For a long time, small savings schemes were the default choice for most taxpayers. They were safe, predictable and easy to understand. But the last couple of years have changed the landscape. Bond yields have been high, target maturity funds have become more popular, and interest rates in banks have climbed. This has made many investors pause and ask whether schemes like PPF, NSC or Sukanya still justify a long lock-in. How PPF compares today

PPF continues to offer one thing most products don’t: tax-free returns. The rate hasn’t moved from 7.1% for many quarters, which makes it look low on paper. But the tax treatment changes the picture. For someone in the 30% slab, a 7.1% PPF return is roughly equal to a 9.8-10% taxable FD. That advantage is still hard to replace.

The issue is liquidit

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