The Indian government introduced the National Pension Scheme (NPS) to encourage individuals to prepare financially for their retirement. The NPS is a voluntary scheme designed to help you build a retirement corpus. Initially launched for government employees on January 1, 2004, the scheme was later expanded to all Indian citizens on May 1, 2009. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) regulates it.
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NPS is a pension scheme that allows you to make regular contributions towards your retirement. Professional fund managers manage these investments, ensuring potential growth over time.
At the age of 60, you can withdraw up to 60% of your corpus from the National Pension Scheme, while the remaining 40% must be used to purchase an annuity. This annuity ensures a steady income stream during your retirement. There are two ways to contribute to NPS, each offering distinct benefits. Let's explore the details of the different account options under the National Pension Scheme.
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The NPS offers two types of accounts: Tier I and Tier II. The Tier I account is intended for retirement savings, providing various tax benefits, but withdrawals are restricted until you reach the age of 60. In contrast, the Tier II account has no such limitations, allowing withdrawals at any time.
The Tier I account is mandatory when opening an NPS account, while the Tier II account can only be opened after the Tier I account is active, through a separate application.
Although the Tier I account has restrictions, partial withdrawals are allowed under specific circumstances, such as for medical emergencies, children's education, marriage expenses, or purchasing or constructing a house. This structure accommodates your essential life needs while encouraging long-term saving for your retirement.
Listed below are the key advantages of contributing to the NPS account:
NPS offers great flexibility for subscribers. If you're dissatisfied with the performance of your fund, you can change your fund manager. You can easily download the change request form online or pick it up from your nearest Point of Presence (POP). A small transaction fee applies when changing the fund manager. Additionally, NPS allows you to reallocate your investments between different asset classes, such as government securities, corporate bonds, and stocks.
NPS balances risk and returns by capping equity exposure to 75%, which is reduced to 50% for senior citizens and government employees. After the age of 50, your equity allocation will decrease by 2.5% annually. This gradual reduction helps mitigate risk as you approach retirement, offering a more stable investment path in the long term.
For Tier I accounts, the minimum contribution is ₹500 per deposit, with a requirement of at least ₹1,000 in total annually. There's no limit to the number of contributions you can make throughout the year. For Tier II accounts, the minimum contribution per deposit is ₹250, with no annual minimum requirement. This provides flexibility for those looking to make smaller, more frequent contributions without a set yearly commitment.
Through the power of compounding, the NPS can provide significant long-term benefits. Using an NPS calculator helps you understand the lump sum amount and pension that you will receive at retirement based on your current contribution. You can visualise your financial readiness for retirement by contributing to your NPS account every month.
Section | Who Can Claim | Tax Benefit | Deduction Limit | Example |
80CCD(1) | Salaried and self-employed individuals | - Deduction up to 10% of salary (Basic + DA) for salaried - Up to 20% of gross income for self-employed | Included within the overall ₹1.5 lakh limit under Section 80CCD(1) | Rohan’s Basic + DA = ₹9,00,00010% of ₹9,00,000 = ₹90,000Rohan can claim ₹90,000, but it is part of the ₹1.5 lakh cap including PPF, ELSS, LIC, etc. |
80CCD(1B) | Any individual contributing to NPS | Additional deduction up to ₹50,000 beyond Section 80CCD(1) | Over and above the ₹1.5 lakh limit of Section 80CCD(1) | Rohan already claimed ₹1.5 lakh via PPF, ELSS, EPF. He invests another ₹50,000 in NPS, which is fully deductible under 80CCD(1B). |
80CCD(2) – Old | Salaried employees with employer contribution (old regime) | Deduction up to 10% of salary (Basic + DA) | Over and above Section 80C and 80CCD(1B); no monetary cap, percentage-based only | Rohan’s Basic + DA = ₹10,50,000Employer contributes 10% = ₹1,05,000Rohan can claim ₹1,05,000 under Section 80CCD(2). |
80CCD(2) – New | Salaried employees with employer contribution (new regime) | Deduction up to 14% of salary (Basic + DA) | Over and above Section 80C and 80CCD(1B); no monetary cap, percentage-based only | If employer uses new tax regime:14% of ₹10,50,000 = ₹1,47,000This is fully deductible under Section 80CCD(2). |
Total Benefit | Salaried NPS subscriber (using all 3 sections) | Combined deduction from employee and employer contributions | ₹1.5 lakh (80CCD(1)) + ₹50,000 (80CCD(1B)) + 10–14% salary via employer (80CCD(2)) | Rohan can claim:₹90,000 (80CCD(1)) + ₹50,000 (80CCD(1B)) + ₹1,05,000 or ₹1,47,000 (80CCD(2)) = Total deduction up to ₹2.45–₹2.87 lakh. |
˜Top plans are based on annualized premium, for bookings made through https://www.policybazaar.com in FY 25. Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For a complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website, www.irdai.gov.in
*All savings are provided by the insurer as per the IRDAI approved insurance
plan.
^The tax benefits under Section 80C allow a deduction of up to ₹1.5 lakhs from the taxable income per year and 10(10D) tax benefits are for investments made up to ₹2.5 Lakhs/ year for policies bought after 1 Feb 2021. Tax benefits and savings are subject to changes in tax laws.
+Returns Since Inception of LIC Growth Fund
¶Long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax (12.5%) is exempted on annual premiums up to 2.5 lacs.
++Source - Google Review Rating available on:- http://bit.ly/3J20bXZ
^^The information relating to mutual funds presented in this article is for educational purpose only and is not meant for sale. Investment is subject to market risks and the risk is borne by the investor. Please consult your financial advisor before planning your investments.
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