New Delhi, Nov. 15 -- A bank fixed deposit may offer an interest rate of 6.35%, but the amount you eventually earn can be considerably lower once tax is accounted for. For investors in the 30% tax bracket, the post-tax return on a five-year bank FD averages just 4.60%, according to the November 2026 Wealth Conversations report by FundsIndia.

The report compares fixed deposit rates offered by HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) for deposits below Rs.3 crore. The rates are based on information available on the respective banks' websites as of 8 November 2026. FundsIndia has calculated post-tax returns assuming a 30% tax rate.

The difference between the advertised interest rate and the post-tax r...