Falling small savings schemes rates have hit money goals of many: 4 ways investors can bridge the shortfall (2024)

Synopsis

Retirement is not the only goal at risk. A parent saving for his daughter’s education through the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana will also witness a shortfall due to the decline in interest rates.

Falling small savings schemes rates have hit money goals of many: 4 ways investors can bridge the shortfall (1)Getty Images

The consistent decline in small savings rates means the target set a few years ago may not be within reach now. Here’s how the reduction in rates has affected savings.

Investors started contributing to the PPF in May 2014. At the prevailing rate of 8.7% and an yearly contribution of Rs 1.5 lakh he projected a corpus of Rs 80.66 lakh in 20 years.

April 2015

  • PPF rate: 8.7%
  • Current value: Rs 3.13 lakh
  • Projected value: Rs 3.13 lakh
  • Shortfall: Nil

April 2016: Small savings rates cut in April 2016. PPF rate reduced to 8.1%.

  • PPF rate: 8.1%
  • Current value: Rs 4.9 lakh
  • Original projection Rs 4.9 lakh
  • Shortfall: Nil

April 2017: Rates cut in October 2016, followed by another cut in April 2017. PPF rate falls to 7.9%

  • PPF rate: 7.9%
  • Current value: Rs 6.81 lakh
  • Original projection: Rs 6.83 lakh
  • Shortfall: Rs 2,393 (0.4%)

April 2018: Declining bond yields lead to rate cut in July 2017, followed by another in January 2018.

  • PPF rate: 7.6%
  • Current value: Rs 8.85 lakh
  • Original projection Rs 8.92 lakh
  • Shortfall Rs 7,602 (0.9%)

April 2019: After four years of cuts, rates are hiked in October 2018. But again cut in July 2019. PPF rate is 7.9%

  • PPF rate: 8%
  • Current value: Rs 11.05 lakh
  • Original projection Rs 11.20 lakh
  • Shortfall: Rs 14,881 (1.3%)

April 2020: Steep cut in rates in March 2020. In six years, PPF rate has fallen by 160 basis points.

  • PPF rate: 7.1%
  • Current value: Rs 13.44 lakh
  • Original projection: Rs 13.67 lakh
  • Shortfall: Rs 23,431 (1.7%)

April 2021: Decision to cut rates in March 2021 rolled back after uproar. Even if PPF gives 7.1%, the gap in actual and projected values will keep growing.

  • PPF rate: 7.1%
  • Current value: Rs 15.89 lakh
  • Original projection: Rs 16.36 lakh
  • Shortfall: Rs 46,974 (2.9%)

April 2026: In five years

  • PPF rate (assumed): 7.1%
  • Projected value: Rs 31.04 lakh
  • Original projection: Rs 33.76 lakh
  • Shortfall: Rs 2.72 lakh (8%)

April 2031: In ten years

  • PPF rate (assumed): 7.1%
  • Projected value: Rs 52.38 lakh
  • Original projection: Rs 60.15 lakh
  • Shortfall: Rs 7.77 lakh (12.9%)

The shortfall will burgeon to almost Rs 13 lakh, or 16% of the corpus when the investor retires in 2034.

Education fund may fall short too
Retirement is not the only goal at risk. A parent saving for his daughter’s education through the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana will also witness a shortfall due to the decline in interest rates.

Let us assume the investor started contributing to the Sukanya scheme in May 2014. At the prevailing rate of 9.1% and an yearly contribution of Rs 1.5 lakh he projected a corpus of Rs 48.42 lakh in 15 years.

How rate cuts can affect your Sukanya corpus

Falling small savings schemes rates have hit money goals of many: 4 ways investors can bridge the shortfall (2)

Inflation to the rescue
There is some respite for savers due to the fall in inflation in the past six years. Declining infl ation means that the expenses will be lower than assumed.

Falling small savings schemes rates have hit money goals of many: 4 ways investors can bridge the shortfall (3)

Four ways how investors can bridge the shortfall

I. Hike investment:
One sure fire way to bridge the shortfall is by increasing the investment for the goal. This is possible because income keeps rising over the years, allowing one to save more. Even a 2-3% hike per year can fi ll the gap.

II. Defer the goal: If you delay the financial goal by a few years, you will have more time to build a bigger corpus. But this option is not always possible. You can't defer the education of your child. Even retirement can't be delayed beyond a point.

III. Change asset mix: Also consider investing in avenues that fetch higher returns than fixed income options. Equities can be risky but also rewarding, especially in the long term. Even a small portion of the corpus invested in equities can work wonders.

IV. Downsize goal: If none of the three options are possible, the last resort is to downsize the goal itself. This is the default option if the investor does not take any step to bridge the gap in the actual and targeted corpus.

( Originally published on Apr 12, 2021 )

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Falling small savings schemes rates have hit money goals of many: 4 ways investors can bridge the shortfall (2024)

FAQs

How do interest rates affect investing and saving? ›

Generally, when interest rates are high, people will spend less and save more, as the cost of borrowing money to buy items such as houses and cars increases, whereas the return on savings deposits is higher.

Which scheme has the highest interest rate? ›

Which government-based saving scheme offers the highest interest rate? Currently, the Senior Citizens' Saving Scheme (SCSS) and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) offers the maximum interest rate of 8.2% (for Q1 FY 2024-25) amongst the government-based savings schemes.

What is the interest rate of Sukanya samriddhi Yojana? ›

It offers one of the highest rates of interest among small savings schemes backed by the Government of India. The rate of interest for Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana for the financial year 2024-2025 is 8.2% per annum, which is compounded annually.

What is the interest rate of post NSC? ›

NSC comes with a tenure of five years, where you need to make a minimum deposit of Rs 1,000. There is no maximum deposit defined for this account. The interest rate of 7.7% p.a. is compounded annually and paid out only at maturity. An individual can open any number of accounts under the scheme.

What happens to investment when interest rates fall? ›

When interest rates are rising, both businesses and consumers will cut back on spending. This will cause earnings to fall and stock prices to drop. On the other hand, when interest rates have fallen significantly, consumers and businesses will increase spending, causing stock prices to rise.

What happens to investment if interest rate decreases? ›

For income-oriented investors, a reduction in the federal funds rate means a decreased opportunity to make money from interest. Newly-issued treasuries and annuities won't pay as much. A decrease in interest rates will prompt investors to move money from the bond market to the equity market.

Which 5 banks have the highest rate of interest? ›

Best High-Yield Savings Account Rates
  • Evergreen Bank Group – 5.25% APY.
  • CFG Bank – 5.25% APY.
  • Upgrade – 5.21% APY.
  • EverBank – 5.15% APY.
  • RBMAX – 5.15% APY.
  • Bread Savings – 5.15% APY.
  • Popular Direct – 5.15% APY.
  • Western State Bank – 5.15% APY.

Which bank account offers the highest rate of interest? ›

Best Savings Account Interest Rates for Deposits above Rs. 1 Crore
BankInterest Rate (p.a.)
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited7.50% (Above Rs. 5 Lakh)
SBM Bank (India) Limited7.25% (Balance more than Rs. 50 Lakh to Rs. 50 Crore)
Bandhan Bank Ltd.7.00% (Daily Balance above Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 2 Crore)
7 more rows
4 days ago

Which bank is best for a zero balance account? ›

Best Zero Balance Accounts
  • DCB Bank Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account.
  • Future FIRST Savings Account.
  • Equitas Selfe Savings Account.
  • Indus Delite Savings Account (IndusInd Bank)
  • Kotak 811 Full KYC Account (Kotak Mahindra Bank)
  • Jupiter Savings Bank Account.
  • SBI Savings Bank Deposit Account.
Feb 14, 2024

What is sukanya 1000 per month? ›

What is Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana 1000 per month? There's no specific requirement to deposit monthly. SSY requires a minimum of ₹250 per year, but you can invest in smaller installments throughout the year as long as the total adds up to at least ₹250. So, ₹1000 per month (₹12000 per year) would be a valid contribution.

Which bank is best to open SSY? ›

List of Banks Offering Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
1. HDFC Bank2. Axis Bank3. Punjab National Bank
4. Canara Bank5. Union Bank of India6. ICICI Bank
7. Central Bank of India8. IDBI Bank9. Canara Bank
10. Indian Bank11. State Bank of India12. Bank of Maharashtra
13. Punjab & Sind Bank14. Indian Overseas Bank15. UCO Bank
1 more row
Mar 1, 2024

Which scheme is best for a girl child? ›

Top 10 Government Schemes for Ensuring the Welfare of the Girl Child in India
  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
  • Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana.
  • Balika Samridhi Yojana.
  • Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana.
  • Mukhyamantri Laadli Yojana.
  • CBSE Udaan Scheme.
  • National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education.
  • Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha Yojana.

What is the senior citizen savings scheme? ›

SCSS account includes a simple process and can be opened at any authorised bank or any post office in India. The account is transferable across India. The scheme offers a high interest rate on the deposit. Can get an income tax deduction of up to Rs.1.5 lakh under Section 80C of the Indian Tax Act, 1961.

Which is better, NSC or PPF? ›

The choice between NSC and PPF depends largely on your financial goals, investment horizon, and tax planning needs: Short-term Goals: If you are looking for a shorter investment period due to upcoming financial needs (like education fees in the next 5-6 years), NSC might be the better option due to its 5-year maturity.

How much is my national savings certificate worth? ›

For investments you're managing online or by phone, simply log in or call us for a valuation. You can also see the value of your investments on your homepage. If you have an Investment Guaranteed Growth Bond, you can only get a valuation online.

Does interest rates affect savings? ›

An interest rate tells you how much it costs to borrow money, or the reward for saving it. The Bank of England's base rate is what it charges other lenders to borrow money. This influences what other banks charge their customers for loans such as mortgages, and the interest they pay on savings.

Do interest rates affect savings rates? ›

If you're a saver, the savings rate tells you how much money will be paid into your account, as a percentage of your savings. The higher the savings rate, the more will be paid into your account for a given sized deposit. Even a small change in interest rates can have a big impact.

Does interest rates affect savings accounts? ›

This works in the same way for savers. If the BoE base rate rises you would expect to see the interest you earn from your savings to increase. This is because your savings provider has effectively borrowed your money from you.

How does interest impact investing? ›

Interest rates and bonds have an inverse relationship: When interest rates rise, bond prices fall, and vice versa. Newly issued bonds will have higher coupons after rates rise, making bonds with low coupons issued in the lower-rate environment worth less.

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