PPF is a long-term savings scheme offered by the Indian government

It offers attractive interest rates and tax benefits under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act

The tenure is 15 years, and it can be extended in blocks of 5 years

Minimum contribution per year is required

EPF is a mandatory savings scheme for salaried employees in India

Both the employer and the employee contribute a portion of the employee's salary towards the EPF account

EPF offers tax benefits under Section 80C and interest is tax-free

NSC is a fixed income investment scheme

It has a tenure of 5 or 10 years with a fixed interest rate

Interest earned qualifies for tax exemption under Section 80C but is taxable annually

SSY is a savings scheme for the benefit of the girl child

It offers a higher interest rate than other small savings schemes

Contributions qualify for tax benefits under Section 80C

Mutual funds are investment vehicles that pool money from many investors to invest in stocks, bonds, or other assets

They offer various schemes (equity, debt, hybrid) with different risk profiles

Mutual funds are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

FDs are a popular choice for risk-averse investors

Banks offer fixed interest rates for fixed periods ranging from a few days to several years

Interest earned is taxable

ELSS are mutual funds that primarily invest in equity markets

They offer tax benefits under Section 80C with a lock-in period of 3 years

Returns are market-linked and vary based on market performance

Offered by India Post, these include schemes like Post Office Savings Account, Monthly Income Scheme (MIS), Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS), etc

These schemes have varying interest rates and lock-in periods