New Delhi, June 27 -- A Public Provident Fund (PPF) account is designed as a long-term savings scheme with a 15-year lock-in period, which can be extended post maturity. But what if an account holder needs the money before the account reaches maturity?

The good news is that PPF rules allow account holders to access their funds before maturity in certain situations. Depending on the reason, a depositor is allowed to make a partial withdrawal or close their account prematurely.

A PPF account can be closed before its 15-year maturity period only in a few specified situations: Premature closure is allowed for:

However, it is crucial to noted that premature closure is permitted only after the account has completed five financial years from ...