Post Office Interest Rates Oct–Dec 2026
PPF, SCSS, NSC, MIS, KVP & SSY
Every small savings rate for 1 October – 31 December 2026, what each pays in rupees, and a Monthly Income Scheme calculator for your own deposit.
Read the full answer — method, rates and figures
Quick answer: Post office (small savings) interest rates for 1 October – 31 December 2026 are unchanged: Senior Citizens Savings Scheme 8.2%, Sukanya Samriddhi 8.2%, NSC 7.7%, Kisan Vikas Patra 7.5% (doubles in 115 months), 5-year time deposit 7.5%, Monthly Income Scheme 7.4%, PPF 7.1%, 3-year time deposit 7.1%, 2-year 7.0%, 1-year 6.9%, 5-year RD 6.7% and savings account 4.0% (Ministry of Finance memorandum of 30 September 2026; unchanged since 1 January 2024). ₹9 lakh in the Monthly Income Scheme pays ₹5,550 a month. The next rates are due by 31 December 2026.
Sources: dea.gov.in, nsiindia.gov.in (verified 13 Oct 2026).
Post Office Monthly Income Scheme calculator
Rates include 4% health & education cess.
Monthly income
₹3,083
at 7.4%, for 5 years
After tax
₹3,083
a month
Interest in 5 years
₹1.85 lakh
₹0 tax a year
Back at maturity
₹5.00 lakh
your full deposit
Save your monthly income plan
Deposits mature on different dates. Richify tracks your MIS, SCSS, PPF and FDs together, with each maturity date.
Monthly income
₹3,083
After tax
₹3,083
Tax a year
₹0
Deposit
₹5.00 lakh
The same ₹5.00 lakh elsewhere
- • SCSS at 8.2% (age 60+): ₹10,250 a quarter, about ₹3,417 a month.
- • 5-year time deposit at 7.5%: ₹38,568 a year, paid once a year.
- • Closing this MIS early: ₹4.90 lakh back if closed between years 1 and 3, ₹4.95 lakh after year 3 (plus the interest already paid).
Last reviewed 13 October 2026 by the Richify AI agent team.
Reviewed by Lily, Richify's AI Financial Teacher — an AI author, presented as one.
This is the textbook answer. Want to see this calculated against your actual accounts?
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Richify puts your SCSS, MIS, PPF and FDs next to your home, mutual funds and foreign accounts, so you see one number, and when each deposit matures.
Track my deposits in RichifyHow it works
The Monthly Income Scheme pays simple interest every month on a fixed deposit:
- Monthly income: deposit × 7.4% ÷ 12, paid every month for 5 years. The rate on the day you open the account stays fixed.
- Tax: the interest is taxable at your slab rate plus 4% cess each year. It is not covered by section 80C.
- At maturity: the full deposit comes back after 5 years. Closing early costs 2% (years 1–3) or 1% (after year 3) of the deposit.
Post office interest rates for 1 October – 31 December 2026
Every small savings rate is unchanged for Oct–Dec 2026: SCSS and Sukanya Samriddhi 8.2%, NSC 7.7%, KVP and the 5-year time deposit 7.5%, MIS 7.4%, PPF 7.1% and the 5-year RD 6.7%. The Ministry of Finance memorandum of 30 September 2026 carried them over from July–September, and the table has not moved since 1 January 2024.
| Scheme | Rate | Interest | In rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post Office Savings Account | 4.0% | Yearly | ₹4,000 a year on ₹1 lakh |
| 1-year Time Deposit | 6.9% | Compounded quarterly, paid yearly | ₹7,081 on ₹1 lakh |
| 2-year Time Deposit | 7.0% | Compounded quarterly, paid yearly | ₹7,186 a year on ₹1 lakh |
| 3-year Time Deposit | 7.1% | Compounded quarterly, paid yearly | ₹7,291 a year on ₹1 lakh |
| 5-year Time Deposit | 7.5% | Compounded quarterly, paid yearly | ₹7,714 a year on ₹1 lakh |
| 5-year Recurring Deposit (RD) | 6.7% | Compounded quarterly, at maturity | ₹71,366 from ₹1,000 a month |
| Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS) | 8.2% | Paid quarterly | ₹2,050 a quarter on ₹1 lakh |
| Monthly Income Scheme (POMIS) | 7.4% | Paid monthly | ₹617 a month on ₹1 lakh |
| National Savings Certificate (NSC) | 7.7% | Compounded yearly, at maturity | ₹1,44,903 after 5 years on ₹1 lakh |
| Public Provident Fund (PPF) | 7.1% | Compounded yearly | ₹40.68 lakh from ₹1.5 lakh a year for 15 years |
| Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) | 7.5% | Doubles in 115 months | ₹2,00,000 after 115 months on ₹1 lakh |
| Sukanya Samriddhi (SSY) | 8.2% | Compounded yearly | Deposits for 15 years, matures at 21 years |
Rates are per year. The next quarter's rates (January–March 2027) are due by 31 December 2026. If you open a fixed-term account now (a time deposit, RD, SCSS, MIS, NSC or KVP), the Oct–Dec 2026 rate stays for its whole term; PPF and Sukanya Samriddhi balances move with each quarter's rate. All of these are Government of India schemes.
SCSS interest rate Q3 2026: 8.2%
The Senior Citizens Savings Scheme pays 8.2% for accounts opened 1 October – 31 December 2026, credited every quarter. ₹30.00 lakh, the maximum, pays ₹61,500 a quarter, ₹2,46,000 a year. It is the highest rate open to a retiree, which is why it is usually filled first, with the Monthly Income Scheme next. The SCSS calculator works out the quarterly payout and tax for your deposit.
Which small savings scheme is right for you?
| Scheme | Term | Deposit limits | 80C | Interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Deposit (1/2/3/5 yr) | 1, 2, 3 or 5 years | ₹1,000 minimum, no maximum | 5-year only | Taxable |
| 5-year RD | 5 years | ₹100 a month minimum | No | Taxable |
| SCSS | 5 years, extendable by 3 | ₹1,000 to ₹30.00 lakh; age 60+ | Yes | Taxable |
| POMIS | 5 years | ₹1,000 to ₹9.00 lakh single, ₹15.00 lakh joint | No | Taxable |
| NSC | 5 years | ₹1,000 minimum, no maximum | Yes | Taxable |
| PPF | 15 years, extendable by 5 | ₹500 to ₹1.5 lakh a year | Yes | Tax-free |
| KVP | 115 months | ₹1,000 minimum, no maximum | No | Taxable |
| SSY | 21 years | ₹250 to ₹1.5 lakh a year; girl under 10 | Yes | Tax-free |
For a regular income, a common order for retirees is SCSS first (highest rate, paid quarterly), then the Monthly Income Scheme (paid monthly). To grow a sum over 5 years, NSC pays the most of the schemes open to everyone. For a 15-year, tax-free build-up, PPF wins for anyone paying 20% or 30% tax. The 80C deduction is available only under the old tax regime, up to ₹1.5 lakh a year across everything you claim. To grow a monthly saving instead, the RD calculator covers the 5-year Post Office RD, and the PPF calculator shows the 15-year tax-free result.
Post Office MIS vs a bank FD for monthly income
₹5.00 lakh in the Monthly Income Scheme pays ₹3,083 a month, ₹2,442 after tax in the 20% slab. A bank FD on monthly payout pays whatever your bank offers, and is covered by DICGC insurance up to ₹5 lakh per bank; MIS is a Government of India scheme. Either way the interest is taxable at your slab rate, and you report it in your ITR. To compare a bank FD on the same amount, use the FD calculator.
Primary sources, verified 13 October 2026: Ministry of Finance (DEA, Budget Division) — Office Memoranda F.No.1/4/2019-NS on small savings rates, 30 September 2026 (Q3 FY 2026-27) and 29 December 2023 (the last memorandum with a rate table). National Savings Institute (Ministry of Finance) — scheme terms for MIS, SCSS, NSC, KVP, PPF, SSY and time deposits. Education only, not tax advice.
FY 2026-27 is Tax Year 2026-27. The Income-tax Act, 1961 stands repealed on 01.04.2026, and income earned from that date falls under the Income-tax Act, 2025, which also replaces the "previous year / assessment year" pair with the single term "tax year". Section numbers on this page are the familiar 1961 ones, because that is what taxpayers, banks and brokers still use and search for; the 2025 Act renumbers them. Budget 2026 left slabs, cess, surcharge and the rebate unchanged. General information, not personalised tax advice — confirm with your CA.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the amount you plan to put into the Post Office Monthly Income Scheme. The minimum is ₹1,000, in multiples of ₹1,000.
- Choose a single or joint account: up to ₹9 lakh alone, ₹15 lakh jointly.
- Pick your income tax slab to see the monthly income after tax.
- Compare the same money in SCSS (if you are 60 or older) and a 5-year time deposit below the result.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are the post office interest rates for October to December 2026?
For 1 October – 31 December 2026: PPF 7.1%, Sukanya Samriddhi 8.2%, Senior Citizens Savings Scheme 8.2%, NSC 7.7%, Kisan Vikas Patra 7.5% (doubles in 115 months), Monthly Income Scheme 7.4%, 5-year RD 6.7%, time deposits 6.9% (1 year), 7.0% (2 years), 7.1% (3 years) and 7.5% (5 years), and the savings account 4.0%. The Ministry of Finance memorandum of 30 September 2026 kept every rate unchanged from the previous quarter; the table has not changed since 1 January 2024.
What is the SCSS interest rate for Q3 2026?
8.2% a year for 1 October – 31 December 2026, paid every quarter: ₹2,050 a quarter on each ₹1 lakh, or ₹61,500 a quarter on the ₹30.00 lakh maximum. The rate on the day you open an SCSS account stays fixed for its 5 years, so a later change does not affect it.
SCSS is open to people aged 60 and over, and from 55 for those who retired on superannuation or VRS.
How much monthly income will I get from POMIS on ₹9 lakh?
At 7.4%, ₹9 lakh in a single Post Office Monthly Income Scheme account pays ₹5,550 a month, ₹66,600 a year. A joint account can hold up to ₹15 lakh and pays ₹9,250 a month.
The deposit comes back in full after 5 years. The interest is taxable at your slab rate, and the ₹9 lakh and ₹15 lakh limits apply across all your MIS accounts together.
Which post office scheme gives the highest interest?
SCSS and Sukanya Samriddhi, both at 8.2%, but each has an eligibility rule: SCSS is for people aged 60 and over, and Sukanya Samriddhi only for a girl child under 10. Open to anyone, NSC pays the most at 7.7%, then the 5-year time deposit and KVP at 7.5%, and the Monthly Income Scheme at 7.4%.
PPF pays 7.1%, but its interest is tax-free, which makes it worth more than its rate to anyone in the 20% or 30% slab.
When will post office interest rates change next?
The Ministry of Finance sets small savings rates every quarter and announces them in the last days of the quarter before. The rates for January to March 2027 are due by 31 December 2026.
For fixed-term schemes (time deposits, RD, SCSS, POMIS, NSC, KVP) the rate on the day you invest is locked for the whole term. PPF and Sukanya Samriddhi balances earn whatever rate is notified for each quarter.
Can I close a Post Office MIS account early?
Yes, after one year. Closing it after 1 year but before 3 years costs 2% of the deposit; after 3 years, 1%.
On ₹9 lakh that is ₹18,000 or ₹9,000. The account cannot be closed in its first year.
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Further Reading
Your post office deposits are part of your net worth
Richify puts your SCSS, MIS, PPF and FDs next to your home, mutual funds and foreign accounts, so you see one number, and when each deposit matures.
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