Tax Benefits of Deposits under National Pension Scheme (NPS) as per Income Tax Act, 1961

The National Pension Scheme (NPS) offers multiple tax benefits to individuals under the Income Tax Act, 1961. These benefits are available to both salaried and self-employed individuals:


1. Deduction under Section 80CCD(1)

  • Eligibility: Available to individuals (both salaried and self-employed).
  • Maximum Limit:
    • Salaried: Up to 10% of salary (Basic + Dearness Allowance).
    • Self-employed: Up to 20% of gross total income.
  • Overall Cap: The deduction is part of the overall limit of ₹1,50,000 under Section 80C, 80CCC, and 80CCD(1) combined.

2. Additional Deduction under Section 80CCD(1B)

  • Eligibility: Available to all NPS subscribers.
  • Amount: Additional deduction of up to ₹50,000, over and above the limit of ₹1,50,000 under Section 80C.
  • Note: This additional benefit makes NPS attractive for tax planning beyond the regular 80C limits.

3. Employer’s Contribution – Section 80CCD(2)

  • Eligibility: Available only to salaried individuals where the employer contributes to NPS.
  • Amount: Deduction up to:
    • 14% of salary for Central Government employees.
    • 10% of salary for other employees.
  • Important: This deduction is over and above the limits under Sections 80C and 80CCD(1B), and there is no monetary cap, only percentage-based.

4. Taxation at Withdrawal Stage

  • Partial Withdrawal: Up to 25% of own contributions can be withdrawn tax-free under certain conditions (e.g., illness, higher education, marriage, home purchase).
  • Maturity Withdrawal:
    • At retirement, up to 60% of the accumulated corpus can be withdrawn, of which the entire 60% is tax-free as per the latest provisions.
    • The remaining 40% must be used to purchase an annuity, which is taxable as per applicable slab rates in the year of receipt.

Summary of Tax Benefits Table

Section Benefit Type Maximum Deduction Eligibility
80CCD(1) Own Contribution (Part of 80C) Up to ₹1.5 lakh (within 80C limit) Salaried & Self-employed
80CCD(1B) Additional Own Contribution Up to ₹50,000 (over & above 80C) Salaried & Self-employed
80CCD(2) Employer’s Contribution Up to 10% (private) / 14% (Govt.) of salary Salaried individuals

Here’s a clear comparison of Tax Benefits of NPS Deposits under Old and New Tax Regime as per the Income Tax Act, 1961:


1. Old Tax Regime (With Exemptions & Deductions)

✅ Available Deductions for NPS:

Section Particulars Maximum Deduction Remarks
80CCD(1) Own Contribution (part of 80C) Up to ₹1.5 lakh Subject to 10% of salary (for salaried) or 20% of gross total income (for self-employed)
80CCD(1B) Additional Own Contribution Up to ₹50,000 Over and above ₹1.5 lakh limit of 80C
80CCD(2) Employer’s Contribution Up to 10% of salary (14% for central govt. employees) Deduction over and above 80C and 80CCD(1B) limits

⚡ Total Potential NPS-Related Tax Benefit under Old Regime:

  • ₹1.5 lakh under 80C (including NPS, PPF, LIC, etc.)
  • ₹50,000 additional under 80CCD(1B)
  • Employer’s contribution as per 80CCD(2) (No monetary limit, percentage-based)

2. New Tax Regime (Section 115BAC – Optional Concessional Tax Rates)

✅ Available Deductions for NPS:

Section Particulars Deduction Allowed Remarks
80CCD(1) Own Contribution Not Allowed Most deductions under Chapter VI-A are not permitted.
80CCD(1B) Additional Own Contribution Not Allowed  Most of the deductions are not allowed under New Regime.
80CCD(2) Employer’s Contribution Allowed Up to 10% of salary (14% for central govt. employees).

⚡ Total Potential NPS-Related Tax Benefit under New Regime

  • Employer’s contribution under 80CCD(2)

3. Conclusion & Planning Tips:

Benefit Old Regime New Regime
Own Contribution under 80CCD(1) Yes No
Additional ₹50,000 under 80CCD(1B) Yes No
Employer’s Contribution under 80CCD(2) Yes Yes
  • If you are opting for the New Tax Regime, only the Employer’s contribution deduction under (80CCD(2)) is allowed.
  • Under the Old Tax Regime, full deductions for NPS (80CCD(1), 80CCD(1B), 80CCD(2)) can be claimed, subject to limits.

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