In India’s long-term savings and retirement planning, two prominent government-backed schemes emerge: the Public Provident Fund (PPF) and the Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF). While both offer attractive features, they cater to distinct segments of the population and have crucial differences in eligibility, contribution limits, tax benefits, and withdrawal flexibility. People are generally confused about which one to choose to save tax and get maximum interest. Let’s understand both of these provident fund schemes with their differences to help you understand which one aligns best with your financial aspirations
What Is Voluntary Provident Fund
Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF) is an extension of the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) scheme in India, where employees have the option to contribute more than the mandatory amount to their EPF accounts. It allows employees to voluntarily increase their EPF contributions beyond the statutory limit set by the government.
Features of VPF
- Tax Benefits: Similar to EPF contributions, VPF contributions also qualify for tax benefits under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, allowing employees to claim deductions on their taxable income up to Rs. 1.5 lakh per year on contribution.
- Same Interest Rate: The interest rate offered on VPF contributions is the same as that offered on EPF contributions. The government determines this interest rate and is usually higher than that offered by most other fixed-income investments.
- Employer’s Contribution: While VPF is a voluntary scheme, employers are not obligated to match the additional contributions made by employees. However, some employers may choose to match VPF contributions as part of their employee benefits package.
- Safety and Security: VPF contributions are as safe and secure as EPF contributions since both are managed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and backed by the government.
- Lock-in Period: VPF has a lock-in period of 5 years. Employees cannot withdraw the accumulated VPF corpus until the completion of this period. In case a person chooses to withdraw, fully or partially, before the lapse of 5 years, then such amount is subject to taxation as per VPF withdrawal rules
- Flexible Contribution Amount: There is no upper limit on the amount that an employee can contribute to VPF. However, the total contribution (both employee and employer) to EPF and VPF combined cannot exceed 100% of the employee’s basic salary and dearness allowance.
What is Public Provident Fund (PPF)
The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a cornerstone of long-term savings and investment in India. Introduced in 1968 by the Government of India, it’s a low-risk, tax-saving scheme designed to encourage individuals to build a secure financial future. The PPF scheme is backed by the Government of India, making it a highly secure investment option. Unlike market-linked instruments that fluctuate, PPF offers guaranteed returns on your investment. The government declares the interest rate quarterly, ensuring a steady and predictable growth of your savings.
Features of PPF Account
- Lock-in Period: PPF has a lock-in period of 15 years, but it offers the option to extend the account in blocks of 5 years after maturity. This extension can be done indefinitely, providing a long-term savings avenue. However, you can make partial withdrawal after 7 years under certain conditions.
- Interest Calculation: Interest on PPF is calculated on the minimum balance between the 5th and the last day of each month. The interest is compounded annually, making it an attractive option for long-erm savings. To know how to maximize your interest in PPF refer to this
- Nomination Facility: Investors can nominate one or more individuals to receive the PPF proceeds in case of their demise. This ensures that the accumulated wealth is transferred smoothly to the nominee(s) without any hassles.
- Transferability: PPF accounts can be transferred from one authorized bank or post office to another, anywhere in India. This feature allows investors to manage their accounts conveniently, especially if they relocate.
- Joint Account: Joint accounts are not permitted in PPF. Each account can have only one account holder, although minors can have accounts with guardians.
- Non-resident Indians (NRIs): NRIs are not eligible to open a new PPF account. However, if an individual opens a PPF account while being a resident and then becomes an NRI, the account can be continued until maturity.
- Tax benefits: Here people get benefits of EEE which is an exemption of tax on investment, an exemption of tax on interest and an exemption of tax on the withdrawal. So simply you don’t have to pay tax at all.
Now that we have a basic understanding of what both schemes are let’s understand their key differences which would help us decide which scheme should we go for.
Difference between PPF and VPF
So now comes the question of which scheme is better for you. For salaried employees, if your contribution towards VPF is less than 2.5 Lakhs then you can go for VPF as its interest rate is higher and for PPF if your contribution is higher than 2.5 Lakhs. A threshold of 2.5 lakhs is taken as if your contribution is above that then you have to pay tax for it and then it won’t be beneficial any more.
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