5-year Post Office Time Deposit or Tax-saving bank FDs: Which offers higher interest now?
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Post Office 5-Year Term Deposit (TD) Account
The Post Office 5-Year Term Deposit (TD) Account is a government-backed savings scheme offering a fixed interest rate and tax benefits. The interest rate on the 5 year Post Office Term Deposit is 7.5% for the first quarter of 2025 — January to March. The government revises post office small savings scheme interest rates every quarter. However, once you lock in your funds in the TD the interest rate remains unchanged for the entire tenure.
Also read: Last minute tax saving: Here’s a list of tax saving FDs with high interest rates, lock in before March 31, 2025
Post Office 5-Year Term Deposit is eligible for deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Under this scheme, TDS will be deducted. Interest obtained through this plan is taxed. When filing your tax returns, you must include interest income under «Income from Other Sources» and pay the appropriate income tax rate.
The minimum investment to be made is Rs 1000/- and Rs 1.5 lakh is eligible for deduction under section 80C. Note that only 5 year term deposits in Post Office offer tax benefits, other tenures of 1, 2, and 3 years are not eligible for tax benefits.
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Tax-saving FD for general citizens
Tax-saving FDs have a five-year mandatory lock-in period, which means that early withdrawals are not permitted.
TDS on interest
If the interest earned exceeds Rs 40,000 for general citizens in a