Last Updated on June 10, 2023 at 8:07 am
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 a superannuation fund is tax-free. The same is also true for the NPS.
While the superannuation fund employer contribution is not added to the employee’s income, the NPS employer contributions are first added and then deducted via section 80CCD (2) of the Income Tax Act. So effectively, the tax paid is the same in both cases. Switching to the NPS will not result in anything “extra”. In any case, the decision to switch should not be based on that.
(A) A superannuation scheme is a fixed benefit scheme with a known return, whereas the NPS is a mutual fund linked to the market with defined contributions. Therefore those who do not have the capital market experience or do not have the appetite to stomach volatility should not switch from a superannuation scheme to the NPS.
Join 32,000+ readers and get free money management solutions delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to get posts via email! (Link takes you to our email sign-up form)
🔥Enjoy massive discounts on our robo-advisory tool & courses! 🔥
(B) NPS withdrawals or annuity purchases can be delayed beyond 60 as per the retiree’s needs. See: NPS Systematic Lump sum Withdrawal Rules Explained. This is typically not possible with a superannuation scheme.
(C) Most superannuation schemes expect the subscriber the purchase an annuity for 2/3rds of the corpus. Only 1/3 can be withdrawn. While this may be ‘okay’ for those with only a little corpus to play with, it is tax-inefficient for those with a healthy nest egg.
Other considerations:
- Suppose the superannuation fund is the major investment in your retirement portfolio, and you have not been investing in equity MFs or stocks for long. In that case, you should not switch, at least not immediately.
- If your retirement is less than ten years away and the superannuation fund is significant, you should not switch.
- If you have ample corpus from other sources and your retirement is far away (10-plus years), points (B) and (C) mentioned above are the key reasons for switching to the NPS.
Therefore, look at your circumstances, your portfolio’s worth, your risk appetite to handle market risks, and your asset allocation and then decide between a superannuation fund and the NPS. Note: Even if you choose an all-bond NPS portfolio (govt bonds – option G with corporate bonds, option C), the returns and corpus growth will be significantly more volatile than the steady (real) compounding offered by a fixed return scheme. So choose NPS only if you are ready for the ride and have enough time to make the risk reasonable.
🔥Enjoy massive discounts on our courses, robo-advisory tool and exclusive investor circle! 🔥& join our community of 7000+ users!
Use our Robo-advisory Tool for a start-to-finish financial plan! ⇐ More than 2,500 investors and advisors use this!
Track your mutual funds and stock investments with this Google Sheet!
We also publish monthly equity mutual funds, debt and hybrid mutual funds, index funds and ETF screeners and momentum, low-volatility stock screeners.
- Do you have a comment about the above article? Reach out to us on Twitter: @freefincal or @pattufreefincal
- Have a question? Subscribe to our newsletter using the form below.
- Hit 'reply' to any email from us! We do not offer personalized investment advice. We can write a detailed article without mentioning your name if you have a generic question.
Join 32,000+ readers and get free money management solutions delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to get posts via email! (Link takes you to our email sign-up form)
About The Author
Dr M. Pattabiraman(PhD) is the founder, managing editor and primary author of freefincal. He is an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He has over ten years of experience publishing news analysis, research and financial product development. Connect with him via Twitter(X), Linkedin, or YouTube. Pattabiraman has co-authored three print books: (1) You can be rich too with goal-based investing (CNBC TV18) for DIY investors. (2) Gamechanger for young earners. (3) Chinchu Gets a Superpower! for kids. He has also written seven other free e-books on various money management topics. He is a patron and co-founder of “Fee-only India,” an organisation promoting unbiased, commission-free investment advice.Our flagship course! Learn to manage your portfolio like a pro to achieve your goals regardless of market conditions! ⇐ More than 3,000 investors and advisors are part of our exclusive community! Get clarity on how to plan for your goals and achieve the necessary corpus no matter the market condition is!! Watch the first lecture for free! One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos! Reduce fear, uncertainty and doubt while investing! Learn how to plan for your goals before and after retirement with confidence.
Our new course! Increase your income by getting people to pay for your skills! ⇐ More than 700 salaried employees, entrepreneurs and financial advisors are part of our exclusive community! Learn how to get people to pay for your skills! Whether you are a professional or small business owner who wants more clients via online visibility or a salaried person wanting a side income or passive income, we will show you how to achieve this by showcasing your skills and building a community that trusts and pays you! (watch 1st lecture for free). One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos!
Our new book for kids: “Chinchu Gets a Superpower!” is now available!
Must-read book even for adults! This is something that every parent should teach their kids right from their young age. The importance of money management and decision making based on their wants and needs. Very nicely written in simple terms. - Arun.Buy the book: Chinchu gets a superpower for your child!
How to profit from content writing: Our new ebook is for those interested in getting side income via content writing. It is available at a 50% discount for Rs. 500 only!
Do you want to check if the market is overvalued or undervalued? Use our market valuation tool (it will work with any index!), or get the Tactical Buy/Sell timing tool!
We publish monthly mutual fund screeners and momentum, low-volatility stock screeners.
About freefincal & its content policy. Freefincal is a News Media Organization dedicated to providing original analysis, reports, reviews and insights on mutual funds, stocks, investing, retirement and personal finance developments. We do so without conflict of interest and bias. Follow us on Google News. Freefincal serves more than three million readers a year (5 million page views) with articles based only on factual information and detailed analysis by its authors. All statements made will be verified with credible and knowledgeable sources before publication. Freefincal does not publish paid articles, promotions, PR, satire or opinions without data. All opinions will be inferences backed by verifiable, reproducible evidence/data. Contact information: letters {at} freefincal {dot} com (sponsored posts or paid collaborations will not be entertained)
Connect with us on social media
- Twitter @freefincal
- Subscribe to our YouTube Videos
- Posts feed via Feedburner.
Our publications
You Can Be Rich Too with Goal-Based Investing
Published by CNBC TV18, this book is meant to help you ask the right questions and seek the correct answers, and since it comes with nine online calculators, you can also create custom solutions for your lifestyle! Get it now.Gamechanger: Forget Startups, Join Corporate & Still Live the Rich Life You Want
This book is meant for young earners to get their basics right from day one! It will also help you travel to exotic places at a low cost! Get it or gift it to a young earner.Your Ultimate Guide to Travel
This is an in-depth dive into vacation planning, finding cheap flights, budget accommodation, what to do when travelling, and how travelling slowly is better financially and psychologically, with links to the web pages and hand-holding at every step. Get the pdf for Rs 300 (instant download)