ELSS vs FD: Meaning, Comparison and More

Under Section 80C of the Indian Income Tax Act, you can claim tax benefits on certain expenditures and investments. ELSS mutual funds and tax-saving FDs are two of the various investment options covered under Section 80C provisions that provide tax deductions of up to Rs.1.5 lakh a year. Each of these options comes with their set of goals, risks, and returns. 

What are ELSS Funds?

Among all mutual funds, the equity-linked savings scheme or ELSS is the only mutual fund covered under Section 80C deductions. ELSS is a diversified equity mutual fund that offers tax deductions of up to Rs.1.5 lakhs annually.

Previously, ELSS returns were tax-free. However, post Budget 2018, the long-term capital gains tax over Rs.1 lakh are taxable at 10%. The investor would not get the benefit of indexation. Even after the 10% tax cut, ELSS has the potential to deliver superior returns compared to other tax-saving instruments. The perks of ELSS investments are not limited to the taxes saved. The power of compounding ensures that your investment is doubled if you invest for, say, five years (tenure of tax-saving FD). Furthermore, the minimum lock-in period is only three years.

What are Tax Saving Fixed Deposits?

Investing in fixed deposits with banks allows individuals and HUFs to claim a tax deduction of up to Rs.1,50,000 in a financial year. These deposits have a lock-in period of five years. However, you cannot withdraw this deposit prematurely. But a positive point is that you can avail loans against your FDs. The interest earned on these deposits, however, is taxable as per the tax bracket of the individual.

How are ELSS funds different from Tax Saving FDs?

Here is a quick overview of the of the differences between ELSS and Tax Saving FDs over various parameters:

Should you invest in ELSS or Tax saving FDs?

Before getting into new investment ventures, you must consider factors such as your age, investment horizon, and risk appetite. Those who want dual benefits of wealth accumulation and tax benefits should prefer ELSS. Long-term investors with higher risk appetite find ELSS to be a sensible option. People approaching retirement should consider investing in tax-saving FDs as they tend to have low risks and guaranteed returns.

In short, you must always choose an investment scheme based on your financial goals and risk profile. If you are finding it challenging to pick the right investment options, then you can get in touch with ClearTax Invest for handpicked and lucrative funds recommended by our experts. The process is 100% paperless, and the entire process can be completed within 7 minutes. Invest now!

Taxability of ELSS and FDs

Both tax-saver FDs and ELSS provide tax benefits under the provisions of Section 80C of the Income Tax Act,1961. However, the returns offered by these instruments are taxed differently. Tax-saver FDs are not as tax-efficient as ELSS as the interest is added to your overall income and taxed at your income tax slab rate.

This is a great disadvantage if you fall under the highest tax brackets. This is where ELSS scores much better. Long-term capital gains of up to Rs 1 lakh a year are made tax-exempt. Any gains over this limit are taxed at a flat rate of 10% plus applicable cess and surcharge. Dividends offered by all mutual funds are added to your overall income and taxed at your income tax slab rate.

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