PPF after 15 years: What Happens When Your Public Provident Fund Matures

When you open a Public Provident Fund, a long-term, government-backed savings scheme in India that offers tax-free returns under Section 80C. It's known for safety, steady growth, and tax advantages. Also known as PPF account, it's one of the most trusted tools for building retirement wealth without market risk. After exactly 15 years, your PPF account reaches maturity—and that’s when things get interesting. Many people assume the money just sits there, but that’s not true. What you do next can double your returns or leave cash idle for years.

At maturity, you have three real choices: withdraw everything, extend the account with or without contributions, or extend it with contributions. If you withdraw, you get all your savings—principal plus interest—tax-free. No TDS, no paperwork drama. But if you leave the money in, it keeps earning interest. That’s where most people miss out. Even after 15 years, your PPF still earns the same rate as new accounts, currently around 7.1% per year. The government doesn’t lower the rate just because you’ve hit maturity.

You can extend your PPF account, a long-term savings vehicle for Indian residents with fixed interest and tax benefits. It's also known as Public Provident Fund account, and it allows you to keep your money growing after the initial 15-year term. for blocks of five years at a time. You can extend it with contributions, meaning you keep adding money each year (up to ₹1.5 lakh), or without contributions, meaning you let the balance grow on its own. If you choose to contribute again, you get the same tax break under Section 80C—yes, even after maturity. That’s rare. Most tax-saving instruments stop giving deductions once you’ve claimed them for 15 years. PPF doesn’t.

Here’s what most don’t tell you: if you extend without contributions, you can still withdraw up to 60% of the balance at the end of each five-year extension period. That means you can pull out cash every five years while leaving the rest to grow. It’s like having a flexible, tax-free emergency fund that pays interest. And if you’re still working and want to keep saving, extending with contributions lets you keep stacking up tax-free wealth. Your PPF isn’t a dead end—it’s a switch point.

Don’t confuse PPF with fixed deposits. FDs expire and stop earning. PPF keeps going. It’s not just a savings account—it’s a wealth-building engine that keeps running. The key is knowing your options before the 15-year mark hits. Many people panic and withdraw everything because they don’t realize they can keep it going. Others delay extending and lose out on months of interest.

If you’re using PPF for your child’s education, marriage, or retirement, extending it makes sense. If you’re retired and need regular cash, partial withdrawals during extension give you control. Either way, the interest stays tax-free, and the principal stays safe. No market crashes, no fund manager fees, no hidden charges. Just pure, simple growth backed by the Indian government.

Below, you’ll find real guides on how to extend your PPF, how to calculate maturity value, what documents you need, and how to avoid common mistakes that cost people thousands in lost interest. Whether you’re close to maturity or just starting out, these posts help you make the right move at the right time.