With the growing awareness about investing and finance, investors in India now have wider options to choose from in order to meet their financial goals. Whether the purpose is to achieve high returns, maintain liquidity or enjoy tax benefits with minimum risk, investors often opt to choose between two popular investment options: Public Provident Fund (PPF) and Mutual Funds (MFs).
Although both are valuable in financial growth, they serve different functions. While Mutual Funds (MFs) are professionally managed investment pools that spread your money across various assets like stocks, bonds, gold, etc, Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a government-backed savings scheme that focuses on long-term financial security.
Through this comprehensive blog, we will explore the meanings of PPF and Mutual Fund and also understand the crucial differences between the two to choose the investment option that suits your financial needs the best.
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What is PPF?
The full form of PPF is Public Provident Fund. A Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a long-term savings scheme popular among individuals seeking stable, risk-free returns. Since it is backed by the government, it ensures the safety of your money and offers guaranteed returns.
In a PPF account, you deposit money regularly, and the interest is compounded. It’s ideal for low-risk investors and isn’t affected by market fluctuations, contributing to the diversification of your financial portfolio.
What is a Mutual Fund?
A Mutual Fund (MF) is an investment vehicle that pools money from multiple investors and invests it in stocks, bonds, or other securities. It provides investors access to a professionally managed portfolio, helps diversify risk, and can reduce costs through shared resources. The total collection of these investments is called the mutual fund’s portfolio. When you invest in a mutual fund, you buy units of the fund. Each unit represents your share of ownership in the fund and entitles you to a portion of any returns it generates, such as dividends, interest, or capital gains, thereby contributing to your financial growth.
Which is Better?: PPF vs Mutual Fund
| Factors | PPF | Mutual Fund |
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| Investment Type |
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| Return on Investment (ROI) |
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| Lock-in Period |
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| Liquidity |
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| Maturity Period |
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| Pre Mature Closure |
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| Tax Benefits |
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| Reasons to Invest |
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Consider the following example to understand the returns of investing in PPF and Mutual Funds over one year:
Let’s compare an investment of ₹1.5 lakh in PPF and Mutual Funds over one year.
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PPF (Public Provident Fund) – 7.1% Interest Rate for FY 2024-25
- Interest Rate: 7.1% per annum (compounded annually)
- Investment: ₹1,50,000
- Return after 1 Year: ₹1,50,000 × 7.1% = ₹10,650
- Total Value after 1 Year: ₹1,50,000 + ₹10,650 = ₹1,60,650
Mutual Funds (Assumed 12% Annual Return)
- Annual Return (Assumption): 12% (Market-linked, not guaranteed)
- Investment: ₹1,50,000
- Return after 1 Year: ₹1,50,000 × 12% = ₹18,000
- Total Value after 1 Year: ₹1,50,000 + ₹18,000 = ₹1,68,000
Mutual funds have the potential for higher returns (₹18,000 vs. ₹10,650 in this example) but come with market risk and fluctuations. PPF provides a stable and government-backed return, making it a safer option, but with lower returns compared to equity mutual funds. Your choice should depend on your risk tolerance and investment goals.
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Disclaimer: Nothing on this blog constitutes investment advice, performance data or any recommendation that any security, portfolio of securities, investment product, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. You should not use this blog to make financial decisions. We highly recommend you seek professional advice from someone who is authorised to provide investment advice.
