Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana Calculator

SSY is a government-backed small savings scheme for the girl child, launched under the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative. You deposit annually for 15 years, and the account matures 21 years from opening. Current interest rate is 8.2% p.a. (Q1 FY 2026-27), reviewed quarterly. It has EEE (Exempt-Exempt-Exempt) tax status - contribution is 80C deductible, interest is tax-free, and maturity proceeds are tax-free.

Any natural or legal guardian can open SSY for a girl child who is 10 years old or younger. Only one account per girl child is allowed. A family can open accounts for a maximum of 2 girls. An exception is made for twin girls or triplets. The account can be opened at a post office or authorized bank branch (SBI, HDFC, Axis, ICICI, etc.).

Minimum deposit: ₹250/year. Maximum deposit: ₹1,50,000/year. Deposits must be made every year for the first 15 years. Missing a year makes the account inactive - it can be reactivated by paying ₹50 penalty per year of default plus the minimum deposit. You can deposit in lump sum or multiple installments. Contributions above ₹1.5L are rejected.

Partial withdrawal (up to 50% of balance at end of previous financial year) is allowed after the girl turns 18, for higher education expenses. Full premature closure is allowed: (1) on girl's marriage after age 18, (2) on extreme compassionate grounds (death of guardian, girl's life-threatening illness), (3) after 5 years if continued operation is not in the girl's interest. Normal maturity is at 21 years from account opening.

SSY vs PPF: Rate: SSY 8.2% vs PPF 7.1% (SSY wins by 1.1%). Lock-in: SSY 21 years vs PPF 15 years (PPF more flexible). Tax: Both EEE. Max: SSY ₹1.5L/year = PPF ₹1.5L/year. SSY is better for the girl's corpus due to higher rate. PPF is better for the parent's own savings (more flexibility, shorter lock-in, extension allowed). Ideal strategy: SSY for girl's education/marriage fund + PPF for parents' retirement.

After the girl turns 18, she becomes the account holder and manages it herself, though contributions may continue until the 15th year of account opening. At 18, the girl can withdraw up to 50% of the balance as of the previous financial year end for higher education expenses - this does not require the account to mature. She will need to provide proof of admission (university offer letter, fee structure) for the partial withdrawal. The account matures 21 years from the opening date, not from her 18th birthday. For a girl whose account was opened at birth, the account matures when she is 21. Premature full closure is allowed on the occasion of her marriage after age 18. Between age 18 and 21, if she does not need the funds, the balance continues earning 8.2% tax-free interest - a strong reason to let it run to full maturity rather than withdrawing the partial 50% at 18.

Yes. The minimum annual contribution to keep an SSY account active is Rs. 250 per financial year (April to March). If you miss a year entirely or deposit less than Rs. 250, the account becomes inactive or defaulted. To reactivate it: visit the branch where the account is held, pay a Rs. 50 penalty for each year of default, plus the minimum Rs. 250 contribution for each defaulted year. The reactivation must happen before the account's 15-year mandatory contribution period ends. Interest continues to be credited even on a defaulted account - the penalty is the activation fee, not a loss of interest for the missed year. Planning tip: set up an annual auto-transfer or standing instruction from your savings account to pay at least Rs. 250 in April if you plan a lower contribution year, to keep the account active with zero penalty risk.