Live 3-way corpus calculator for India's top 80C instruments. Compare returns, lock-in, liquidity and get the optimal allocation strategy for your tax slab.
| Factor | ELSS | PPF | NPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock-in Period | 3 years | 15 years | Till 60 years |
| Expected Return | 12–15% CAGR | 7.1% (guaranteed) | 10–12% CAGR |
| Tax on Returns | LTCG 12.5% >₹1.25L | EEE — 100% tax-free | 60% tax-free, 40% annuity |
| 80C Deduction | Yes (up to ₹1.5L) | Yes (up to ₹1.5L) | Yes + extra ₹50K (80CCD 1B) |
| Liquidity | High (3-yr) | Low (15-yr) | Very Low (till 60) |
| Risk Level | Moderate-High | Zero | Moderate |
| Tax Benefit (30% slab) | ₹46,800/yr (80C) | ₹46,800/yr (80C) | ₹46,800 + ₹15,600 = ₹62,400 |
| Best For | Wealth creation + 80C | Guaranteed safe debt portion | Retirement + max tax saving |
ELSS, PPF and NPS are the three most powerful 80C tax-saving instruments in India. Each has a distinct risk-return-liquidity profile. The winner depends entirely on your time horizon, risk appetite and how much you value liquidity vs tax efficiency.
Yes, and this is actually the optimal strategy for most 30% slab investors. Use ELSS for the ₹1.5L 80C limit (highest returns). Invest ₹50K additionally in NPS for the extra 80CCD(1B) deduction. Use PPF for the safe, guaranteed debt component. This maximises both tax savings and long-term wealth.
NPS wins for retirement on returns (equity exposure generates higher CAGR) and tax saving (extra ₹50K deduction). PPF wins on complete EEE tax-free status and liquidity after 5 years. For a pure retirement focus, NPS + ELSS beats PPF mathematically. But PPF offers unmatched capital safety.
At 60 years, you must use at least 40% of your NPS corpus to buy an annuity (regular monthly pension — taxable). The remaining 60% is tax-free lump sum. If corpus is below ₹5 lakhs, 100% can be withdrawn tax-free.
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