With the introduction of India’s new tax regime, salaried employees have seen many traditional tax-saving avenues shrink. Popular deductions such as Section 80C investments and HRA benefits no longer offer the same flexibility. However, one powerful yet often overlooked option still remains — employer contributions to the National Pension System (NPS).
The new regime was designed to simplify taxation by offering lower tax rates in exchange for removing most deductions and exemptions. While this simplifies compliance, it also reduces tax planning opportunities for salaried individuals.
One important exception is employer contributions to NPS under Section 80CCD(2). An employer can contribute up to 14% of an employee’s basic salary to the employee’s NPS Tier-I account. This contribution is deducted from taxable income before tax is calculated, effectively lowering the overall tax liability.
Employer NPS contributions are treated as retirement savings made on behalf of the employee. Since this amount is excluded from taxable income, it directly reduces the income subject to tax.
For example, if an employee earns a basic salary of Rs 50,000 per month and the employer contributes 14% (Rs 7,000 monthly or Rs 84,000 annually) to NPS, the taxable income reduces by Rs 84,000. For someone in the 30% tax bracket, this can result in annual tax savings of around Rs 25,200 — while simultaneously building a retirement corpus.
Beyond immediate tax relief, NPS investments generate market-linked returns over the long term, helping employees accumulate substantial retirement savings.
Earlier, one of the major concerns about NPS was its long lock-in period. However, recent rule changes have made it more flexible. Partial withdrawals are now permitted after three years for specific purposes, and structured withdrawal options are available at retirement.
This added flexibility makes NPS more practical as part of a broader financial plan rather than being viewed as completely locked-in money.
Many salaried employees may already have employer NPS contributions included in their cost-to-company (CTC) structure but may not fully understand the tax advantage. Reviewing salary slips and consulting HR can clarify whether this benefit is being utilised effectively.
If employer NPS is not part of the current salary structure, employees can explore restructuring options with HR. Since it reduces taxable income while boosting retirement savings, it offers a rare combination of immediate and long-term financial benefits under the new tax regime.
In a system where most deductions have been trimmed, employer contributions to NPS stand out as a quiet yet powerful tax-saving tool. Understanding this provision can help salaried employees optimise both their present tax liability and their future financial security.
