Money is a requirement that remains important regardless of your age and you need money in every aspect of life and every age. However, during old age, it is more difficult to earn money by working hard. So it is a very good learn to invest your money in proper places. Especially in India, we must choose the proper investment plan to save in our retirement.
There are a lot of options in investment plans to choose from. So you need to gather information and choose what is best for you. It is highly important to understand all the investment options that are available in the market. It makes it easier to choose and invest in. For that very reason, in this article, we will take you through the best investment opportunities for senior citizens that you can look into.
Most Popular Investment Options for Senior Citizens
Here are some most popular plans for senior citizens. These are also the best make-money options.
Investment option- Senior citizen savings scheme
Interest rate – 8.20% p.a.
Minimum investment– 1000 rupees
Investment option- Post office monthly income scheme
Interest rate– 7.40 % p.a.
Minimum investment– 1500 rupees
Investment option- Senior citizen FD
Interest rate– 8.20 % p.a.
Minimum investment– Varies with bank
Investment option- Tax-free bonds
Interest rate- 5.5-6.5% p.a.
Minimum investment– N.A
Investment option– Mutual funds
Interest rate– 12-15%
Minimum investment– 100 rupees
The above table consists of the basic information about what we will discuss in the article. They are the best options available for senior citizens to invest in. More information about the above is provided below.
Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS)
The senior citizen savings scheme is one of the best investment options that you can go for as a senior citizen. It is a post office savings scheme it’s backed by the Government of India and it offers you safety with your money and a part of your regular income in the form of interest payment if you invest in the scheme the interest is computed every quarter. The amount of interest you will receive is controlled by the Ministry of Finance. The money gets credited to your account quarterly.
Minimum investment: INR 1000
Maximum investment: INR 3000000
Interest rate p.a.: 8.20%
Lock period: 5 years
The amount of interest you earn can be taxable if it exceeds INR 50000.
Premature withdrawal is allowed, but only after 1 year of account opening. There is a penalty for premature withdrawal which is taken from the initial deposit amount. In case of the death of the account holder, the account is terminated and a payout is handed to the nominee/heir.
Post office monthly income scheme
This is another scheme backed by the Government of India and is a stable source of income for many senior citizens this is a saving scheme that has a lower risk factor. It offers you regular income through the scheme.
Minimum Investment: INR 1,000
Maximum Investment: INR 9,00,000 for an individual. If joint then INR 15,00,000
Interest Rate: 7.40% p.a.
Lock Period: 5 Years
Tax Saving: no tax deductions.
TDS: Not taxable.
Premature Withdrawal: Similar to the SCSS, premature withdrawals are allowed after a year, but they come with penalties.
Senior citizen FD
This is the investment plan that is opted for by m of senior citizens. This happens because it is a very low-risk investment and offers you a fixed return on your investment. This is offered by all banks and is one of the most stable revenue sources for retired people. This low-risk return option is a great source to earn some extra revenue.
Minimum & Maximum Investment: different in different banks.
Preferential Interest Rate: Interest rates vary in the range of 3-7 percent with senior citizens getting 0.5 percent more from their investment.
Interest Payments: Senior citizens get the option to choose their interest payouts monthly quarterly annually or at the time of maturity.
Lock-In Period: Depends on what scheme you choose.
Tax Saving: Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
TDS: 10 percent TDS is interest exceeding INR 50k.
Taxation: depends on the investor’s income tax slab.
Premature Withdrawal: A penalty is deducted if withdrawal is made prematurely.
Loan Facility: Available.
Tax-free bonds
It is issued by the government of India and is a risk-free investment option. The interest rates are low but it comes without any risk. It is issued by government infrastructure organizations like the NHAI, Railway, and Housing Corporation.
Tenure: above 10 years.
Lock-in Period: till maturity, however, you can trade it in the stock market.
Interest: 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent.
Completely risk-free as it is a government-backed scheme. You get capital protection and regular interest payments, making it one of the best schemes for senior citizens.
The profit from selling the bonds is taxable under section 112. If sold before one year, the investor’s income slab rate applies. Long-term capital gains will be taxed at 10 percent without indentation benefits and 20 percent with it.
Mutual funds
Mutual funds are one of the best investment opportunities for senior citizens. The working principle of mutual funds is to pool money from multiple investors who have similar goals there are different categories of mutual funds like equity mutual funds and that science. There are also hybrid funds which you can invest in. You can choose the type of mutual fund account you want to have by understanding your goals better.
