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All retired senior citizens are finding it difficult to meet both their ends due to double whammy of constant inflation accompanied with reducing interest rates all around. The interest rates offered by banks on fixed deposits have come down to around 6%. Though the private banks and corporate offer higher rates they cannot risk their limited resources there. In such environment government guaranteed Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) offer a better alternative. Let us discuss important features of SCSS.

Who can deposit money in SCSS

Only an individual resident under FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) over 60 years can open account under SCSS. Account under this scheme can either be single or a joint account with your spouse only. As eligibility under this scheme is evaluated with reference to only the first holder, spouse even below 60 can be made a second holder. Your spouse can also open her/his account under SCSS as first holder if the conditions are satisfied.

Though Non residents are not allowed to open SCSS account but the can continue the account after they become  non-resident. However they are not allowed to renew it beyond initial tenure of five years. You can open SCSS account with any post office or designated branches of the authorized banks.. An HUF cannot open account under SCSS.

Senior citizen savings scheme SCSS concept highlighted through text on paper, Indian rupees and coins, a save-tax note, pencils and spectacles on a wooden background

For those who have taken voluntary retirement or have retired on superannuation can open this account even before completion of 60 years of age but not before completing 55 years.  In such cases the account has to be opened within one month from the date of receipt of the retirement benefits. In case of retired personnel of defence services, the same can be opened even after 50 years of age. The deposits made by those below 60 years shall be limited to retirement benefits but maximum upto 15 lakhs.

Nomination and closure of account on death of the account holder

You are allowed to make nominations in favour of one or more persons. The nomination can be made initially or can be made, cancelled or modified anytime during the life time of account holder.

Ceiling  on deposit of money under SCSS

You can open one or more accounts under SCSS but are allowed to have deposits of maximum 15 lakhs in all the account put together at any given point of time. So one can deposit 15 lakhs at one go or stagger over a period of time. The ceiling of 15 lakhs is computed with reference to the first holder only.

Tenure and premature withdrawal

The SCSS has an initial tenure of five year which can be extended only once for a period of three years. During the currency of the account, you are allowed to prematurely withdraw the money but not before completion of one year though with some penalty In case the account is closed before second year a penalty of 1.5% of the deposit amount is recovered. For the accounts closed after two years the applicable penalty is 1%..

As you cannot withdraw any money deposited under this scheme during first year please assess your funds requirement for one year properly before committing your funds to this scheme.

The rate of interest

The interest on deposits under this scheme is announced by the government for each quarter in advance.  The rate applicable for the entire tenure is the rate prevalent at the time of making the deposits and will not be subject to change during the first five years. For extension the rate applicable will be that prevailing then. The interest rate notified for the quarter  beginning 1st July, 2020  is 7.4%. The interest under SCSS is payable quarterly.  There is no cumulative option under SCSS. First interest is paid from the date of making the deposit till end of the quarter and subsequently for each quarter.

Tax provisions applicable for deposits and interest

The deposits made under SCSS are eligible for deduction under Section 80 C upto Rs. 1.50 lakhs each year along with other eligible items. This provision is significant when other avenues for claiming tax deductions under Section 80 C like life insurance premium, payment towards pension plan, contribution to EPF account, ULIP etc. are no longer workable for senior citizens. So Instead of putting entire amount of 15 lakhs in a single year, you can spread the same over the years to maximize the benefits under Section 80C.

The interest received under SCSS is fully taxable. The bank will deduct tax @ 10% if the amount of interest exceeds 50,000/- in a year for senior citizen account holders. For others the threshold limit for TDS is Rs.  40,000/- per year. In case interest for the whole year exceeds the threshold of TDS, you can submit form no 15H if you are a senior citizen or 15G in other cases for receipt of interest without deduction of tax at source if you are eligible to submit such forms.

If you are a Senior citizen and have made deposits under this scheme you are entitled to claim a deduction upto Rs. 50,000/- for interest received under this scheme along with other interest earned by you from banks and post offices under Section 80 TTB.

Who can claim the money on death of the account holder?

In the eventuality of death of a single holder, the balance outstanding under the scheme with interest becomes payable to the nominee/s in case nomination is made. In case nomination is not made the legal hairs can claim it after following a tedious procedure. So it is advisable to have nomination made at the time of making the deposits.

In case of joint accounts, the spouse gets an option to continue with the scheme. In case the spouse does not want to continue, the money can be withdrawn. In case the spouse already has deposits under this scheme, the aggregate of deposits under this scheme is restricted to fifteen lakhs.  In case the aggregate exceeds the threshold, the spouse has to withdraw the excess deposit.

Since the deposits under this scheme earn you higher returns than those generally available under other comparable safe investment avenues, it should be the first choice of senior citizens who want risk free returns on their investments.

The writer is a tax and investment expert and can be reached on jainbalwant@gmail.com and @jainbalwant his twitter handle.

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7 Comments

  1. CA Sanjay Agarwal says:

    I obtained a SCSS form from ICICI bank today ,with a view to invest Rs.15 Lakhs in SCSS in a joint account with my wife.
    I wish to nominate my only child; my only son who is presently in the USA on a student F1 Visa ,studying for a PhD as the sole nominee.
    However the ICICI form states that” I/we declare that nomination under the scheme can be done only in favor of resident Indians”

    I do not find this restrictive clause on any notification by RBI,Ministry of Finance and even on SCSS form given by Post Office.

    I have only one child and I want to nominate him.
    Please educate me how to do this and whether such a restrictive statement on a ICICI Bank form is legally valid.
    CA.Sanjay Agarwal

  2. KANCHAN MALA VERMA says:

    Please clarify me, that investment booked in SCSS in one hook Rs.15 lakh in 2019, I can claim deduction u/s 80 C for the remaiming years i.e. 2020,2021,2022 & 2023, As the SCSS in of five years, If someone extends SCSS for next three years then He is also eligible for a deduction for the
    u/s 80C for the year 2024,2025 & 2026 @ rs.1.50 lakh total becomes Rs. 12/- lakh i.e 1.5lakh *8years=12 lakh
    “So Instead of putting the entire amount of 15 lakhs in a single year, you can spread the same over the years to maximize the benefits under Section 80C”
    Once again please clarify in the interest of Sr.citizen at the earliest..

  3. VIPAN KUMAR VERMA says:

    Good article on SCSS Narrated by C.A.Balwant Jain & one point made in this blog If Sr.citizen invested Rs.15 lakh, He can claim deduction U/S 80 C up to Rs.1.50 lakh every year, I still do not believe it.
    C.A. Balwant Jain Ji, please clarify
    “So Instead of putting the entire amount of 15 lakhs in a single year, you can spread the same over the years to maximize the benefits under Section 80C.”
    Once again requested clarify to Sr. Citizen of India.

  4. CECILY ARAVINDHAN says:

    Husband has got a SCSS of Rs 15 lakhs with his name as first holder and wife as second holder. Whether wife can open another SCSS upto Rs 15 lakhs, in her name as First holder and husband as Second holder .

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