National Pension Scheme – Login, Features & Rules

What is National Pension Scheme (NPS)?

 

The National Pension Scheme or NPS scheme is a voluntary, defined contribution retirement savings scheme created to help subscribers make the best choices for their future via systematic saving throughout their working career.

 

The NPS scheme is a retirement benefit programme established by the Government of India to provide all subscribers with a steady income after retirement. It is governed by the PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority). The NPS scheme aims to help people develop the habit of saving for their retirement. It is an effort by the government to discover a long-term solution to the issue of giving each Indian sufficient corpus before retirement.

 

The NPS scheme pools individual savings into a pension fund, which is then invested by PFRDA-regulated professional fund managers in accordance with approved investment guidelines in diversified portfolios that include shares, government bonds, bills, and corporate debentures. Depending on the profits received on the investments placed, these contributions would increase and accrue over time.

 

Apart from NPS tax benefits, there are other scheme benefits too. NPS is a portable, tax-saving cost-effective, flexible, and conveniently accessible retirement savings scheme. In the NPS, the employee contributes to his retirement account and his employer may additionally chip in for his social security and welfare.

 

It is a pure retirement pension plan that enables you to get a steady income with tax advantages after retiring. One can also greatly boost profits by taking on a small amount of optional risk.

 

 

 

 

Who should invest in the NPS?

 

Any Indian citizen who is between the age group of 18 and 60 can invest in NPS, including both residents and non-residents. Overseas Citizens of India(OCI) can also join the NPS scheme.

 

NPS is a smart strategy to help you to create a retirement investment plan in a precise manner. Individuals are motivated to start investing at a young age and maintain a committed level of investment in order to benefit from increased wealth accumulation because this is compatible with the fundamental principle of investing

 

 

NPS Benefits And Features

 

Flexible:

 

NPS provides a number of investment options, a selection of Pension Funds (PFs), and other services that help investors plan their investment growth in a responsible manner and keep tabs on the expansion of their pension funds. Subscribers have the option of switching from one investment option or fund manager to another.

 

You have the convenience and freedom to invest whenever you want with NPS for retirement. You are always welcome to make a contribution to the plan.

 

Simple:

 

When opening an account with NPS, a Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) is issued. This number is distinct and belongs to the subscriber for the rest of his or her life. The NPS scheme is divided into two levels as follows

 

Tier I Account:

 

This is the non-withdrawable permanent retirement account into which the subscriber’s regular contributions are credited and invested in accordance with the portfolio/fund manager of the subscriber’s choice.

 

Tier-II Account:

 

This voluntary withdrawable account is only permitted if the subscriber has a current Tier I account in their name. Withdrawals from this account are allowed in accordance with the subscriber’s demands as and when necessary.

 

Portable:

 

NPS offers effortless portability between jobs and locations. In contrast to many pension schemes in India, it would allow individual members to move to a new job or area without having to worry about leaving behind the corpus accumulated.

 

Well Regulated:

 

NPS is governed by PFRDA, and NPS Trust regularly monitors and evaluates the performance of fund managers. Comparing NPS’s account maintenance fees to those of similar pension products offered worldwide, they are the lowest.

 

Cost is important when saving for a long-term objective like retirement because fees can significantly reduce the corpus during a 35–40 year investment period.

 

The dual benefit of Low Cost and Power of compounding:

 

A pension’s asset accumulation increases over time with a compounding effect until retirement, providing the dual benefits of low cost and power of compounding. Due to the minimal account maintenance fees, the subscriber eventually benefits greatly from the accrued pension wealth.

 

Investment Choice:

 

Individuals have the option of investing using either Active Choice or Auto Choice. The Active Investment Choice’s equity asset allocation is capped at 75%. With Auto Choice, the subscriber must decide which lifecycle-based investment choice best suits their risk tolerance.

 

Equity, corporate bonds, government securities, and alternative assets can all be included in the asset allocation. Depending on your needs, you have the option to convert from Active to Auto and vice versa.

 

What NPS tax exemptions are there?

 

If you are a working professional, you can benefit from NPS tax deductions by investing in the scheme as:

 

Section 80C:

 

You may be entitled to a tax exemption for your NPS contribution of up to Rs 1.5 lakhs under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act.

 

Section 80 CCD (1B):

 

You may deduct taxes for investments up to Rs 50,000 under Section 80CCD (1B), a different tax benefit for NPS investors. In addition to Section 80C, this tax deduction exists. As a result, investing in NPS entitles you to a total tax deduction of up to Rs 2 lakhs under Sections 80C and 80 CCD (1B).

 

How to invest in NPS?

 

Both online and offline methods are available for opening NPS accounts. The same has been explained below: 

 

Online NPS Registration

 

By going to the eNPS website, an NPS subscriber can open an NPS account. The procedures below must be followed in order to open an NPS account online:

 

1. To register for eNPS, the investor must first have a PAN Card.
2. If the subscriber’s KYC is not completed, the bank or non-bank POP(Point of Purchase) that the subscriber has selected will complete the KYC verification. The subscriber must complete all the required information online.
3. The subscriber must then upload scanned images in the.jpeg, .jpg, and, .png formats of their PAN, cancelled check, photo, and signature.
4. Now, the subscriber will be sent to the payment gateway page after uploading the aforementioned papers, where they must make their initial contribution of at least INR 500. Every contribution is credited to the Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) account after T+2 days.

 

The registration form must be signed once the Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) has been assigned. There are two ways to achieve the same result.

 

e-Sign

 

1. Firstly, under subscriber registration, choose eSign.
2. Enter the OTP that was issued to the registered mobile number upon registration. The registered mobile number with which Aadhaar is associated will receive the OTP.
3. This will guarantee that the application is signed electronically and eliminate the requirement for a subscriber to submit a hard copy of the same.

 

Print and Courier

 

1. On the eSign or print and courier page, choose the print and courier option.
2. Download the form, then sign it where it is asked to. Include a passport-size photo as well.
3. After completion, the form must be delivered to the Mumbai CRA office within 30 days of the day PRAN was assigned.

 

Offline

 

A POP-Service Provider(SP) must be found in order to open an NPS account offline. An authorized bank or branch that offers NPS services to NPS customers is known as a Point of Presence – Service Provider. The methods to enrol in the NPS programme in offline mode are as follows:

 

1. A POP-SP can provide you with an application for a PRAN (Permanent Retirement Account Number).
2. Second, make sure the application form is completed, signed, and sent together with all required KYC documentation.
3. The subscriber must then include a contribution of INR 500 with the PRAN application. The subscriber must provide NCIS (instruction slip) with the relevant payment information in order to make the initial contribution.

 

Once the PRAN application has been submitted, the Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) will provide the PRAN card. The POP-SP will provide a receipt number at the time of registration, which can be used to check on the status of the PRAN application.

 

Types Of NPS Account

 

The National Pension Scheme is a well-liked financial tool for saving for retirement because of its low-cost structure, NPS tax benefits, and investment flexibility. Tier I and Tier II accounts are available from the NPS.

 

NPS Tier I account: What is it?

 

1. The mandatory NPS Tier I account is used to save money for retirement. You receive a Permanent Retirement Account Number when you open an NPS Tier I account (PRAN). A Tier I account must be opened with a minimum contribution of INR. 500.
2. The annual minimum contribution for a Tier I account is INR 1000. Please take note that the maximum contribution has no upper limit. In other words, there is no upper limit on the amount you can contribute to a Tier I account.
3. The money in the account is locked-in until you turn 60. It implies that whenever you age 60, you can withdraw the accumulated corpus. A lump-sum withdrawal of 60% of the corpus is permitted (tax-free), if you choose to invest the remaining 40% toward the purchase of annuities plan from companies empanelled with NPS even the remaining 40% would become tax-free.
4. Contributions made to Tier I accounts are eligible for tax breaks under a number of sections of the Income Tax Act of 1961 under the previous tax system. The NPS tax deductions can be claimed up to Rs 1.5 Lakh p.a. under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Under section 80CCD(1B), a further deduction of Rs. 50,000 can be made.
5. You must submit the registration form and provide identification, residence, and age evidence in order to open a Tier I account.

 

NPS Tier II account: What Is It?

 

Only those who already have a Tier I account are eligible to register a voluntary NPS Tier II account. There are some distinctions even though Tier II accounts function essentially identically to Tier I accounts.

 

1. You must deposit a minimum of Rs. 1000 to start an NPS Tier II account; unlike Tier I accounts, which require a minimum of one contribution per year, Tier II accounts do not.
2. Additionally, unlike Tier I accounts, Tier II account investments are not tax-exempt. In a Tier II account, fund management fees and investment options are identical to those in a Tier I account.
3. You don’t need to submit KYC paperwork because having a Tier I account is the main need for opening a Tier II account.

 

Which Is A Better Tax Saver: NPS or ELSS

 

The central government’s National Pension Scheme (NPS) is a voluntary social security initiative. A long-term investment objective is appropriate for this voluntary retirement plan. The Central Government and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) together oversee this scheme. All members of the workforce, including those in the public, private, and unorganized sectors, are eligible for this programme.

 

A tax-saving mutual fund scheme known as ELSS, or Equity Linked Savings Scheme, invests primarily in equity and equity-related securities. The long-term goal of investing in ELSS is to build wealth while also saving taxes. The returns from this scheme are market-linked and so, they cannot be guaranteed. This investment strategy is better suited to those who have a long time horizon.

 

The distinction between NPS and ELSS

 

Minimum Investment:

 

The Tier I account requires a minimum commitment of INR 500 and a minimum contribution of INR 1000 per Financial Year. The Tier II account requires a minimum payment of Rs. 250. The minimum investment in ELSS funds, on the other hand, is Rs. 500 made either as a lump sum or a SIP.

 

Lock-in Period:

 

The NPS lock-in period is fixed until the retirement age of 60.  As a result, investors are unable to withdraw their money until they have invested for at least 10 years or are 60 years old. However, there are some very specific circumstances where partial withdrawals are permitted. On the other hand, the ELSS mutual fund lock-in period is different from the NPS lock-in period as the former has the shortest lock-in period of all tax-saving investments at just three years.

 

Premature Withdrawal:

 

Funds invested in ELSS cannot be withdrawn prematurely because of the 3-year lock-in period. However, NPS gives individual subscribers the flexibility to make partial withdrawals and early exits before 60 years. 

 

NPS Tax deduction:

 

When investing in NPS, investors may be eligible for a higher tax deduction under the IT Act under Section 80C of up to Rs. 2 lakh as opposed to Rs. 1.5 lakh for ELSS schemes. The NPS tax deductions can be claimed up to Rs 1.5 Lakh p.a. under Section 80C and an additional Rs 50,000 under Section 80CCD (1B) of the Income Tax Act.

 

Another benefit of the NPS is that users can receive up to 60% of their corpus as a lump sum at retirement which is completely tax-free,  even the remaining 40% can be tax-free if it is used to purchase an annuity plan. The remaining amount needs to be placed in an annuity that will provide consistent income for the remainder of one’s life. Even though the income from the annuity is taxable at the relevant slab rate, this sum is excluded from taxes.

 

How do I access my NPS account?

 

First and foremost, you should be aware that if you already have an NPS account, you may easily log in with a PRAN number. In actuality, there are a number of ways to access your e-NPS account.

 

Each of the methods is discussed below:

 

NPS Portal via NSDL

 

1. Step 1:  Go to the NSDL NPS website.
2. Step 2: Choose “Open your NPS Account/Contribute Online” in step two.
3. Step 3: Select “Login with PRAN/IPIN” from the menu.
4. Step 4: The website now directs you to a login page.
5. Step 5: Fill in the appropriate fields with your PRAN number and password.
6. Step 6: Click “Submit” to access your NPS account after that.

 

But what if this is your first time accessing your NPS account?

 

In that situation, you must make a new password by performing the following easy steps:

 

1. Step 1: Visit the NSDL NPS website.
2. Step 2: Select “Login with PRAN/IPIN” after choosing “Open your NPS Account/Contribute Online.” The website then redirects you to the login page.
3. Step 3: Select “Password for e-NPS” to create a new password here. You must enter your PRAN, date of birth, new password, and a captcha on the page. Click “Submit” after giving these details.
4. Step 4: After choosing “Submit,” an OTP will be sent to the registered contact number. Then, confirm the new password by entering this OTP into the site.

 

NPS Portal Karvy

 

1. Step 1: Go to the Karvy NPS website.
2. Step 2: Choose “Login for existing subscribers”
3. Step 3: The website takes you to a login screen in step three. Please enter your PRAN here. Enter your password after that.

 

Additionally, there are certain extra procedures you must perform the first time you enter into your NPS account, like:

 

1. Step 1: Click the “Click here to generate a new password” option on the aforementioned login screen. Select “Reset your password” after that.
2. Step 2: You must input your PRAN, birthdate, and a captcha on the portal.
3. Step 3: Select “Submit” and enter the OTP that was produced using the registered contact number.

 

Internet banking

 

1. Step 1: Open the online banking session.
2. Step 2: Locate and pick the “NPS” option under the “Services” menu.
3. Step 3: Review your account information to make sure everything is accurate.
4. Step 4: The screen for online banking displays. You can make contributions, check your account balance, choose schemes, and take any other essential actions here.

 

How Do I Get A User ID And Password For NPS?

 

The user ID for NPS is called PRAN (Permanent Retirement Account Number). You must fill out an application form with the necessary information and submit it either online or offline along with your KYC documents in order to acquire the user ID. Once you have your ID, you can use the web portal to create your password by logging in.

 

 

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