The National Pension Scheme (NPS) and the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) help people make contributions in their working years so that they can get a pension after turning 60. However, the schemes are quite different from each other. So, let us discuss NPS vs. APY in detail.
Criteria
| NPS
| APY
|
Minimum and maximum age to join
| To join the NPS, you have to be at least 18 years old and you should not be more than 55 years of age.
| You should be at least 18 years of age and at most 40 years old to join APY.
|
Eligibility
| Indian citizens and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) are eligible for NPS.
| APY is meant only for Indian residents.
|
Guaranteed Pension
| A subscriber is not guaranteed to receive a certain sum of money under NPS.
| A subscriber gets a guaranteed pension under APY after he retires based on his contributions and age.
|
Types of Accounts & Premature Withdrawal
| Under NPS, you can open either a Tier 1 account or a Tier 2 account. A Tier 1 account has a lock-in period, as it does not allow you to withdraw your funds before turning 60. However, a Tier 2 account does not have a lock-in period. So, you can withdraw money from it before you turn 60.
| Under APY, you can open only one kind of account. This scheme does not allow premature withdrawals with the exception of a few situations.
|
Assets Invested In
| NPS invests in equities, government bonds, corporate bonds, and alternative investment funds.
| APY invests in debt instruments, like treasury bills, government bonds, etc.
|
Flexibility to Choose Assets to Invest In
| If a subscriber selects the Active Choice NPS Option, he can select how much he would like to invest in each type of asset.
| APY does not provide the flexibility to a subscriber to choose the assets in which he would like to invest.
|
Having discussed NPS vs. APY, let us delve deeper into these schemes.
Additional Read: National Pension Scheme Tier I Account
What is NPS and APY ?
NPS - National Pension Scheme: NPS is a Central Government scheme meant to encourage people to make long-term investments to get retirement benefits. The scheme is open to people employed in the private, public, and unorganised sectors. It is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
Subscribers to the scheme have to make regular contributions to their pension account while they are employed. After they retire, they can withdraw a portion of their accumulated corpus. The remaining amount is meant to provide them with a monthly pension. Hence, by regularly contributing to their pension account when they are employed, subscribers can financially secure their post-retirement life thanks to NPS.
APY - Atal Pension Yojna: APY was launched by the Central Government to provide a pension specifically to people employed in the unorganized sector in India. Such people work in the informal sector as domestic helpers, street food vendors, waste collectors, drivers, etc. Often, they earn less than the minimum wage of the government. Hence, to ensure that they get a pension on turning 60, this scheme was launched. To become its beneficiary, people have to make contributions, which are managed by the PFRDA. When a contributor turns 60, he has the option to get a fixed pension per month of ₹ 1000, ₹ 2000, ₹ 3000, ₹ 4000, or ₹ 5000 based on his contributions and age.
What are the Similarities Between NPS and APY?
When we discussed NPS vs. APY, we highlighted the differences between these two schemes. However, it is interesting to note that there are quite a few similarities between them as well. For example, both schemes help people plan for their retirement. By contributing towards NPS or APY, you can ensure that you get a pension after turning 60.
Both schemes are open to Indian residents. Hence, if you are an Indian resident, you can invest in NPS or APY based on your objective. Both NPS and APY are managed by the same authority – PFRDA. PFRDA protects the interests of investors and ensures that transparency is maintained.
Which is better APY vs. NPS - Final Takeaway?
The answer to this question depends upon your needs as a subscriber. For example, NPS offers more flexibility than APY. If you open a Tier 2 account with NPS, you can withdraw your money prematurely. However, APY does not allow premature withdrawals, unless for exceptional cases.
Meanwhile, APY allows you to get a fixed pension. But, NPS does not guarantee a fixed pension. NPS invests in riskier assets than APY. So, if your risk-taking ability is low, you should select APY over NPS.
APY does not allow you to contribute after you cross 40 years of age. However, NPS allows you to contribute till you are 70 years old. If you want to contribute for more years, you should select NPS over APY.
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