Post office NSC vs. Bank Tax Saving Fixed Deposit

 

Post office NSC Returns Calculations:

Year Compound Interest Tenure (in 6 months) Principal Amount (in Rs.) 8% Interest compounded at Tenure period (in Rs) Overall Interest Earned by the end of Tenure (in Rs.) Overall Return at the end of Tenure (in Rs.) Actual (Yield) Interest Earned (in %)
1 1 100000 4000 4000 104000 4.00%
1 2 104000 4160 8160 108160 8.16%
2 3 108160 4326 12486 112486 12.49%
2 4 112486 4499 16986 116986 16.99%
3 5 116986 4679 21665 121665 21.67%
3 6 121665 4867 26532 126532 26.53%
4 7 126532 5061 31593 131593 31.59%
4 8 131593 5264 36857 136857 36.86%
5 9 136857 5474 42331 142331 42.33%
5 10 142331 5693 48024 148024 48.02%
6 11 148024 5921 53945 153945 53.95%
6 12 153945 6158 60103 160103 60.10%
Overall Tax Free Returns After 6 years For 100000  Investment is 60103 160103 60.10%

Bank Tax Saving Fixed Deposit Returns Calculations:

Year Compound Interest Tenure (in 3 months) Principal Amount (in Rs.) 8.75% Interest compounded at Tenure period (in Rs) Overall Interest Earned by the end of Tenure (in Rs.) Overall Return at the end of Tenure (in Rs.) Actual (Yield) Interest Earned (in %)
1 1 100000 2188 2188 102188 2.19%
1 2 102188 2235 4423 104423 4.42%
1 3 104423 2284 6707 106707 6.71%
1 4 106707 2334 9041 109041 9.04%
2 5 109041 2385 11427 111427 11.43%
2 6 111427 2437 13864 113864 13.86%
2 7 113864 2491 16355 116355 16.35%
2 8 116355 2545 18900 118900 18.90%
3 9 118900 2601 21501 121501 21.50%
3 10 121501 2658 24159 124159 24.16%
3 11 124159 2716 26875 126875 26.87%
3 12 126875 2775 29650 129650 29.65%
4 13 129650 2836 32486 132486 32.49%
4 14 132486 2898 35384 135384 35.38%
4 15 135384 2962 38346 138346 38.35%
4 16 138346 3026 41372 141372 41.37%
5 17 141372 3093 44465 144465 44.46%
5 18 144465 3160 47625 147625 47.63%
5 19 147625 3229 50854 150854 50.85%
5 20 150854 3300 54154 154154 54.15%
6 21 154154 3372 57526 157526 57.53%
6 22 157526 3446 60972 160972 60.97%
6 23 160972 3521 64494 164494 64.49%
6 24 164494 3598 68092 168092 68.09%
Overall Returns After 6 years For 100000  Investment is 68092 168092 68.09%
Tax On Interest (30%) On the encashment year For Interest Earned 68092 is 20428 147664 20.43%
Overall Returns After Tax Deduction is 47664 147664 47.66%

Conclusion:

  1. PO NSC Effective returns 60.10% at the end of 6 years for a fixed 8% half-yearly compounded interest whereas
  2. Bank FD yields only 47.66% (though the untaxed yield comes to 68.09%) at 8.75% compounded quarterly
  3. Don’t Opt for bank Fixed deposits.

Excel Calculation Sheet:  NSC-vs-BankFD-Calc

Reference of IT Slabs:

Income Tax Rates/Slabs for A.Y. (2010-11)

Slab (Rs.) Tax (Rs.)
less than 1,60,000 Nil
1,60,000 to 3,00,000 (TI – 1,60,000) * 10%
3,00,000 to 5,00,000 14,000 + (TI – 3,00,000) * 20%
Greater than 5,00,000 54,000 + (TI – 5,00,000) * 30%

0 thoughts on “Post office NSC vs. Bank Tax Saving Fixed Deposit

  1. HI. i SAW THIS cmparision. its very good. but nsc interest is also taxable.. but by reinvesting the interest we can avoid tax till 5 th year!! now fd rates are 9.5. still nsc has the upper hand???

    pls mail me the reply to my mail id [email protected]

    1. compared to tax saving FD (which are still giving 8% interest) NSC would be good. However, if you are not a tax payer/not looking for tax benefit a regular FD are good.

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