 income proofs have to be submitted. Indian citizens above the age of 18 years can open Kisan Vikas Patra at any local post office.

Most importantly, this savings plan isn’t subject to market fluctuations and hence is a guaranteed income plan. The current interest rate is 6.90% and it is revised every quarter. KVP savings plan has a lock-in period of thirty months.

Investors can redeem the investment at intervals of six months once the lock-in period is over. Additionally, a KVP investment certificate can be used as a loan collateral. KVP savings plan is not eligible for Section 80C deductions of the Income Tax Act. Therefore, the investments and returns are taxable. The KVP savings plan is a low risk savings option that provides guaranteed returns and is a safe investment option.

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) Triple Tax Benefits

• Purpose: Girl child education and marriage
• Interest: 8.00% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: INR 250
• Maximum Investment: INR 1.5 lakhs

SSY is a Government of India initiative to support the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign’. It is also one of the post office savings schemes. The scheme was launched in 2015 and the interest rate is decided by the Government every quarter.

For the current quarter, the interest rate is 8.00% p.a. compounded annually. It is a fixed income savings plan and the returns are guaranteed. A SSY account can be opened in a post office or in designated private and public sector banks. The account can be opened only in the name of the girl child by the parent or legal guardian.

The girl has to be a resident of India and the account can be opened for a girl child below the age of 10. At the age of 18, the girl child can take control of her account.

The maximum and minimum investment is INR 1.5 lakhs and INR 250 respectively which should be done till the girl child reaches the age of 15. The government allows only one account per girl child and two accounts per family and three in case of triplets. The account is transferable from one bank to another. One can withdraw the investment and the proceeds from the account during the girl child’s marriage or at the age of 21, whichever is earlier. At the age of 18, 50% of the money can be withdrawn for higher education of the girl child.

Premature withdrawal is allowed if the girl child unfortunately dies or needs money for treating a life threatening disease. After the scheme matures (when the girl child reaches 21), no interest will be earned even if the money is not withdrawn. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana falls under EEE (Exempt Exempt Exempt) category. The investment amount, the interest earned, and the maturity amount all are exempt from tax.

explore our article on Government Schemes for Girl Child

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) for Assured Income

• Purpose: Pension for unorganized sector workers
• Interest: Depends on Contribution Rates
• Minimum Investment: NA, monthly contribution is calculated based on pension selected
• Maximum Investment: NA, monthly contribution is calculated based on pension selected

APY is a Government of India initiative for the unorganized sector to include them under the social security scheme. Launched in 2015, this scheme is a voluntary pension scheme for the unorganized sector workers. Under the APY scheme, the subscribers would receive fixed amounts of pensions of INR 1,000, INR 2,000, INR 3,000, INR 4,000 and INR 5,000 per month at the age of 60 years based on the contributions they made.

Individuals can join this scheme at the age of 18 and the maximum age to join is 40 years. Individuals can contribute only up to the age of 40. The contribution levels will be low if the person joins early and increases if he/she joins late. All bank account holders are eligible to contribute to this scheme. However, the main focus is on the unorganized sector workers.

The subscription amount is decided based on the fixed pension amount the person chooses. At any point, the subscriber can reduce or increase the pension amount. But this switching option is only provided once a year only in the month of April.

In case of default, the subscribers are supposed to pay a penalty that varies from INR 1 to INR 10 based on the contribution amount.

If any subscriber discontinues to pay, after 6 months, the account will be frozen, after 12 months the account will be deactivated and after 24 months the account will be closed. The contribution towards the APY scheme is eligible for tax benefits up to INR 1.5lakhs under section 80CCD (1) and an additional INR 50,000 under Section 80CCD(1B).

Learn How to Calculate APY Maturity Amount

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) for Low Income Group

• Purpose: Financial Inclusion – a bank account for every adult
• Interest: 4% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: NIL
• Maximum Investment: No cap on maximum investment

PMJDY is a savings scheme launched for National Mission for Financial Inclusion (NMFI) by the Government of India in 2014. Its motive is to provide banking services to all unbanked adults who are citizens of India.

One account can open a zero balance and there is no minimum amount to be that they must maintain in the account. Interest of 4% per annum is credited into the account. Account holders get RuPay debit cards. Accident insurance cover of INR 2 lakhs is available for these debit card holders. An overdraft of INR 10,000 is available to account holders. The interest charged on this is 3.5% above 1 year MCLR.

One can open a PMJDY account in any bank or business kiosk. These accounts are Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts (BSBDA) and they provide few basic facilities like withdrawals, ATM and debit card, cash deposits free of cost. A person cannot have any other savings account if he/she has a BSBDA account. PMJDY accounts are easily transferable from one branch to another upon the request of the account holder.

The documents required to open a PMJDY account are an Aadhar card, Voter ID or Driving Licence or Passport and NREGA card. A person can still open an account with any of these documents with just an ID card issued by Central/state departments and a letter issued by a gazetted officer.

Unit Linked Investment Plans (ULIP) for Securing Future Goals

• Purpose: Insurance plus investment
• Returns: 12.00% to 15.00% p.a.
• Minimum Investment: Depends on the investment term chosen
• Maximum Investment: Investments are through premium. Hence maximum investment depends on the plan and term.

ULIP Plan is a traditional plan. It is an insurance plus investment product. It provides a life insurance policy to the holder along with investment options. The premium payment by the policyholder is done either monthly or annually. The sum assured from ULIPs insurance is around 10 times the premium paid.

A small part of the premium paid goes towards insurance and the rest is invested in stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Indian citizens (residents and non-resident Indians) can invest in ULIPs. The returns from ULIPs are market linked and hence aren’t guaranteed. They have historically given 12-15% return. ULIPs usually are offered based on goals like retirement, child’s education and marriage or for pure investment purposes.

ULIPs suit investors across all life stages, with varying risk profiles and investment horizons.

Investors can choose the funds to invest through a ULIP. The ULIP plan provides investments in funds after deducting insurance premium, asset allocation charges and other charges like charge for managing funds, policy administration etc.

Though ULIP is a traditional plan, it is quite flexible. It allows investors to switch between funds, add in single premium payment to the existing investments and also allow partial withdrawal, but subject to charges and commission. ULIPs come in single premium and regular premium of annual, semi-annual and monthly payments.

ULIPs have a lock in period of 5 years, but however they come with insurance (sum assured of 10 times the premium paid). And investors might not benefit from ULIPs if they do not hold it for an entire term which is usually 15-20 years.  Investments and returns from ULIPs are exempted from tax.

ULIPs have a lot of hidden charges and hence investors are often discouraged to invest in them. Instead, a good alternative to this is a term insurance plus investment in mutual funds. A term insurance plan provides life insurance cover for a specific term.

Compare all Savings Schemes in India

Scheme Name	Lock-in Period	Returns	Tax	Eligibility	Minimum Investment	Maximum Investment
Fixed Deposit	5 Years	3.50% to 8.50% p.a.	Returns are taxable	Indian Individuals, HUFs, NRIs, PIO, OCI	Varies from bank to bank	No Limit
Recurring Deposit	6 month – 10 years	4.50% to 7.30% p.a.	Returns are taxable	Individual, HUF, corporate, company, NRI, government organization	₹ 500	₹ 1,00,000 per month
Public Provident Fund	15 years	7.10% p.a.	No Tax on returns	Only Indian Citizens	₹ 500	₹ 1,50,000
Liquid Mutual Funds	No Lock-in	6.5%-7.5% (Historical Returns)	Returns are taxable	Individual, HUF, corporate, company, NRI, government organization	₹ 500	No Limit
Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS)	3 Years	12.00% to 15.00% p.a.	Returns are taxable	Indian Citizens and NRIs	₹ 500	No Limit
Equity Mutual Funds	No Lock-in	12%-15% (Historical Returns)	Returns are taxable	Individual, HUF, corporate, company, NRI, government organization	₹ 500	No Limit
Employee Provident Fund	Attain the age of 55	8.15% p.a.	No Tax on returns	Only Indian Citizens	12% of basic salary by employer and employee	12% of salary by employer, maximum limit of INR 15,000 salary
National Savings Certificate	5 Years	7.70% p.a.	Returns are taxable	Indian individual citizens	₹ 100	No Limit
Senior Citizen Savings Scheme	5 Years	8.20% p.a.	Returns are taxable	Indian individual citizens of at least 60 years old	₹ 1,000	₹ 15,00,000
Post Office Monthly Income Scheme	5 Years	7.40% p.a.	Returns are taxable	Only Indian Citizens	₹ 100	₹ 9,00,000
Kisan Vikas Patra	10 Years and Four Months	7.50% p.a.	Returns are taxable	Only Indian Citizens	₹ 1,000	No Limit
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana	Girl attains 21 years or gets married, whichever is earlier	8.00% p.a.	No Tax on returns	Girl has to be resident of India	₹ 250	₹ 1,50,000
Atal Pension Yojana	20 Years	Depends on Contribution Rates	Investment is tax free	All bank account holders	Monthly contribution is calculated based on pension selected	Monthly contribution is calculated based on pension selected
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana	NA	4% p.a.	NA	Only Indian Citizens	NIL	No Limit
Unit Linked Insurance Plan	5 Years	12.00% to 15.00% p.a.	No Tax on returns	Indian Citizens and NRIs	Depends on the investment term chosen	Depends on investment plan and term chosen

Are All Savings Schemes Tax-Free?

Not all savings schemes have tax benefits. For some savings plans, only investment is tax free. While for others, the interest and maturity amount are also tax free. Here is a list of schemes where returns are tax free.

1. Public Provident Fund
2. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
3. Employee Provident Fund
4. Unit Linked Insurance Plan

One can use the Scripbox income tax calculator to determine their tax outflow and taxable income after investing in the above saving and investment plans. The income tax calculator also suggests suitable ELSS funds in case there is scope to save more tax.

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