A reader says, “There is an option of ” continuation of NPS” till 75 years of age where subscriber can continue contributing. I want to confirm if the annuity is not required to be purchased till 75 years if this continuation option is selected”. The NPS exit and withdrawal rules have been amended so often…

In this article, we address a popular misconception about the contribution of NPS employers. Before we begin, we would like to point out that your employer is most likely handling this contribution correctly. The misconception is only among the employees. The NPS employer’s contribution falls under 80CCD(2) and is separate from the 80C limit of…

After repeated requests from users of our mutual fund and stock tracker, the freefincal team is happy to present an NPS Portfolio Tracker on Google Sheets. Readers may remember that we recently added a Sovereign Gold Bonds Tracker on Google Sheets to the tracker. Features: Users can choose from 123 NPS funds offered by various pension…

A reader asks, “What are the current NPS Annuity Rates? How can I find the pension I will get for my corpus if I exit today?” The NPS is a market-linked retirement product. The contributions are defined, but the benefits are not because the final corpus depends on market conditions. The NPS subscriber must buy…

I have invested in the National Pension Scheme (NPS) since 8th March 2010. This is a performance report of how the NPS invested has fared over the last 14+ years. We also compare the returns with EPF. Note: Kindly do not assume that I am recommending NPS instruments. My situation is quite different from most….

In this article, we list the different options available for withdrawing from NPS after retirement and discuss which is suitable for whom. Note: The NPS is a mutual fund. Therefore, like any mutual fund, only the NAV on the exit date will apply to existing units to calculate the corpus. So, in the case of…

Since its inception, the National Pension Scheme (NPS) has made many user-friendly changes. The most recent of these is the introduction of the NPS Systematic Lump Sum Withdrawal (SLW) Facility, which allows users to gradually withdraw the non-annuitized portion of the corpus. Another notable change is the facility to defer annuity purchases (for pension) until…

A reader asks, “For those who don’t have a compulsory NPS deduction at the workplace, what would be a good option? a. aggressive hybrid fund. b. nifty 50 ETF+ conservative hybrid fund+/- gold ETF or c. nifty 50 etf + gilt fund +/- gold ETF?” Regular readers may know that we have always recommended against…

In a circular dated 27 Oct 2023, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) announced the introduction of a Systematic Lump Sum Withdrawal facility in NPS. Here are the details. What are the existing NPS withdrawal rules, and where does this proposal fit? Existing rules: After the age of 60, an NPS subscriber has…

Many corporations are introducing an option to switch from their existing Superannuation scheme to the national pension scheme (NPS). Here is what you need to consider before deciding to switch. Many wrongly think that the NPS comes with additional employer contribution tax deductions. This is incorrect. Up to Rs. 7.5 lakhs of employer contribution in…

In Oct 2022, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), the NPS regulator, released a draft proposal on implementing Systematic Lump sum Withdrawal (SLW) in the national pension scheme and sought public feedback. We had earlier discussed the withdrawal rules, the proposed change and our feedback on the same: NPS Systematic Lump Sum Withdrawal…

In a circular dated 10th May 2023, NPS regulator PFRDA announced that retirees can now buy multiple annuities for “Retirement Income Optimization”. However, there are still considerable limitations and much more flexibility is required. The circular says (1) In the interest of optimising subscribers’ retirement income and providing them with a wider range of annuity…

I have invested in the National Pension Scheme (NPS) since 8th March 2010. This is a performance report of how the NPS invested has fared over the last 13+ years. We also compare the returns with EPF. Note: Kindly do not assume that I am recommending NPS instruments. My situation is quite different from most….

We review the performance consistency of Kotak Pension Fund Scheme E – NPS TIER I measured against Nifty 50 TRI and UTI Nifty 50 TRI. The scheme was launched in June 2009 and currently has an AUM of about Rs. 1,070 crores. In a previous article, we listed the investment policy of NPS equity schemes,…