National Pension Scheme: On this episode of Invest Smart, Avni Raja of Editorji speaks with Mrin Agarwal, founder of Finsafe India, about the National Pension Scheme (NPS), how it operates, and whether it could be a useful addition to your retirement portfolio.
Planning for retirement is likely one of the most essential financial objectives. Moreover, the earlier you begin, the better. While there are numerous ways to save for retirement, the National Pension Scheme (NPS) is an excellent addition to your portfolio.
Mrin Agarwal, the founder of Finsafe India, describes some of the NPS’s benefits.
- It is a flexible product that provides numerous investment options.
- Investors can change their investment options or fund managers.
- Providing tax breaks under Section 80CCD
- The investment cost is extremely low at 0.05%.
What is the NPS?
The NPS, or National Pension System, is a voluntary retirement plan that allows you to accumulate a retirement fund or an old-age pension. It is administered by PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority) and is available to all Indian citizens between the ages of 18 and 65 (resident or non-resident). One can join the NPS as late as 60 years of age and continue to contribute until 70 years of age.
The NPS is beneficial for employees, employers, and self-employed individuals. While employees and the self-employed can subscribe to the NPS on their own, employers can offer either the NPS or the PF to their employees. Employers could also transfer existing PF benefits to the NPS if both parties agree.
Account Types within the NPS
Under the NPS, there are two distinct accounts to consider: Tier I and Tier II. The Tier I account is the retirement account and comes with a number of tax benefits, but contributions cannot be withdrawn until age 60. The Tier II account has no restrictions, and you may withdraw funds at any time.
I account is mandatory and is automatically activated when an NPS account is created. Tier II accounts can only be opened by those who already have a Tier I account and require an additional application form.
Tier I has restrictions, but there are circumstances under which partial withdrawals are permitted earlier, such as when the subscriber has a critical illness or requires money for the education of children, wedding expenses, or the purchase or construction of a home. The scheme’s structure has been designed to guarantee maximum lock-in so that the funds can be used to finance retirement.
