March 26, 20265 min read

PPF Calculator — Project Your Public Provident Fund Returns

Calculate PPF maturity amount with annual deposits, current interest rate (7.1%), and 15-year lock-in. Compare PPF with FD, EPF, and ELSS.

PPF calculator public provident fund PPF interest rate PPF maturity calchub

PPF is India's most popular long-term, risk-free savings scheme — government-backed, tax-free returns, and 80C deduction on deposits. The 15-year lock-in scares some people, but that's exactly what makes it powerful: forced long-term saving with guaranteed compounding.

The CalcHub PPF Calculator shows your maturity amount based on annual deposits and the current interest rate.

PPF at a Glance

Feature	Details
Current interest rate	7.1% per annum (compounded annually)
Minimum annual deposit	₹500
Maximum annual deposit	₹1,50,000
Lock-in period	15 years
Partial withdrawal	Allowed from 7th year
Loan against PPF	Available from 3rd to 6th year
Tax benefit	EEE (Exempt-Exempt-Exempt)
Who can open	Any Indian resident

EEE status means: deposit is tax-deductible (80C), interest is tax-free, and maturity amount is tax-free. This triple exemption makes PPF one of the most tax-efficient investments available.

PPF Maturity Projections

At 7.1% interest rate:

Annual Deposit	15-Year Maturity	Total Deposited	Interest Earned
₹500/year	₹13,566	₹7,500	₹6,066
₹50,000/year	₹13,56,570	₹7,50,000	₹6,06,570
₹1,00,000/year	₹27,13,139	₹15,00,000	₹12,13,139
₹1,50,000/year	₹40,69,709	₹22,50,000	₹18,19,709

Depositing the maximum ₹1.5 lakh annually for 15 years yields ₹40.7 lakh — with ₹18.2 lakh in tax-free interest.

PPF With Extensions

After 15 years, you can extend in blocks of 5 years (with or without fresh contributions). The compounding continues:

₹1,50,000/year at 7.1%, extended:

Duration	Maturity Amount	Interest Earned
15 years	₹40,69,709	₹18,19,709
20 years	₹66,58,288	₹36,58,288
25 years	₹1,03,08,015	₹65,58,015

Extended to 25 years, your PPF crosses ₹1 crore — with ₹65.6 lakh in tax-free interest on ₹37.5 lakh deposited.

Monthly vs Yearly Deposits

Pro tip: Deposit before the 5th of each month. PPF interest is calculated on the minimum balance between the 5th and the last day of each month. Depositing on April 5th (start of financial year) maximizes interest for the full year. ₹1,50,000 deposited as:

Lump sum on April 5 → maximum interest earned
₹12,500/month before the 5th → slightly less interest but better cash flow management
Lump sum on March 31 → minimum interest (only earns for ~5 days that year)

The difference between depositing on April 5 vs March 31 over 15 years can be ₹1–2 lakh.

How to Use the Calculator

Open the CalcHub PPF Calculator
Enter annual deposit amount (₹500 to ₹1,50,000)
Enter number of years (15 minimum, can extend)
Interest rate defaults to current 7.1%
See maturity amount, total interest, and year-by-year breakdown

PPF Interest Rate History

Period	Rate
Jan-Mar 2026	7.1%
Oct-Dec 2025	7.1%
Apr-Jun 2024	7.1%
Jan-Mar 2023	7.1%
2020-21	7.1%
2019-20	7.9%
2018-19	8.0%
2016-17	8.1%

The rate has been stable at 7.1% since 2020. It's reviewed quarterly by the government.

PPF vs Other Safe Investments

Feature	PPF	FD (5-year)	EPF	NPS
Interest rate	7.1%	7–7.5%	8.25%	8–10% (market-linked)
Tax on interest	Exempt	Taxable	Exempt (conditions)	Partially taxable
80C benefit	Yes	Yes (tax-saver FD)	Yes	Yes + extra 80CCD(1B)
Lock-in	15 years	5 years	Till retirement	Till 60
Risk	Zero	Very low	Zero	Low-moderate
Liquidity	Low (partial from year 7)	Medium	Low	Very low

Best for: Conservative investors who want guaranteed, tax-free returns and don't need the money for 15+ years. Ideal for retirement planning alongside EPF.

Can I have more than one PPF account?

No. Only one PPF account per person (you can have one for yourself and one for your minor child). If a second account is opened, it earns no interest and only the deposit limit applies to the primary account.

What happens if I miss a year's deposit?

The account becomes inactive. To reactivate, you must deposit the minimum ₹500 for each missed year plus a ₹50 penalty per missed year. Interest continues to accrue on the existing balance even if the account is inactive.

Should I invest in PPF or ELSS?

If you want guaranteed returns with zero risk: PPF. If you can tolerate market volatility for potentially higher returns (10–14%): ELSS mutual funds with a 3-year lock-in. Many people split their 80C allocation between both.

EPF Calculator — provident fund accumulation
FD Calculator — fixed deposit returns
Compound Interest Calculator — general compounding
SIP Calculator — mutual fund SIP projections