Post Office Savings Scheme Comparison Calculator — FY 2025-26
Compare all 12 India Post Office savings schemes side by side: PPF, SCSS, SSY, NSC, MIS, KVP, Time Deposits, and RD. See rates, maturity values, post-tax returns, and get a personalized recommendation based on your age, goal, and tax bracket. Updated for Q4 FY 2025-26 rates.
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How to Use This Calculator
Scheme Comparison tab
Enter your lumpsum investment amount and select your investor type (regular, senior citizen, or girl child). The calculator shows all applicable Post Office schemes with their interest rate, tenure, maturity value, total interest earned, tax treatment, and payout type. Schemes with deposit caps (PPF ₹1.5L, SSY ₹1.5L, MIS ₹9L, SCSS ₹30L) are automatically capped with a warning.
Post-Tax Returns tab
Enter your investment amount and tax slab (0%, 5%, 20%, or 30%). See pre-tax interest, tax payable, post-tax interest, and the effective post-tax rate for each scheme. PPF and SSY are EEE (always tax-free), so their post-tax rate equals their pre-tax rate. At higher slabs, the gap between taxable and tax-free schemes becomes dramatic.
Best Scheme for You tab
Enter your age, investment goal, tenure preference, and tax bracket. The calculator runs a decision tree and recommends the best 2–3 schemes for your profile. Senior citizens get SCSS-first strategies. Parents with daughters get SSY. Young investors get PPF for tax-free compounding. Retirees get combo strategies (SCSS + MIS + TD).
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The Formula
Different Post Office schemes use different compounding methods. Here are the key formulas.
Maturity = P × (1 + r/400)4n
Where P = Principal, r = Annual rate (%), n = Years
Lumpsum Maturity (Annual Compounding — NSC, KVP, PPF, SSY):
Maturity = P × (1 + r/100)n
Monthly Income (MIS — Simple Interest):
Monthly Income = (P × r) / (100 × 12)
Total interest over 5 years = Monthly Income × 60
Post-Tax Return:
Post-Tax Interest = Pre-Tax Interest × (1 − Tax Rate)
Effective Post-Tax Rate = Pre-Tax Rate × (1 − Tax Rate)
PPF/SSY: Post-Tax = Pre-Tax (EEE status, always tax-free)
SCSS and MIS pay interest periodically (quarterly and monthly respectively), so the interest does not compound within the scheme. TD and NSC compound the interest, which is paid or accrued at maturity. PPF compounds annually on the balance.
Example
Priya — 30-year-old professional investing ₹5,00,000 for 5 years
Priya has ₹5,00,000 to invest in Post Office schemes. She is in the 30% tax bracket and wants the best post-tax return. Here is how the schemes compare.
SCSS (8.2%) — Not eligible (age 60+ required)
NSC (7.7%, 5 years, 80C)
PPF (7.1%, 15 years, EEE — Tax-Free)
5-Year Time Deposit (7.5%, 80C)
Verdict
At the 30% tax slab, PPF's tax-free 7.1% effectively outperforms NSC's 7.7% and TD's 7.5% after tax. Priya should maximize PPF first (₹1.5L/year), then invest the remainder in NSC for the 80C benefit. The combination gives her the best blended post-tax return with sovereign guarantee.