Match the option to the goal
| Money needed in | Options to look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Any day (emergency fund) | Savings account, sweep-in FD, liquid fund | Instant access, no risk to capital |
| 1–3 years | Fixed deposits, RD, debt funds, government bonds | You can't afford a fall |
| 3–5 years | Hybrid funds, corporate bonds, FDs | Some growth with a cushion |
| 5+ years | Equity funds by SIP, PPF | Time to ride out market swings |
| Regular income after retirement | SCSS and senior citizen FDs, RBI floating rate bonds | Steady payouts |
Government small savings rates (October–December 2026)
| Scheme | Rate |
|---|---|
| Post Office savings account | 4.0% |
| Post Office time deposit, 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 years | 6.9% / 7.0% / 7.1% / 7.5% |
| Post Office recurring deposit (5 years) | 6.7% |
| Monthly Income Scheme | 7.4% |
| National Savings Certificate | 7.7% |
| Kisan Vikas Patra | 7.5% (doubles in 115 months) |
| Public Provident Fund | 7.1% |
| Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana | 8.2% |
| Senior Citizens Savings Scheme | 8.2% |
The Finance Ministry left all rates unchanged for this quarter on 30 September 2026. Rates are reset every quarter; a fixed-term deposit keeps its opening rate for its whole term, while PPF and Sukanya Samriddhi follow each quarter's rate. Work out PPF growth with the PPF calculator.
Before you invest
- Emergency fund first: six months of expenses somewhere you can reach in a day — see how much emergency fund you need.
- Clear costly debt: no investment reliably beats credit card interest of 3–4% a month.
- Insurance: term life and health cover protect the plan if something goes wrong.
- Then invest by goal, using the table above.
Calculators
SIP · Step-up SIP · Lumpsum · SWP · FD · RD · PPF · Compound interest
For general information only, not investment advice or a recommendation. Oxon Fintech is a loan facilitation platform, not a SEBI-registered investment adviser, bank or mutual fund distributor, and does not sell bonds, deposits or funds. Rates and rules are as checked on the date above; confirm with the issuer, bank or fund house before investing. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme-related documents carefully.