EPF, NPS, Mutual Funds: Which Builds a Stronger Retirement Corpus?

• Retirement planning in India often involves EPF, NPS, and Mutual Funds, though investors rarely compare them consciously.
• EPF offers stability with 8-8.5% returns, providing a government-backed, tax-free accumulation.
• NPS introduces market participation with 9-11% returns through a mix of equity, corporate bonds, and government securities.
• Mutual Funds, especially equity-oriented ones, are built for growth, delivering 11-13% returns and consistently outpacing inflation.
• The significant difference in corpus size emerges in later years due to compounding; a 12% return can yield nearly double a 8.25% return over 25 years.