Fixed Deposit Rates

Banks and other Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) offer a multitude of financial services and products to boost one’s savings. Fixed Deposits (FD) or term deposits are one of the most preferred modes of investment. Unlike investments in shares, the returns on FD are not subject to any market fluctuations or trends. This makes them a safe and risk-averse investment opportunity. An FD allows an individual to pledge a lump sum of money within a financial institution for a predetermined tenor and a fixed rate of interest.

Given below are the best FD rates offered by some of the top banks in India updated as on September, 2018:

*The interest rates are subject to change as per the bank’s discretion. The rates mentioned are applicable as of 29 August 2018.

Best Bank FD rates in India 2018

The highest FD rate of FD is offered by Jana Small Finance Bank i.e. 8.50% for a tenor of 366 days. This is followed by IDFC Bank and Deutsche Bank at 8.25% for a tenor of 3-10 years and 5 years respectively. DCB offers an interest rate of 7.75% for a maturity period lying within 3 years and 5 years. Axis Bank provides FD at a rate of 7.45% for a maturity period within 17 months to 18 months. Bandhan Bank offers an interest rate of 7.40% for a tenor of 2 years to less than 5 years. It is important to consider the interest rates and the corresponding tenor before opting for a suitable term deposit plan.

The FD schemes offered by most banks can be availed for tenures ranging from as short as seven days to as long as 10 years. The best interest rates on FDs offered by banks in India for regular individuals are mentioned in the table above.

Best Company FD schemes 2018

The following are the best company FD rates offered for 2018:

*Please note that interest rates are subject to change and can be revised without prior notice

The best term deposit rate of 8.30% p.a. is paid by Mahindra Finance. KTDC offers the second highest rate of interest of 8.25% on all deposits held from a tenure ranging from 1 year to 3 years. On the other hand the DHFL Aashray Deposit Plus plan also offers a high rate of interest, which is 8.05%% for deposits held from 48 months to 120 months. Many other company deposits schemes are also paying high interest rates. In general, it is seen that company deposits pay more than bank deposits.

FD interest rates: Things you should know

• Fixed deposit interest rates vary from one bank to the other as it is primarily dependent on a bank’s business plan.
• FD rates are calculated based on the amount of liquid cash a bank has at any given point in time. For instance, when demonetization happened, FD interest rates of all banks went down significantly because banks had access to more money than they were used to.
• Nearly every bank offers special FD schemes, which come with a slightly higher rate of interest when compared to traditional FD.
• Banks tend to change their interest rate on a daily basis for high-value deposits which tend to go beyond Rs.1 crore or more.
• Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have their own fixed deposit interest rate offerings as well, which differ from one brand to the other.
• Fixed deposits are eligible for TDS if they earn an interest of more than Rs.10,000 in a year.
• Senior citizens get a higher fixed deposit interest rate when compared to the general public.
• While company FDs come with higher interest rates, investing in them is always a risky proposition.

Given below are the best FD rates for less than 1 year:

*Please note that interest rates are subject to change and can be revised without prior notice

Fixed Deposit Rates in India For Senior Citizens 2018

Fixed deposits are a good investment option for senior citizens, considering that their sources of income may be limited and people are mostly risk averse in that age group. The main advantage that those above 60 have over other individuals is that they are eligible for a higher rate of interest. Most banks in India tend to offer better interest rates for senior citizens.

• IDFC Bank deposits can fetch senior citizen investors the highest FD rate of 8.00% p.a.
• RBL Bank pays depositors who are aged 60 years and above in the range of 7.15% p.a. to 7.85% p.a..

The best fixed deposit interest rates offered by banks in India for senior citizens’ are mentioned in the table below:

*Please note that interest rates are subject to change and can be revised without prior notice

Top Bank Tax saver FD interest rates 2018

A tax saver FD offers tax benefits and investors can claim tax deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act for up to Rs.1.5 lakh for the principal invested. This is very similar to a normal FD but it comes with a minimum lock in period of 5 years. However, unlike other term deposits, loan and overdraft facility may not be available.

A high FD rate of up to 8.00% p.a can be gained by investing in Deutsche Bank tax saver deposits

*Please note that interest rates are subject to change and can be revised without prior notice

Quick Tips

Must Know Bank Fixed Deposit Rules

Fixed deposits (FD) are a popular and sought after financial scheme among investors who are looking for safe, secure and guaranteed returns on their investment, even if the interest rates are not very high. Bank fixed deposits have always been one among the most preferred savings methods through which one can gain a certain fixed percentage of interest without taking any financial risks. Not just this, fixed deposits also come with a host of other benefits such a high liquidity value, which allows the investor to prematurely withdraw his/her fixed deposit at any point in time, avail a loan on the FD, etc. FDs have also been a favorite option among senior citizens, who are generally eligible for a higher rate of interest. When it comes to FDs, there is a lot to know, be it do’s and don'ts or rules and regulations. Let us take a look at some of the important things about FDs.

• Tax Deducted at Source (TDS): All customers must know that the interest earned on FDs are fully subject to tax. Many people have the wrong notion that the interest earned on an FD is tax-free. This is not true and not paying tax on the interest earned on FDs will only put you in trouble. Usually, if the interest earned at one branch is more than Rs.10,000 per annum, tax charges will be applicable. The usual rate of TDS is around 10%. In cases where the tax liability is more than the TDS, the account holder will have to pay the excess. If it is the other way round, one can claim for a refund.
• Loan facilities: Customers who hold FDs are eligible to avail a loan on the same without any hassle. Most banks allow depositors a loan or overdraft facility of up to 90% of the FD amount. The interest charged will be a certain percentage higher than that is gained through the holding of the fixed deposit. Availing a loan of your own FD is an easy and stress-free way to meet sudden financial needs or personal emergencies. An important point to note here is that the tenure of the loan cannot be longer than the FD tenure. Most banks usually have an upper limit of 5 years for loans taken against FDs.
• Insurance of FD: Did you know that your FD is protected and you hold an insurance in case the bank in under any circumstance fails you the money due to various reasons. The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) in collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India, offers protection to all FD account holders. An insurance amount of Rs.1 lakh will be provided on the principal invested and the interest earned. DICGC will take the responsibility of paying the account holder this sum in case of bank failure. This insurance coverage will be provided for all deposit holders, irrespective of which bank they may hold their deposit in.
• Clubbing of interest: It is very important for customers to know that the interest earned from both FDs and recurring deposits will be clubbed under one umbrella. In fact, the interest earned from deposits held across banks will be clubbed for the purpose of calculating the total interest earned for tax purposes. This will be done each financial year to evaluate the applicability of TDS. Also, note that TDS deductions will be applicable for all interest earned on recurring deposits as well.
• Form 15G or 15H: In cases where the interest earned is less than Rs.10,000 then the account holder will not be liable to pay tax. In such a case, it is always wise to fill in form 15G or 15H as a self-declaration. With this, one can prevent the hassle of claiming a tax refund while filing income tax returns. Please note that even if TDS has been already deducted one has to declare in the income tax return.
• Minor or spouse: It is a wrong assumption that if an FD is opened in the name of a minor or nonworking spouse, there will be a tax exemption. This is not true because the tax will have to be borne for the same without any excuses.
• Cumulative deposits: In case of cumulative deposits, even though the interest will be paid after the completion of the maturity period, it is necessary to make a declaration every financial year. This is because the bank will be deducting TDS through the PAN of the depositor and if the income is not declared there will be a mismatch.

Before making assumptions or making misconceptions, it is important to be aware of all rules and regulations with regard to FDs. This will help investors to a large extent because, in most cases, many people do not know tax rules, especially when it comes to FDs.

3 Factors That Affect FD Rates

Fixed deposits are now considered to be a very old fashioned method of saving, but still attract many investors since they have guaranteed returns at the end of the tenure of the investment at a decent interest rate. There are various factors that affect the rates of interest for a Fixed Deposit.

1. Policies of the Reserve Bank of India : The several norms and restrictions posed by the Reserve Bank of India, in order to gain optimum control over credit and inflow and outflow of fund throughout the country. The repo rate changes, cash reserve ratio tends to change and these changes affect the banking products like Fixed deposits, loans etc.
2. Recession : When unemployment in a country crosses the benchmark set Recession hits, and slowly the country faces an economic slow movement, affecting the purchasing power of the people in the country, forcing the Reserve Bank of India to release more funds in the financial market. With this release the funds in the cash reserve reduces and hence again affects Fixed deposits, loans etc.
3. Inflation : When prices of goods and items become more expensive on a daily basis, the opposite of recession, banks and lending institutions are scared of the devaluation of the rupee, and reducing the purchasing amount over the amount lent out. To ensure the losses of interest over the amount lent. Banks will offer higher interest rates on fixed deposits.

Fixed deposits are savings options for the risk-averse common man and the rates offered on these deposits are mostly the only basis of choosing them over any other savings medium. Some of the top ranking fixed deposits of 2018 are as follows

Top 10 Fixed Deposit Rates for 1 Year Deposits

1 year fixed deposits are meant for people who can afford only to have their money for that long a duration as a deposit. Land owners and property owners who don’t want any market risk can go for this option. In India, Shriram City Union outranks most banks with a high interest rate for 1 year deposits, followed closely by RBL Bank. Bandhan Bank, being relatively new still has the upper hand over many others in terms of interest rate offered. Mahindra Finance and Shriram Transport Finance come in at the fourth and fifth position. Post these top 5 leaders, the remaining institutions that can offer a good rate of interest are the Indian Post Office, Sundaram Finance, LIC Housing, ICICI Home Finance and IndusInd Bank. Interest rates offered by these institutions range from 8 percent to 8.75 percent per annum.

Top 10 Fixed Deposit Rates for 2 Year Deposits

Fixed deposits are relatively risk free investments that can be used by people who normally have a lump sum amount to invest. Since the interest rates offered are comparatively higher than that of savings or current accounts, fixed deposits become a more lucrative investment option for the traditional investor. Two year deposits normally tend to have slightly higher rates than one year terms, more so because of the longer term of deposit. The five leaders in the 2 year term deposits as per the interest rates are RBL Bank, Shriram City Union Finance, Bandhan Bank, India Post and LIC Housing Finance Limited. Another wing of the Shriram Group, the Shriram Transport Finance Company takes up the sixth position, followed closely by Mahindra Finance. ICICI Home Finance, Sundaram Finance and Laxmi Vilas Bank occupy the bottom three rungs of the ladder. The diversity of interest rates offered for 2 year deposits has a wider margin, the lowest being 7.9 percent per annum and the highest being 9.14 percent per annum.

Top 10 Fixed Deposit Rates for 3 Year Deposits

As the term of deposits increase, interest rates offered by banks and financial institutions also tend to be higher. Though there might be some odd ones out that reduce their interest rates for the 3 years investing period. This medium long tenure is mostly opted for by people with lease contracts that have high penalty values. Since fixed deposits are relatively risk free, it makes for a wise decision to use such investing periods for wealth growth. The leader in this category is Shriram City Union Finance that has the highest possible interest rate. RBL Bank stays close at its heels though fractions of percentiles lower at the second place. Shriram Transport Finance Company comes in at third cutting it close with RBL Bank. Indian Post Office manages to climb into the top five in this category being at the fourth position and the list closes with LIC Housing Finance Limited. Bandhan Bank comes in at sixth with several fractions lower of a percentage. Sundaram Finance, Mahindra Finance, Gruh Finance Limited and ICICI Housing Finance come in at the closing of the top 10. The lower end of interest rates offered comes at 8 percent per annum and the highest rate of interest offered is at 9.84 percent per annum.

Top 10 Fixed Deposit Rates for 4 year Deposits

When considering people who are homeowners and landlords and are offering leases for their property, 4 year and 5 year deposits in fixed deposits are a good idea when people are averse to risks that are offered through the market. Though the return on the deposits are less as compared to stocks and equities, one’s investment stays very secure. Four years is one of the long term commitments in fixed deposits and many financial institutions offer great returns on the same. While Shriram City Union Finance Fixed Deposit stays right at the top of the list with an amazing interest rate that reaches double digits, it is closely followed by RBL Bank at the second position. PNB Housing Finance Limited comes in at the third position with a slightly lower rate. The Shriram Transport Finance Company Limited has a fixed deposit rate that slightly rivals that of PNB Housing and comes in at position four. Coming in at fifth is Bandhan Bank with its fixed deposit rates that are among the higher ones in the market. Mahindra Finance occupies position six and is followed by the India Post Office at number seven. ICICI Home Finance, Jammu & Kashmir Bank and Lakshmi Vilas Bank come in at number eight, nine and ten on the list.

Top 10 FD Rates for 5 Years Deposits

Fixed deposits for five year terms are the investments that typically dole out the highest possible rate of return, especially with cooperative banks and non-banking financial companies. These durations can be chosen again by property owners who wish to earn sumptuous interest on the security deposit that has been offered for a piece of property. Additionally, it is also the best way to keep one’s funds safe from market risk and have the least liability ever. Shriram City Union Finance currently emerges as the leader in fixed deposits of 5 years duration. It is closely followed in the second position by RBL Bank. Deutsche Bank becomes the third in the leaderboard with great offers on interest rates. Shriram Transport Finance comes in at the fourth position and LIC HFL comes in at fifth. For positions sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, the institutions that can be named are India Post Office, Mahindra Finance, PNB Housing Finance Limited, Tamilnad Mercantile Bank and ICICI Home finance. The lowest rate in this category could be 8 percent per annum while the highest would be 10.77 percent per annum.

FAQs on Fixed Deposit

1. Is fixed deposit interest compounded?

   Yes, the fixed deposit interest is compounded based on monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly interest rates. Individuals can utilize the fd interest rate calculator to determine the approximate interest they will be earning on their investment (principal amount) or FD account. Considering the fact that the FD has fixed terms, the interest compounding becomes rather simple with the interest payment frequency as one of the prime variable components.

2. What is a reinvestment of interest in a fixed deposit account?

   Fixed deposit accounts can be opened under a cumulative or non-cumulative deposit scheme. Based on the type of the deposit scheme, the account will earn interest on the investment (principal amount) on either monthly, quarterly or annual basis. The account holder will have the option to choose the fixed deposit term ranging from few months to a maximum of 10 years. At maturity of a cumulative fixed deposit account, the account holder can choose to reinvest the interest along with the principal amount for an extended period of time.

3. Can we get monthly interest on fixed deposits?

   Yes, the account holder can choose to receive the interest payment every month for the entire term of the fixed deposit account. Depending on the investment (deposit amount), term, and interest rate offered by the account, the monthly interest amount can be calculated. Most banks offer the fixed deposit interest calculators on their website that will come handy when you need to calculate the earnings and value of the investment.

4. How to Calculate Interest Rate on Fixed Deposits in India?

   A fixed deposit online calculator will help you calculate the interest that your money will earn when kept in a fixed deposit. This will take into account your investment that's the Principal amount on maturity after the interest is compounded on a monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly basis. As an example let’s say that you have a sum of Rs.15, 000 that is deposited in your bank for a period 2 years the interest the bank is paying you is an annual interest rate of 5%, The interest will be compounded quarterly for this period.

   The formula used by the bank will be A = P x (1 + r/n)nt I = A - P.

   Maturity Value (A) = P x (1 + r/n)nt

   = 15000 x (1 + 0.05/4)4x2

   = 15000 x (1 + 0.0125)8

   = 15000 x (1.0125)8

   = 15000 x 1.104486101

   Making the Maturity Value (A) = Rs. 16567.29.

   And hence leading to the Maturity Value (FD) = Rs. 16567.29

   Interest Earned Amount (I) = Rs. 1567.29.

5. Do all FDs give you tax benefits?

   No. Only tax saver FDs give you a tax benefit.