Fixed Deposits

Fixed deposits are India’s favourite instrument for a reason: the rate is guaranteed and bank deposits are DICGC-insured up to ₹5 lakh. But FD interest is fully taxable and inflation quietly eats the real return, so an FD is the right tool for some jobs and the wrong one for others. These guides cover when FDs genuinely make sense — emergency funds, short-term goals, senior income — how FD laddering works, and how FDs compare with debt and equity mutual funds. Check your own maturity numbers in the FD Calculator.