If you're building a retirement corpus in India, three government-backed options dominate the conversation: the National Pension System (NPS), Public Provident Fund (PPF), and Employees' Provident Fund (EPF). Each has distinct tax treatment, returns, and flexibility — and most investors benefit from using more than one.
EPF: the automatic choice
If you're a salaried employee, 12% of your basic salary is deducted for EPF and matched by your employer. Current interest rate is around 8.25%, tax-free on maturity (subject to conditions). You can't really opt out of this, which is fine because it's a solid instrument.
PPF: the disciplined builder
PPF offers 15-year lock-in, 7.1% interest (as of 2026), and complete EEE tax status — contributions, interest, and maturity are all tax-free. Annual contribution is capped at ₹1.5 lakh, which also counts for Section 80C. PPF is the safest option and ideal for conservative investors or as a ballast for aggressive portfolios. Use our PPF calculator to see how it compounds.
NPS: the equity-flavored option
NPS lets you allocate up to 75% to equity (under Tier 1, Auto Choice) and the rest to corporate and government bonds. Historical returns have been in the 9–11% range, higher than PPF due to equity exposure. NPS offers an additional ₹50,000 deduction under 80CCD(1B) beyond the 80C limit — effectively giving you a ₹2 lakh total deduction. The catch: 40% of maturity must be used to buy an annuity (which is taxable), and only 60% can be withdrawn lump sum.
The ideal stack
Max out EPF (automatic), contribute ₹1.5 lakh to PPF for safety and tax benefit, and add NPS for the extra ₹50,000 deduction plus equity upside. This three-layer retirement stack gives you compounding, tax efficiency, and a mix of safety and growth.