Retirement Dilemma: PPF's Safety vs ELSS's High Returns

• PPF and ELSS are popular tax-saving options for retirement planning, differing in safety and return potential.
• PPF offers government-guaranteed, fixed returns (currently 7.1%) with a 15-year lock-in, suitable for low-risk investors.
• ELSS is an equity-linked mutual fund with potential for higher returns (12-18%) but carries market risk and has a shorter 3-year lock-in.
• While PPF builds a corpus of approx. ₹40.68 lakh in 15 years, ELSS could yield up to ₹84.6 lakh (at 15% return) for the same investment.
• The ideal choice depends on individual risk tolerance, age, and financial goals; a mix of both is often recommended.

Why It Matters: Helps you decide between secure PPF and high-growth ELSS for your retirement.