You can check your Public Provident Fund (PPF) account balance online, offline, or at the post office:
Step1: Online method
- Log in to your bank’s online banking portal.
- Go to the accounts or deposits section to find your PPF account.
- Click on your PPF account to get your current balance.
Step 2: Offline method
- Visit the bank branch where you have opened your PPF account.
- Provide your PPF account number and other necessary details to the bank official.
- The bank official will provide you with your current PPF account balance. You can also check your PPF account balance by updating your passbook.
Step 3: Post Office method
- Visit the post office where you have opened your PPF account.
- Provide your PPF account number and other necessary details to the post office official.
- The post office official will provide you with your current PPF account balance. You can also check your PPF account balance by updating your passbook at the post office.
Additional Read: How to Withdraw PF Amount Online in 5 Simple Steps
Why is it important to check your PPF account balance
Regularly checking your PPF account balance is crucial for several reasons:
- Track investment growth: Checking your balance allows you to monitor the growth of your investment and track the impact of your contributions on your overall savings.
- Verify accrued interest: You can verify the calculation of PPF interest credited to your account, ensuring accuracy and identifying any discrepancies.
- Plan for future withdrawals: Checking your balance helps you plan for partial withdrawals or maturity proceeds, ensuring you have sufficient funds available when needed.
- Assess loan eligibility: PPF accounts allow for loans against the accumulated balance. Checking your account balance helps you determine your loan eligibility and the amount you can borrow.
- Monitor account activity: Regular checks can help you detect any unauthorized transactions or discrepancies in your account activity.
- Stay informed about your investments: Staying informed about your PPF account balance helps you make informed decisions about your overall financial planning and investment strategy.
- Ensure account security: Checking your balance helps you ensure the security of your account and detect any suspicious activity that might indicate a security breach.
- Maintain financial discipline: Regularly reviewing your PPF account balance can help you stay disciplined with your savings goals and encourage consistent contributions.
- Peace of mind: Knowing your current PPF account balance provides peace of mind and allows you to confidently plan for your future financial needs.
Also read: Employees Provident Fund (EPF) - EPFO Benefits & Process
What are the Options Available to Individuals on their PPF’s Maturity?
- Firstly, they can close the account and withdraw the entire balance along with the interest earned, tax-free.
- Secondly, they can extend the account for another 5 years without making any additional contributions. This is the default option if the account holder neither closes the account nor extends it with contributions.
- Thirdly, they can extend the account for another 5 years with additional contributions.
How to build a good corpus in PPF account?
- Make consistent and regular contributions to your PPF account. The more you contribute, the faster your corpus will grow.
- PPF follows a compounding interest model. Leave your contributions untouched to benefit from compounded returns, allowing your corpus to grow exponentially over time.
- PPF has a fixed tenure of 15 years which can be extended to 5 more years. Stick with the investment for a long term to get the most and to ensure your savings grow steadily.
- Instead of withdrawing the interest earned, reinvest it back into the PPF account. This accelerates the compounding effect, contributing to a larger corpus.
- Leverage the tax benefits offered by PPF. Since PPF follows the EEE (Exempt-Exempt-Exempt) model of taxation, which means that the principal amount, interest earned, and maturity amount are all exempt from taxes & your corpus grows without the burden of taxation.
- Although PPF lets you take out some money from the 7th year, avoid unnecessary withdrawals to keep your savings grow.
- Regularly monitor your PPF account statements. Stay informed about the changes in PPF interest rates and government policies and adjust your contributions ensuring they align with your overall financial plan.
Also Read: How to check EPF balance amount
Conclusion
In conclusion, actively monitoring your PPF account balance is not just a routine task but a strategic move for financial empowerment. From leveraging loan facilities to optimizing tax benefits and navigating maturity decisions, staying informed is key. This simple practice ensures that your PPF investments align with your evolving financial goals.
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