Employees Provident Fund i.e. EPF allows you to gather enough corpus over 15 years and you can also extend this tenor throughout your career to accumulate a huge corpus till retirement. Though EPF is mostly seen as a retirement fund, the uncertainties in employment can force you to withdraw your PF as it can also be withdrawn after 2 successive months of the unemployment period. By considering all these things, we have brought these 8 smart avenues where you can invest your PF fund:
Debt mutual funds
As debt mutual funds invest your money in government securities, corporate bonds, and other fixed-income instruments, they are less risky than stocks and mutual funds. Apart from that, they will provide you considerable returns as well. As a result, you can invest a part of your EPF fund in this instrument.
NPS
Investing the EPF Fund is an NPS can be a good decision as it can help you to take care of your finances post-retirement. A monthly deposit of Rs. 500 can be made in an NPS (National Pension Scheme) to earn a steady income plus a large chunk of corpus post-retirement.
PPF
Investing your PF fund in a PPF account is a smart choice as it will compound your returns over 15 years. Although it is a safe instrument, you should think twice before investing your EPF funds in a PPF since the withdrawal norms of PPF are quite difficult.
SCSS
Investing a sizable portion of EPF amount in SCSS is a common choice for most retirees as it provides a stable platform and good returns to them. The SCSS interest is paid every quarter and this can provide you a steady income flow post-retirement.
Real estate
If you already have accommodation then investing your EPF fund in a second home can be an ideal investment as you can rent it or sell it at a higher price point in the future. The property’s location will determine your returns irrespective of whether you buy land, shop, or second home with your EPF fund.
Gold
Investing in gold is a good choice because its rates increase steadily. You can also invest in a sovereign gold bond offered by RBI if you are looking for a long-term investment that can provide substantial returns.
Invest in share market
If you have a fair idea about the stock market then you can invest a part of your EPF fund in the stock market as well. Open a demat account, pick the securities that you want to trade-in, and start trading today.
Company FDs
If you want to invest your EPF funds in a fixed deposit, then choose a company FD as bank FDs are not providing high interest rates as of today. You can invest in Bajaj Finance FD as it is providing a high FD interest rate of up to 7.25%. Your deposits will be safe as credit rating organizations like CRISIL and ICRA have rated it as a highly secure and stable platform for investors.
Also, you will get a 0.25% additional interest rate if you are a senior citizen. This makes it an ideal platform for retirees who have amassed a sizable corpus through EPF. A 0.10% additonal rate will be provided even if you are non-senior but for that, you will have to choose the online investment process by filling the online FD form.
If you are not sure about the tenor or amount that you want to invest in this FD, you can use an Fixed Deposit interest calculator as it will give you a clear idea about the investment, FD type, applicable interest rates, and returns at the same time.
Moreover, investing in multiple FD plans is possible and even a different investment period and FD type can be chosen for every deposit as Bajaj Finance is offering a multi-deposit facility to investors who are keen on opening multiple FD accounts at once. Choosing varying tenors will not only help you to take care of your immediate fund needs but you can also allocate some of your EPF fund to secure your future. All these benefits and perks make it an ideal avenue for depositing your funds obtained through EPF or any other means.
EPF is an ideal investment as it is stable and generates enough returns over a long period. However, investing in the EPF fund can be tricky as there are multiple investment avenues. You can invest your EPF amount in PPF, NPS, SCSS, debt mutual funds, stocks, real estate, or gold investments. However, the best option would be to invest the EPF corpus in a high-paying FD like Bajaj Finance FD, it not only provides a flexible tenor that can suit your financial requirements but you can also invest in multiple FDs to utilize your EPF fund for your present and future investment needs. Moreover, it is also a stable platform as credit rating agencies such as ICRA and CRISIL have rated it highly for being a safe option for investors.
