Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana 2026: 8.2% Rate, Maturity and Rules

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) pays 8.2% a year for October–December 2026, unchanged since 1 January 2024, and the interest is tax-free. If you deposit the maximum ₹1,50,000 a year for the 15 years allowed, the account is worth ₹71,82,119 when it matures 21 years after opening: ₹22,50,000 of deposits and ₹49,32,119 of interest.

Our Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana calculator shows the same figure with a year-by-year table that includes your daughter's age each year. Below you will find the rate history, one complete timeline from opening to maturity, a maturity table for four deposit levels, the rules on deposits, withdrawals and closure, and a straight comparison with PPF.

SSY interest rate in 2026, and how it has moved

The government reviews the SSY rate every quarter along with other small savings schemes. The Department of Economic Affairs order of 30 September 2026 left it at 8.2% for 1 October to 31 December 2026, so the rate has been 8.2% in every quarter of 2026. The next announcement, for January–March 2027, is due around the end of December.

Like PPF, SSY's rate is benchmarked to government bond yields, but with a larger margin: about 0.75 percentage points above the benchmark, against 0.25 for PPF. That is why SSY usually pays about a point more. A new rate applies to the whole balance, not only to fresh deposits, so no rate is locked in for 21 years.

Since quarterly resets began in 2016, the rate has ranged from 7.6% to 8.6%, so treat any 21-year projection as an estimate.

The whole SSY timeline in one example

Take a girl who is 1 year old when her parents open an SSY account in 2026. They deposit ₹1,50,000 by 5 April every year. This is what the calculator shows (its "year" column is the calendar year in which each account year starts; interest is actually credited at the end of each financial year):

Step by step:

1. Years 1–15 (2026–2040): deposits. You pay in ₹1,50,000 a year, ₹22,50,000 in all. In 2026 the interest is ₹1,50,000 × 8.2% = ₹12,300, so the year ends at ₹1,62,300.
2. Years 16–21 (2041–2046): no deposits allowed, interest continues. The ₹44,75,989 balance grows to ₹71,82,119 without a rupee more from you. Those six "free" years add ₹27,06,130. In the final year alone the interest is ₹5,44,301.
3. At 18 (2043): she can run the account and use it for education. She can withdraw up to 50% of the balance at the end of the previous financial year. Using the 2042 year-end balance of ₹52,40,148, that is up to ₹26,20,074. Anything withdrawn reduces the final maturity value.
4. At maturity (2047): the money is paid to her. The full amount is tax-free.

The opening age changes the dates and her age at each step, not the amounts. A girl opened at 8 would see the same ₹71,82,119, but at about 29.

SSY maturity table

These figures come from the SSY calculator at 8.2%, with each year's deposit made by 5 April for 15 years and the account held to 21 years:

At every level, interest is more than double what you deposit, because the last six years compound with no new money. If you deposit monthly rather than once by 5 April, your result will be a little lower than the table, since early-year months earn interest on a smaller balance.

SSY rules you need to know

Who can open it

A parent or legal guardian can open an account for a girl who is under 10 on the day of opening, at a post office or an authorised bank. One account per girl, and at most two girls per family. The exception is twins or triplets: with an affidavit and their birth certificates, a family can open accounts for all of them. The guardian runs the account until she turns 18; after that she operates it herself.

Deposits

• Minimum ₹250 a financial year, maximum ₹1,50,000, in multiples of ₹50. You can pay in one go or in several instalments.
• Deposits are allowed for 15 years from opening. The account then earns interest until it matures at 21 years.
• Miss the ₹250 minimum in a year and the account goes into default. You can regularise it any time within the 15 years by paying the missed minimum plus a ₹50 penalty for each year of default. Under the 2019 scheme, even if you never regularise, the balance continues to earn the scheme rate.

The 5th-of-the-month rule

Interest is worked out each month on the lowest balance between the close of the 5th and the end of the month, and credited once a year. A ₹1,50,000 deposit made on 6 April instead of 4 April misses April's interest: ₹1,50,000 × 8.2% ÷ 12 = ₹1,025 lost in that year, plus the compounding on it. Pay by the 5th.

Partial withdrawal for education

Once she turns 18 or passes Class 10, whichever comes first, up to 50% of the balance at the end of the previous financial year can be withdrawn for her education. You need proof, such as an admission offer or a fee slip. It can be taken as one lump sum or in instalments, at most once a year for up to five years.

Closing the account early

• Marriage: the account can be closed before 21 years for her marriage, on a declaration that she will be at least 18 on the date of marriage. The application can be made no earlier than one month before and no later than three months after the marriage.
• Death: the account is closed on application with the death certificate; interest from the date of death is at the post office savings rate.
• Compassionate grounds: after 5 years, for reasons such as a life-threatening illness of the account holder, with full documentation.

Tax: SSY is EEE

Deposits qualify for the Section 80C deduction (now Section 123 and Schedule XV of the Income-tax Act, 2025) up to ₹1,50,000 a year, but only in the old tax regime, and the limit is shared with PPF, EPF, life insurance and other 80C items. The interest and the maturity amount are fully tax-free in both regimes (Schedule II of the 2025 Act). For a parent in the 30% slab (31.2% with cess), a taxable deposit would need about 11.9% (8.2 ÷ 0.688) to match SSY after tax. Our new tax regime slabs guide explains which regime you are likely to be in.

SSY vs PPF for your daughter: an honest comparison

Many parents choose between the two, or use both. Here is how they compare as of October 2026:

The numbers. Put ₹1,50,000 a year for 15 years into each and leave both until year 21. SSY gives ₹71,82,119. PPF gives ₹40,68,209 at 15 years (from the PPF calculator); kept for six more years at 7.1% with no deposits, that becomes about ₹61,39,600 (₹40,68,209 × 1.071 to the power 6). SSY is ahead by roughly ₹10.4 lakh at today's rates.

Where PPF wins. Flexibility. PPF lets you borrow from year 3 and withdraw from year 7 for any reason, and the money stays yours. SSY money can only come out for her education, her marriage, or in hardship. If you might need the savings for a family emergency, that matters.

Where SSY wins. Rate, and the separate ₹1,50,000 limit, which does not eat into your own PPF limit. The money also legally belongs to her, which some parents see as a plus: it cannot easily be diverted to other needs.

Doing both. You can contribute to SSY and your own PPF in the same year, up to ₹1,50,000 each, but the 80C deduction stays capped at ₹1,50,000 in total. Some families also add an equity SIP for a goal 18 or more years away, accepting that its returns are not guaranteed; our lumpsum vs SIP guide covers that side. For the detailed PPF rules, see PPF interest rate and maturity table.

This article is general information based on the scheme rules as of October 2026, not tax or investment advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SSY interest rate for 2026?

8.2% a year in every quarter of 2026, including October–December. It has been 8.2% since 1 January 2024. The rate for January–March 2027 will be announced around the end of December 2026.

Can I open an SSY account after my daughter turns 10?

No. She must be under 10 on the day the account is opened. Once opened, the account runs its full 21 years regardless of her age.

Can I keep depositing after 15 years?

No. Deposits are allowed only for 15 years from opening. The balance then earns interest for six more years until maturity, which is why the last years add so much.

Who gets the money at maturity?

Your daughter. The account is in her name, and from age 18 she operates it herself. The maturity amount is paid to her and is tax-free.

What if I can only deposit ₹250 in some years?

That is fine. ₹250 is the yearly minimum, so the account stays active. The maturity value will be lower; enter your expected yearly amount in the SSY calculator to see by how much.

Is the calculator's maturity value guaranteed?

No. It assumes 8.2% for all 21 years. The rate is reviewed every quarter and applies to the whole balance, so the final amount will be higher or lower if the rate changes.

Sources: Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme, 2019 (Ministry of Finance); Department of Economic Affairs office memorandum on small savings interest rates, 30 September 2026; National Savings Institute SSY rate history; Income-tax Act, 2025.