Sukanya Tracker14 September 2026
The best time of year to deposit in Sukanya Samriddhi (with the numbers)
April versus March, lump sum versus monthly: how the timing of the same ₹1.5 lakh changes the maturity value by up to ₹5 lakh, and how to choose what fits your cash flow.
The SSY interest rule — interest on the lowest balance between the 5th and month-end, credited every 31 March — means the same yearly amount can end up worth very different sums depending on when in the year it goes in.
Here is ₹1,50,000 a year for 15 years, at a flat 8.2%, held to maturity at 21:
| How you deposit | Value at maturity | Versus best |
|---|---|---|
| Lump sum, 1–5 April | ≈ ₹71.8 lakh | — |
| Lump sum, 6 April or later | ≈ ₹71.4 lakh | −₹0.4 lakh |
| Monthly, by the 5th | ≈ ₹69.3 lakh | −₹2.5 lakh |
| Monthly, after the 5th | ≈ ₹68.9 lakh | −₹2.9 lakh |
| Lump sum in March | ≈ ₹66.8 lakh | −₹5.0 lakh |
Why April wins
A deposit in the first week of April earns interest for all twelve months of that financial year, and the interest is credited on 31 March and starts compounding from 1 April. A deposit in March earns for one month, and is then credited — effectively a year of growth lost, every year, for fifteen years.
Monthly deposits sit in between: on average each rupee earns for six and a half months of its first year.
Choosing what you can actually do
The table is not a lecture. Many families cannot spare ₹1.5 lakh in April, and a monthly habit you keep beats an April lump sum you skip. The rules of thumb, in order:
- Whatever your cadence, land it by the 5th. That alone is worth ₹45,000 over the term for a monthly saver.
- If you can move your yearly deposit earlier, do. June beats March by roughly ₹3.5 lakh at maturity.
- If you get a bonus or a tax refund, April is where it belongs.
A note on the yearly cap
The ₹1,50,000 limit is per financial year. If you deposit ₹1.5 lakh in March 2027 and again in April 2027, that is two different years and both count. Anything above the cap within one year earns nothing and is returned.
Sukanya Tracker compares the four plans with your daughter’s real balance and lets you pick the one that fits, then builds her calendar and reminders from it. Get the app →