A Post Office FD is a kind of fixed deposit that you can invest in if you have an account with the Department of Posts and Ministry of Communications of the Government of India. Like all fixed deposits, a Post Office FD also offers interest on the amount deposited at a guaranteed rate of interest. You can choose from different investment tenors and earn FD interest during the tenor chosen. All in all, a Post Office FD offers a safe and secure avenue for investment.
If you want to know the maturity amount and the returns you will earn on your deposit at the prevailing post office FD rates, you can make use of a Post Office FD calculator to find out these details. Using this online tool is fairly easy. All you will need to do is enter your investment amount, the Post Office FD rate and tenor applicable. The calculator will then display the details online instantly.
As is the case with all fixed deposits, the Post Office FD rate of interest on Post Office FDs are also periodically revised. Currently, the rates of interest prevailing on Post Office FD plans for the period from October 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 are given below.
Investment Tenor |
Post Office FD Interest Rate |
1 year |
5.5% |
2 years |
5.7% |
3 years |
5.8% |
5 years |
6.7% |
Investing in a fixed deposit plan offered by the Indian Postal Department has many advantages. Check out the top features and benefits of Post Office FDs below.
You can start investing in a Post Office FD with as little as just ₹1,000. This makes postal fixed deposits extremely affordable investment options.
The amount that you invest in a Post Office FD for 5 years is also eligible for deduction up to ₹1,50,000 from your total taxable amount under section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
The rates of interest on Post Office fixed deposits are periodically revised by the government. Currently, the interest rates can go up to 6.7% p.a., making them attractive investment avenues.
There is no limit on the number of fixed deposit accounts that you can hold with the Post Office. So, you can plan your investments as per your requirements and open multiple FD accounts if needed.
You can also withdraw your deposit and close your Post Office FD account prematurely after the expiry of 6 months from the date of deposit. Keep in mind that you will be charged a penalty for the same.
The eligibility criteria for opening a Post Office FD account are quite relaxed. This makes the scheme accessible to people from different demographics.
The eligibility criteria for opening a Post Office FD account are relatively simple. Here is a list of the categories of persons who are eligible to invest in a Post Office fixed deposit.
A single adult (for a single account)
Up to 3 adults (for a joint account)
A guardian or a parent on behalf of a minor
A guardian on behalf of a person of unsound mind
A minor who is above 10 years of age (in their own name)
If you decide to make a deposit in your Post Office fixed deposit account, you can choose from the following tenor options:
1-year FD
2-year FD
3-year FD
5-year FD
The table above shows you the rates of interest on the Post Office fixed deposit amount for these different tenors. Let us check out how much interest you can earn on a deposit of ₹1,00,000 over these different time periods if you are aged below 60 years.
Deposit Tenor |
Post Office FD Interest Rate |
Interest Earned |
Maturity Amount |
1 year |
5.5% |
₹5,500 |
₹1,05,500 |
2 years |
5.7% |
₹11,985 |
₹1,11,985 |
3 years |
5.8% |
₹18,857 |
₹1,18,857 |
5 years |
6.7% |
₹39,407 |
₹1,39,407 |
The interest rates on Post Office FDs are the same for senior citizens as well as for citizens below the age of 60. So, the interest rates and the interest earned across different tenors will be the same as shown above for deposits held by senior citizens.
The maturity amount for your Post Office fixed deposit is calculated using the formula shown below.
Maturity Value = Principal amount x (1 + r/n)(nt) |
Here, r is the rate of interest, t is the investment tenor and n is the number of times the interest is compounded annually.
Here is an example to show you how this formula works. For instance, let’s say you invest ₹5,00,000 in a Post Office FD for a tenor of 3 years. The interest rate on this deposit will be 5.8% per annum, and the interest will be compounded on a quarterly basis. Putting all these values in the formula, we get the following equation.
Maturity Value
= Principal amount x (1 + r/n)(nt)
= ₹5,00,000 x (1 + 0.058/4)(4x3)
= ₹5,00,000 x (1 + 0.0145)12
= ₹5,00,000 x (1.0145)12
= ₹5,00,000 x 1.1886
= ₹5,94,285
Making a calculator like the Post Office fixed deposit calculator once may be easy. But doing this on a regular basis can be quite cumbersome. Here is where a Post Office FD calculator can help. You can make use of a nifty online tool like the Post Office FD calculator to plan your fixed deposit investment easily and for free.
To invest in a fixed deposit plan offered by the Indian Postal Department, you need to follow the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Find the Post Office branch nearest to you.
Step 2: Visit the branch in person and ask for the FD account opening form.
Step 3: Fill in the form and attach any supporting documents and photographs that may be required.
Step 4: Submit the form along with a cheque or Demand Draft for the sum that you wish to deposit.
That’s all you need to do. Your FD account will then be opened and your deposit will be made for the tenor chosen by you.
To open an FD in any Post Office, you will have to submit the following documents along with the application form:
A Proof of Identity such as your PAN, Aadhaar, voter ID, or passport
A Proof of Address such as your Aadhaar, passport, driving license or utility bills
2 passport size photographs
The 5-year Post Office FD option qualifies for deduction u/s 80C up to an investment amount of ₹1,50,000. Aside from this, there are many other Post Office tax-saving schemes too that you can consider for your investment portfolio if you want to reduce your tax burden. Here is a list of some such plans.
Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS)
Sukanya Samriddhi Account
National Savings Certificate (NSC)
Public Provident Fund (PPF)
Like in the case of bank fixed deposits, your Post Office FD will also fall under the purview of tax deduction at source. TDS on Post Office FD will be deducted on the interest you earn from your Post Office fixed deposit if the total annual interest earned during the financial year exceeds ₹40,000 (or ₹50,000 if you are a senior citizen).
The rate of tax deduction is as follows:
10% for resident Indian depositors
20% if you have not provided your PAN details
30% for non-resident Indian depositors
However, if your total annual income does not exceed the basic exemption limit, you can submit Form 15G (or Form 15H if you are a senior citizen) to ensure that tax is not deducted at the source.
Premature withdrawal of funds from your Post Office FD account is permitted only after the expiry of 6 months from the date of your deposit. In case of any premature account closure, interest/penalty will be applicable as follows.
Interest will be levied at the Post Office Savings Account interest rate
Interest will be levied at 2% less than the Post Office FD interest rate applicable for any completed years, and at the Post Office Savings Account interest rate for any partial period that is less than a year
You can also extend your Post Office fixed deposit investment for a tenor equal to the period for which you originally opened the deposit. The Post Office FD interest rate prevailing at the time of original maturity will be applicable on the extended deposit.
Your Post Office fixed deposit account can be extended from the date of maturity within the prescribed period, which is shown below.
For 1-year deposits: Within 6 months of maturity
For 2-year deposits: Within 12 months of maturity
For 3-year and 5-year deposits: Within 18 months of maturity
Yes, you can withdraw the funds from your Post Office FD prematurely. However, this is allowed only after the expiry of 6 months from the date of deposit.
Yes, after the maturity of your Post Office fixed deposit, you can extend your FD account for the same tenor for which you originally opened the account. You can extend the FD account from the date of maturity within the prescribed period, as outlined below.
For 1-year FDs: Within 6 months of maturity
For 2-year FDs: Within 12 months of maturity
For 3-year and 5-year FDs: Within 18 months of maturity
Yes, you can pledge your Post Office FD or transfer it as a security to the following authorities:
The President of India
The Governor of any State
The Reserve Bank of India
Any scheduled bank
Any co-operative society
Any co-operative bank
Any public or private corporation
Any government company
Any local authority
Any housing finance company
There are different forms available for a Post Office FD plan, such as the form for opening your account, for extending the account, for premature closure of the account and for pledging the fixed deposit.
A Post Office FD calculator is a useful online tool that you can use to compute how your deposit will grow over your preferred investment tenor. You just need to enter key details into the Post Office FD calculator like the amount you wish to deposit, the tenor and the applicable postal FD interest rate. The Post Office fixed deposit calculator will then display the interest you will earn and the maturity amount.
You can claim a refund of the TDS deducted on your post office FD by filing your Income Tax Return on time. The due date for the same is July 31 of the relevant assessment year. To do this, you need to follow the steps outlined below.
Visit the Income Tax website at https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal
Log into your account using your user ID (which is your PAN) and your password
Select the ITR applicable to you and fill in the details required
Submit your ITR online and verify your return promptly
The excess tax paid or deducted will be refunded to you within a reasonable period of time.
The time taken for a TDS refund request to be processed can range from 3 months to 6 months from the date of verification of your Income Tax Return.
You can calculate the maturity amount from your Post Office fixed deposit using the formula shown below.
Maturity Value = Principal amount x (1 + r/n)(nt) |
Here, n denotes the number of times the interest is compounded annually, r is the rate of interest and t is the investment tenor.
Alternatively, you can use a Post Office FD calculator to compute the FD maturity amount easily.
The rates of FD interest in Post Office FD plans are the same for senior citizens and for deposit account holders aged below 60 years of age. Currently, the rates of interest up to December 31, 2022 are as follows:
1-year fixed deposit: 5.5% per annum
2-year fixed deposit: 5.7% per annum
3-year fixed deposit: 5.8% per annum
5-year fixed deposit: 6.7% per annum
You can invest in a Post Office FD plan with a minimum initial deposit of just ₹1,000. The deposit amount can also be higher, in multiples of ₹100. There is no maximum limit on the amount of deposit you can make in a Post Office FD.
You can transfer your Post Office FD account from one branch of the Post Office to another by submitting a transfer application for the same. This application can be submitted either in the branch that you are transferring to or the branch that you are transferring from.
No, you cannot open a Post Office FD online. To open a Post Office fixed deposit account, you need to visit the Post Office branch nearest to you and open your account in person.