PPF Calculator
A PPF (Public Provident Fund) account lets you save up to ₹1.5 lakh a year, and the interest and the final amount are both tax-free. If you put in ₹1.5 lakh every year for 15 years at 7.1%, you finish with about ₹40.68 lakh: ₹22.50 lakh is your own money and ₹18.18 lakh is interest. Enter your own deposit below to see yours, year by year. The rate changes every quarter, so treat the result as an estimate at today’s rate, not a promise.
- Deposit of ₹1,50,000 made by 5 April each year, so the whole year earns 7.1%.
- Closing balance each year = opening balance + deposits + that year's interest, carried into the next year.
- Your deposits: ₹22,50,000 (55.3%)
- Interest earned: ₹18,18,208 (44.7%)
| Year | Deposited | Interest | Closing balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹10,650 | ₹1,60,650 |
| Year 2 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹22,056 | ₹3,32,706 |
| Year 3 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹34,272 | ₹5,16,978 |
| Year 4 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹47,355 | ₹7,14,333 |
| Year 5 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹61,368 | ₹9,25,701 |
| Year 6 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹76,375 | ₹11,52,076 |
| Year 7 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹92,447 | ₹13,94,523 |
| Year 8 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹1,09,661 | ₹16,54,184 |
| Year 9 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹1,28,097 | ₹19,32,281 |
| Year 10 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹1,47,842 | ₹22,30,123 |
| Year 11 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹1,68,989 | ₹25,49,112 |
| Year 12 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹1,91,637 | ₹28,90,749 |
| Year 13 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹2,15,893 | ₹32,56,642 |
| Year 14 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹2,41,872 | ₹36,48,514 |
| Year 15 | ₹1,50,000 | ₹2,69,694 | ₹40,68,208 |
Read the guide: Rule of 72: How to Know When Your Money Doubles
How to use the ppf calculator
- Enter how much you will deposit. It can be as little as ₹500 a year, and at most ₹1,50,000 a year (₹12,500 a month).
- Choose whether you deposit once a year or every month. Depositing the whole amount by 5 April earns more, because the money works for all 12 months.
- Keep the interest rate at 7.1%, or type a different rate to see what-if cases. The government can change the rate every quarter.
- Pick 15 years, or 20, 25 or 30 years if you extend the account in 5-year blocks and keep depositing. Read the maturity value, then scroll to the yearly table to see how the balance builds.
Formula
For every year, the closing balance is carried into the next year:
Closing balance = Opening balance + Deposit in the year + Interest for the year
If you deposit once a year (by 5 April): Interest = (Opening balance + Deposit) × r ÷ 100
If you deposit every month (by the 5th): Interest = the sum, for months m = 1 to 12, of (Opening balance + m × x) × r ÷ 1200
Here r is the yearly interest rate in percent, x is the monthly deposit, and m is the month number. PPF works out interest every month on the lowest balance between the 5th and the end of the month, but adds it to your account only once a year, on 31 March. That is why the interest does not compound inside a year. This calculator rounds each year’s interest to the nearest rupee, as the government does.
Worked examples
The full ₹1.5 lakh every year
You deposit ₹1,50,000 by 5 April every year for 15 years, at 7.1%. In year 1 you earn ₹10,650, so the balance is ₹1,60,650. By year 7 the balance is ₹13,94,523, and by year 15 it is ₹40,68,208. You put in ₹22,50,000, so ₹18,18,208 is interest, and none of it is taxed.
A smaller deposit: ₹50,000 a year
At ₹50,000 a year for 15 years you deposit ₹7,50,000 and finish with ₹13,56,070. That is ₹6,06,070 of tax-free interest. Even the minimum, ₹500 a year, grows to ₹13,563 over 15 years.
Monthly or yearly: does it matter?
Say you can save ₹12,500 a month, which is ₹1.5 lakh a year. If you pay it monthly, you end with ₹39,44,600. If you instead pay the whole ₹1,50,000 by 5 April, you end with ₹40,68,208. That is ₹1,23,608 more for the same total deposit, because every rupee earns interest for the full year.
Why the 5th of the month matters, and how to get the most from PPF
PPF counts a deposit towards a month’s interest only if the money is in the account by the 5th. Pay on the 4th and the whole month earns interest. Pay on the 6th and that month earns nothing on the new money. On a ₹1,50,000 deposit at 7.1%, a single missed month costs about ₹888.
This is why the best habit is a single deposit in the first week of April: all 12 months of that year’s deposit earn interest. In the example above, depositing ₹1,50,000 every April gives ₹40,68,208 after 15 years, while paying the same total as ₹12,500 a month gives ₹39,44,600. If you do not have the full amount in April, pay what you can early in the year and top up later; every rupee deposited earlier works for more months.
Two simple rules help you plan: you can deposit at most ₹1,50,000 in a financial year, and the account matures after 15 complete financial years. Many people open an account in a child’s or a spouse’s name to save more in total, and use the year-by-year table above to decide when to extend the account in 5-year blocks.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Depositing after the 5th. A deposit made on the 6th or later earns nothing for that month. On ₹1,50,000 at 7.1%, one lost month costs about ₹888 in interest.
- Assuming the rate will stay at 7.1% for 15 years. The government reviews PPF every quarter, so your real maturity value can be higher or lower than this estimate.
- Depositing more than ₹1,50,000 in a year. The extra amount earns no interest and does not qualify for any tax benefit.
- Forgetting to deposit the minimum ₹500 in a year. The account becomes inactive, and you must pay the minimum plus a small penalty for each missed year to revive it.
- Counting on the 80C deduction under the new tax regime. The deduction on PPF deposits exists only under the old regime. The interest and the maturity amount are tax-free in both regimes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the PPF interest rate now?
The PPF rate is 7.1% a year for the October to December 2026 quarter, and the government has left it unchanged for several quarters. It reviews all small-savings rates every quarter, so check the latest rate on the National Savings Institute website before you plan.
How much can I deposit in a PPF account?
At least ₹500 and at most ₹1,50,000 in a financial year (1 April to 31 March). You can deposit in one go or in instalments, up to 12 times a year.
How is PPF interest calculated?
Each month, interest is worked out on the lowest balance in the account between the 5th and the last day of the month, at one-twelfth of the yearly rate. The 12 months of interest are added to your account together, on 31 March. A deposit made by the 5th counts for that whole month.
When does a PPF account mature, and can I extend it?
A PPF account matures after 15 complete financial years, counted from the end of the year in which you opened it. After that you can extend it in blocks of 5 years, with or without fresh deposits. Counting the year you open it, an account opened in April therefore accepts deposits a little longer than 15 years, while this calculator shows 15 deposits, which is how most people plan.
Can I take money out before 15 years?
Yes, in two ways. You can take a loan from the 3rd to the 6th financial year. From the 7th financial year you can withdraw part of the balance every year, up to 50% of the balance at the end of the 4th year before the withdrawal year or the previous year, whichever is lower.
Is PPF really tax-free?
The interest and the maturity amount are exempt from income tax. Your yearly deposit also counts for the Section 80C deduction (Section 123 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, from tax year 2026-27) (up to ₹1.5 lakh together with other 80C items), but only if you choose the old tax regime. Use our income tax calculator to see which regime suits you.
PPF or SIP: which is better?
They do different jobs. PPF gives a government-set rate with no market risk. A SIP in an equity mutual fund can earn more over a long time but can also fall in value. Many people use PPF for the safe part of their savings and a SIP for growth. The returns of a SIP are never guaranteed.
Sources: National Savings Institute — Public Provident Fund account · India Post — Public Provident Fund Scheme, 2019 (full rules)