National Savings Certificate (NSC) Calculator

Are you investing in NSC for saving tax? Well, there are several options available under section 80c of the Income Tax Act. One such investment is the National Savings Certificate NSC scheme. An initiative by the Government of India for the resident Indians to encourage savings. Investors investing in NSC qualify for section 80c tax deduction up to Rs 1.5 lakhs. The interest earned can be calculated using the Post Office NSC interest rate calculator.

What is National Saving Certificate (NSC)?

National Savings Certificate NSC scheme is a fixed income scheme. It is one of the popular savings instruments in India. One can activate this scheme at any Post Office. NSC scheme is the Government of India initiative. Hence it guarantees returns. This savings bond encourages small and mid-income investors to save. Additionally, they can also get a tax benefit. NSC investments up to Rs 1.5 lakhs is exempt from tax under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. They come with a lock in period of 5 years.

NSC certificates earn fixed interests. The current interest rate is 7.70% p.a. w.e.f 1st March 2024. Furthermore, you can estimate the potential returns from this Post Office scheme by using Scripbox’s NSC Calculator. Like other fixed-income products PPF and Post Office FDs, NSC is also a secure and low-risk instrument. The minimum deposit is Rs 100. There is no maximum limit for investment in NSC. There is no TDS for NSC investments.

How to Use National Saving Certificate (NSC) Interest Calculator?

Interest for National Saving Certificate NSC is compounded yearly. The interest is payable to the investor at the end of the five years. The interest earned every year is reinvested. Let’s take an example of Mr. Ajith. He wishes to invest INR 5,00,000 in an NSC at the current interest rate. Using Scripbox’s NSC Interest calculator, we can calculate the maturity amount and the interest earned by him. We can follow the simple steps to calculate the maturity amount earned by Mr. Ajith.

  1. Go to Scripbox’s NSC Interest calculator.
  2. Enter the amount of investment. In this case, it is INR 5,00,000.
  3. The term is already fixed at five years. This is because the NSC matures in 5 years.
  4. The interest is fixed at 7.70% p.a.. This is the current interest rate announced by the Ministry of Finance as of March 2024.
  5. Once the values are entered, click on calculate.
  6. The Post Office NSC Interest Rate calculator calculates the maturity amount. It also calculates the investment made and interest earned. In this case, the maturity value is INR 6,98,514.45. The investment is INR 5,00,000. The interest earned is INR 1,98,514.45.

Mr. Ajith’s investment of INR 5,00,000 in NSC will earn an interest of INR 1,98,514.45 at the end of 5 years. The interest earned is taxable at the slab rate.

Benefits of Using a National Savings Certificate (NSC) Calculator

Calculating the interest and maturity amount of NSC can be quite tedious and time taking. The interest is compounded yearly. The interest is added back to the investment. At the end of 5 years, the interest plus the principal is payable to the investor. It is quite natural that an investor wants to know how much an investment in NSC has grown. Scripbox’s NSC calculator will help in calculating the maturity amount within seconds. Here are a few advantages of using Scripbox’s NSC Interest calculator.

  • Easy to use: The Post Office National Savings Certificate NSC Calculator is straightforward to use. All the investor has to do is enter the amount of investment. Once the investor clicks on calculate, it calculates the maturity amount.
  • Time-saving: Using the Post Office National Saving Certificate (NSC) Calculator can save an investor’s time. Investors don’t have to go through the hassle of calculating manually. They perform complex calculations within seconds.
  • Accuracy: NSC calculator is built with precision. The calculations are always accurate.
  • Future planning: Investors can plan their financial future with accuracy. The Post Office NSC maturity calculator returns the exact amount their investment will reap upon maturity.
  • Free to use: Investors can use the NSC calculator multiple times for free of cost.

NSC Interest Rates & Maturity Period

The two types of NSC certificates are NSC VIII Issue and NSC IX Issue.

  1. 5 Years NSC (VIII Issue) – This issue comes with a maturity period of 5 years. The interest rate is 7.70% p.a..
  2. NSC IX Issue – The IX Issue comes with a maturity period of 10 years. This issue has been discontinued since December 2015.

National Savings Certificates VIII Issue is an excellent scheme. The initial investment and the accrued interest for the first four years enjoy the benefit of Section 80C of Income Tax Act.

Comparison of NSC with Other Tax-Saving Investments

National Savings Certificate NSCPublic Provident Fund (PPF)Fixed Deposit (FD)Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS)National Pension Scheme (NPS)
Interest Rate7.70% p.a.7.10% p.a.3.50% to 8.50% p.a.12.00% to 15.00% p.a.9.00% to 12.00% p.a.
Lock-in Period5 years15 years5 years3 yearsTill retirement
Risk ProfileLow riskLow-riskLow-riskMarket-related risksMarket-related risks
TaxationInvestment is Tax-free under section 80c. Maturity: Interest is taxable as per income tax slab rates.Under Section 80C, the investment is tax-free. Maturity: Interest and maturity amount is not taxable.Investment: Tax-free under section 80c. Maturity: TDS on interest and interest is taxable as per income tax slab rates.Under Section 80C, the investment is tax-free. Maturity: 10% tax on long term capital gains.Investment: Tax-free under section 80c and 80d. Maturity: 60% tax free. 40% tax in the year of receipt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NSC a good investment?

National Savings Certificate is one of the fixed income investment options available in India. It is one of the popular savings instruments in India. National Savings Certificate NSC is a Government saving scheme. Hence it guarantees returns. This savings bond encourages small and mid-income investors to save. Additionally, they can also get a tax benefit. NSC investments up to Rs 1.5 lakhs are exempt from tax under Section 80C. The minimum deposit is Rs 100. There is no maximum limit for investment in NSC. This scheme comes with a lock-in period of 5 years. NSC certificates earn fixed interests. The current rate of interest is 7.70% p.a.. It is compounded annually. NSC is a low-risk investment.

What is the current NSC interest rate?

The current interest rate on National Saving Certificate NSC is 7.70% p.a.. This rate is as on [current_day] March [currentyear]. It is compounded annually.

How can I get money after NSC maturity?

Upon maturity, the investor can encash the investment in hard cash. Alternatively, he/she can choose to get it transferred to his/her bank account. If the investor fails to withdraw, then the investment will earn interest. The interest will be similar to the post office savings account for two years. Post which the investment will not earn interest.

Is the maturity amount of NSC taxable?

The interest is payable upon maturity. It is taxable as per the investor’s income tax slab rate. The interest earned every year is put back into the scheme. It qualifies for tax deduction under section 80c of the Income Tax Act.

How is the NSC tax calculated?

Only the interest income is taxable. The investment amount is tax-free. Let’s take an example of an investor who invested Rs 1,00,000 in NSC. At an interest of 7.70% p.a.. Upon maturity, the investment will be worth Rs 1,39,702.89. The interest earned is Rs 39,702.89. This interest is taxable at the investor’s income tax slab rate.

Can NSC withdraw before maturity?

No, premature withdrawals are not acceptable for National Savings Certificate NSC investments. However, in exceptional cases like the death of investors or by court order, premature withdrawals are acceptable.

Which is best NSC or PPF?

National Savings Certificate (NSC) and Public Provident Fund are tax saving investments that qualify for tax saving under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. PPF interest rate is 7.10% p.a. for the current quarter, and the investment has a lock-in of 15 years. The investment, interest and maturity proceeds are tax free. However, the scheme allows premature withdrawals after five years from account opening. Investors have to invest at least Rs 500 per annum to keep their PPF account active.
National Savings Certificate offers an interest rate of 7.70% p.a. and has a tenure of 5 years. Only the investment qualifies for tax saving. The interest is taxable as per the investor’s income tax slab rate. One need not regularly contribute to the NSC account to keep the account active. The interest is reinvested in the account for the first four years, and hence the interest for four years is tax free.
If an investor is looking for short term investments, NSC is a better option as PPF matures after 15 years. However, if the investor is looking for tax saving and tax free income, then PPF is a better option

Can NSC be broken?

NSC has a lock in period of 5 years, and investors have to keep the amount locked-in until maturity. However, the scheme allows premature withdrawals upon the account holder’s unfortunate demise or upon court order.

Is NSC interest rate fixed?

The interest on NSC is 7.70% p.a. for the current quarter. The interest rate for NSC is announced by the Ministry of Finance every quarter. Returns from NSC are guaranteed, and it is compounded annually and paid at the time of maturity.

What are the Other Tax-saving investments other than National Savings Certificate NSC?

The tax-saving investments that qualify for Section 80C of the Income Tax Act are:
Sukanya Samriddhi YojanaSenior Citizens Savings SchemeEquity Linked Savings Scheme, National Pension Scheme, and Public Provident Fund. The following are the interest rates for each of these schemes.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana – 8.00% p.a.
Senior Citizens Savings Scheme- 8.20% p.a.
Equity Linked Savings Scheme – 12.00% to 15.00% p.a.
National Pension Scheme – 9.00% to 12.00% p.a.
Public Provident Fund – 7.10% p.a.