Question 1

What is PPF (Public Provident Fund)?

Accepted Answer

PPF is a long-term, government-backed savings scheme introduced by the Ministry of Finance under the Public Provident Fund Scheme, 2019. It offers a fixed, tax-free rate of interest, a 15-year maturity, and deductions under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Both the interest earned and the maturity amount are fully exempt from tax (EEE status).

Question 2

How is PPF interest calculated?

Accepted Answer

PPF interest is compounded annually and credited on 31 March each year. As per the scheme, interest is calculated on the lowest account balance between the 5th and the last day of each month. This calculator assumes the yearly contribution is deposited at the start of the year, so it earns interest for the full year: closing balance = (opening balance + contribution) × (1 + rate).

Question 3

What are the minimum and maximum PPF contributions?

Accepted Answer

Under the PPF Scheme, 2019, the minimum contribution is ₹500 per financial year and the maximum is ₹1,50,000 per financial year. Contributions above ₹1.5 lakh in a year do not earn interest and are not eligible for tax benefits.

Question 4

What is the current PPF interest rate?

Accepted Answer

The PPF interest rate is notified quarterly by the Ministry of Finance. The current rate is 7.1% per annum, unchanged since the first quarter of FY 2020-21. You can edit the rate in this calculator to model different scenarios.

Question 5

Can a PPF account be extended beyond 15 years?

Accepted Answer

Yes. After the 15-year maturity, a PPF account can be extended in blocks of 5 years any number of times, either with fresh contributions or without. This calculator lets you enter periods beyond 15 years (up to 50) to estimate the value of an extended account.

Question 6

Is my data sent to any server?

Accepted Answer

No. All calculations happen entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is sent to any server.

PPF Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

PPF Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions