Launch of NPS Vatsalya: A New Savings Opportunity for Parents

Launch of NPS Vatsalya: A New Savings Opportunity for Parents

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has recently introduced the NPS Vatsalya scheme, designed to help parents save for their children’s future through a pension account. This initiative allows parents to invest early, ensuring financial security for their kids as they grow.

How to Get Started

Parents can easily subscribe to the NPS Vatsalya scheme either online or by visiting their local bank or post office. To open an account, the minimum contribution is ₹1,000, followed by an annual contribution of ₹1,000 thereafter.

Competitive Returns

During the launch, Sitharaman emphasized the competitive returns generated by the National Pension System (NPS), which has attracted 1.86 crore subscribers over the past decade, amassing an impressive ₹13 lakh crore in assets. The returns for different investment categories include:

• Equity: 14%
• Corporate Debt: 9.1%
• Government Securities (G-Secs): 8.8%

These figures highlight NPS as a reliable option for long-term savings.

Who Can Participate?

Children below the age of 18 can open an NPS Vatsalya account, which will transition to a regular NPS account when they turn 18. However, withdrawals from the account will only be permitted once the beneficiary reaches 60 years of age.

Key Features of NPS Vatsalya

Withdrawal and Exit Rules

• Withdrawals: After a three-year lock-in period, subscribers can withdraw up to 25% of their savings for specific needs such as education, health issues, or disabilities, up to three times.
• Transition to Regular NPS: Upon reaching 18, the account automatically shifts to an NPS Tier-I account.
• Withdrawal upon Maturity: If the total savings exceed ₹2.5 lakh, 80% must be converted into an annuity, while 20% can be withdrawn as a lump sum. If the corpus is ₹2.5 lakh or less, the entire amount can be accessed at once.
• In Case of Death: If the minor passes away, the entire corpus is returned to the guardian.

Eligibility and Account Management

• Eligibility: Any minor citizen can participate.
• Account Management: The pension account is managed by the guardian but is solely for the benefit of the minor.

Opening an NPS Vatsalya Account

The account can be opened through designated Points of Presence (POPs), which include major banks and India Post offices, as well as through an online platform called e-NPS. This dual approach offers convenience for parents looking to secure their children’s financial future.

Required Documents

To open an account, guardians need to provide:

• Proof of identity and address for themselves.
• Date of birth proof for the child.
• For NRIs, an NRE/NRO bank account in the minor’s name is also required.

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Investment Choices in NPS Vatsalya

Guardians can select from a variety of PFRDA-registered pension funds for their child’s NPS Vatsalya account. The options include:

• Default Option: Moderate Life Cycle Fund (LC-50), allocating 50% to equities.
• Auto Choice: Different life cycle funds based on risk appetite:
  • Aggressive LC-75 (75% equity)
  • Moderate LC-50 (50% equity)
  • Conservative LC-25 (25% equity)
• Active Choice: Guardians can actively manage fund allocation across various categories, including:
  • Up to 75% in Equity
  • Up to 100% in Corporate Debt
  • Up to 100% in Government Securities
  • Up to 5% in Alternate Assets

A Forward-Thinking Initiative

With the NPS Vatsalya scheme, the government aims to encourage early savings for children’s futures while providing flexibility and choice to parents. Financial Services Secretary Nagaraju Maddirala stated that the government welcomes feedback from subscribers to enhance the scheme over time. This initiative reflects a proactive approach to securing the financial well-being of future generations.