Why RD for PPF Yearly Investment is a Wrong Strategy?

Many save in RD for next year’s PPF deposit, but this hurts returns. Here’s why monthly PPF before 5th is a smarter strategy.

When it comes to Public Provident Fund (PPF), almost every investor knows the golden rule—deposit your money before the 5th of the month to earn interest for that month.

Because of this, many people follow a popular strategy: they put money into a Recurring Deposit (RD) throughout the year, and in the next April (between 1st and 5th), they transfer the RD maturity to PPF as a lump sum.

At first glance, this feels like the “best of both worlds”: you earn interest from RD for the year and still capture full-year interest in PPF. But is this really the smartest way to grow your money?

The reality is RD for PPF yearly investment is actually a wrong strategy. By doing this, you are losing out on compounding and paying unnecessary taxes. Let’s understand this step by step with numbers.

Why RD for PPF Yearly Investment is a Wrong Strategy?

How PPF Interest Works

• Current PPF interest rate = 7.1% (tax-free)
• Interest is calculated monthly on the lowest balance between 5th and month-end
• Credited annually, but effectively compounding works year after year
• So if you invest Rs.10,000 before the 5th of every month, that installment earns interest for that month plus the rest of the year

In short, the earlier you deposit each month, the more months your money earns tax-free interest.

How RD Works (and Why It Looks Attractive)

• Suppose you invest Rs.10,000 per month in a one-year RD.
• After a year, the RD matures, and you transfer the maturity to PPF in April.
• On paper, it looks smart because:
  • You earn interest in RD for 12 months
  • Then you earn PPF interest for a full year (since you invested lump sum in April)

But here’s what’s missed:

1. RD interest is fully taxable (added to your income, taxed at your slab rate).
   • If you are in the 30% tax bracket, a 7.1% RD earns only ~4.9% post-tax.
2. Lost compounding – In the monthly PPF route, each installment earns tax-free compounding for 15 years. In the RD route, your PPF compounding starts one year later for each installment.

Current 1-Year RD Rates (August 2025)

Even at the best RD rates, post-tax returns are nowhere close to PPF’s 7.1% tax-free return.

Real Comparison: Monthly PPF vs RD ? PPF

Let’s assume:

• You want to invest Rs.1,20,000 per year (Rs.10,000/month) for 15 years
• Option 1: Invest monthly in PPF before 5th of each month
• Option 2: Invest in RD, then transfer yearly lump sum to PPF in April

Correct Simulation Results

By the 15th year, the difference is Rs.35,000, even though we assumed RD rate = PPF rate (7.1%). In reality, since RD is taxable and usually lower, the gap will be even bigger.

Key Observations

1. Small leak becomes big loss – Every year, you lose a little to RD taxation and delayed compounding. Over 15 years, this adds up.
2. Tax-free always wins – PPF’s tax-free interest makes it unbeatable compared to RD.
3. RD is unnecessary middleman – Instead of RD, direct PPF monthly deposits give better returns without extra steps.
4. Simplicity is the edge – With direct PPF, you don’t depend on RD maturities or tax calculations.

Common FAQs

1. Is lump sum in April better than monthly deposits?
Yes, if you already have the full money available in April, lump sum is ideal. But if you don’t, then monthly deposits before 5th work best.

2. What if my cash flow doesn’t allow monthly deposits?
If you can only arrange funds monthly, just deposit directly into PPF instead of RD. You earn tax-free compounding immediately.

3. Can RD still be useful?
RD can be useful for short-term goals or as a forced saving tool, but not for building a PPF corpus.

4. What if PPF rates change?
Rates may change quarterly, but both lump sum and monthly deposits get the prevailing rate. The advantage of avoiding RD taxation and starting compounding early always remains.

Myth vs Reality

• Myth 1: Lump sum in April is always better.
  Only true if you already have cash ready. If you don’t, monthly PPF before 5th beats RD + lump sum.
• Myth 2: RD helps earn extra returns before PPF.
  False, because RD interest is taxable and you lose a year of PPF compounding.
• Myth 3: Difference is negligible.
  Over 15 years, the gap can be Rs.35,000–Rs.50,000 or more, depending on tax bracket and RD rate.

Final Conclusion

At first, using an RD to build a yearly PPF corpus looks smart. But when you factor in taxation and lost compounding, the reality is clear:

RD for PPF yearly investment is a wrong strategy.

If you want to maximize your PPF returns:

• Deposit before the 5th of every month, or
• If you have lump sum in April, deposit it right away.

With this approach, you:

• Earn higher, tax-free returns,
• Avoid unnecessary RD taxation,
• Build discipline and simplicity,
• And walk away with a bigger maturity corpus.

In personal finance, sometimes the smartest strategy is the simplest one. For PPF, that strategy is direct monthly deposits before 5th—not RD detours.

Refer to all our earlier posts related to PPF-related articles here – EPF and PPF