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Re:

Bank FD Rates in October 2026: Pre- and Post-Tax Returns at HDFC, ICICI, SBI and PNB

Available October 2026 rate cards are not equally current. Compare bank tenors carefully and calculate post-tax FD returns from your own tax position—not by subtracting TDS from the rate.
From TheFinanceBase Team5 min to read
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As of the official bank-rate pages checked on October 11, 2026, there is no fully verified four-bank October rate snapshot: SBI’s available card shows rates effective December 15, 2025, while PNB’s card is effective June 1, 2026. HDFC and ICICI have later effective dates. The rates below are useful reference points, not a like-for-like ranking or a promise of what a new deposit will earn today. FD interest is generally taxable according to your overall tax position; tax deducted at source (TDS) is withholding, not your final tax bill.

What the four banks’ available rate cards show

The figures are annual card rates for domestic retail deposits below ₹3 crore, where the rate-card details establish that band. Tenor boundaries differ, so the maximum rate at one bank should not be treated as directly comparable with another bank’s maximum. The evidence summarized here does not establish exact senior-citizen rates for every listed tenor.

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Bank Rate-card date General-customer rates and tenor buckets Senior-citizen and withdrawal details
HDFC Bank Effective August 19, 2026 Below ₹3 crore: 6.25% for 1 year to under 15 months; 6.35% for 15 to under 18 months; 6.45% for 18 months through 3 years; 6.50% for 3 years 1 day to under 4 years 7 months; 6.40% for 4 years 7 months through 5 years; and 6.15% for 5 years 1 day to 10 years. A separate senior-citizen column has different rates; exact figures are not stated in the rate details summarized here. Monthly interest payout is discounted from the standard rate; quarterly reinvestment adds interest to principal.
ICICI Bank Effective September 25, 2026 Below ₹3 crore, general customers with premature withdrawal: 6.25% for 1 year to 389 days; 6.30% for 390 days to under 18 months; 6.30% for 18 months to 2 years; 6.45% for 2 years 1 day to 3 years; and 6.50% for 3 years 1 day to 5 years and for 5 years 1 day to 10 years. Senior rates differ and apply to domestic FDs; exact figures are not stated in the rate details summarized here. A separate non-withdrawable option has different rates and restrictions.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) Page updated October 1, 2026; below-₹3-crore domestic/NRO card effective June 1, 2026 General public: 6.25% at 1 year; 6.60% at 444 days; 6.50% at 666 days; 6.30% for over 2 to 3 years; 6.35% for 1,205 days to 5 years; and 6.00% above 5 to 10 years. Separate senior- and super-senior-citizen rates are listed. PNB defines senior citizens as ages 60 to under 80 and super-senior citizens as age 80 and above; exact rates by bucket are not stated in the rate details summarized here.
State Bank of India (SBI) Page last updated June 16, 2026; displayed public rates effective December 15, 2025 Below ₹3 crore: 6.25% for 1 to under 2 years; 6.40% for 2 to under 3 years; 6.30% for 3 to under 5 years; and 6.05% for 5 to 10 years. These are dated displayed rates, not verified October 2026 rates. SBI displays a 50-basis-point We-care premium for senior citizens in the 5–10-year figure and an additional benefit for super-senior patrons. Check the current card before relying on any SBI figure.

Why the maximum rates do not settle which bank pays most

PNB’s 6.60% rate is for a special 444-day tenor, not a one-year deposit. HDFC’s and ICICI’s 6.50% rates apply to different tenor buckets, and ICICI also distinguishes callable from non-withdrawable deposits. A fair comparison matches the exact term, deposit amount, customer category, withdrawal access, and interest payout or reinvestment method. The available SBI card is too old to establish its October rate.

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How to compare pre-tax FD rates with post-tax returns

Start with the bank’s gross rate and actual interest method

The pre-tax rate is the bank’s stated annual card rate. It is not automatically the effective yield on every deposit. Monthly payout may be discounted, while a cumulative FD may reinvest interest; compounding frequency and the chosen tenor affect the amount credited. ICICI’s calculator labels its displayed result as excluding TDS, so a calculator figure should not be mistaken for take-home income.

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Estimate the tax on interest, not by subtracting TDS from the rate

FD interest is included in taxable income under the applicable rules. Your final liability depends on your total income, tax regime, eligibility for rebates or deductions, and any other applicable rules. TDS is an amount withheld and reported toward tax; it is not a separate final rate that can simply be subtracted from the FD’s card rate.

For a simple illustration, suppose a resident invests ₹10 lakh for one year at a 6.50% annual rate with interest paid annually, and assume the interest is ₹65,000 before tax. If the investor’s applicable marginal tax rate on that interest is 20%, and cess and surcharge are excluded, the estimated tax on the interest is ₹13,000 and the amount remaining is ₹52,000, equivalent to 5.2% of the original principal. This is a simplified example, not a universal post-tax yield: the actual interest calculation, tax rate, rebate eligibility, and final liability can differ.

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The Income Tax Department’s AY 2026–27 new-regime guidance lists rates from nil up to ₹4 lakh, followed by 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% across successively higher bands. It also describes a section 87A rebate for eligible resident individuals with total income up to ₹12 lakh. Those assessment-year rules do not by themselves determine an individual’s final tax; check the rules applicable to your tax year and circumstances.

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When TDS may apply—and why no TDS does not mean no tax

The Income Tax Department’s Section 194A text reviewed for this comparison gives bank-interest thresholds of ₹40,000 for a non-senior payee and ₹50,000 for a resident senior citizen. ICICI’s FAQ gives different thresholds: ₹50,000 for general residents and ₹1,00,000 for resident senior citizens. Because those official materials conflict, confirm the applicable statutory threshold for the relevant tax year instead of relying on the bank FAQ alone.

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Even where a bank does not withhold TDS, taxable FD interest may still need to be included when you work out and report your tax. ICICI states that eligible customers may use Form 15G or Form 15H to request no withholding, but also says the interest remains taxable. Keep FD receipts or passbooks to calculate interest; if TDS was deducted, Form 16A is among the records identified in Income Tax Department filing guidance.

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What to check before opening or renewing an FD

  • Confirm the bank’s current rate card and effective date; a webpage’s update date can be later than the effective date printed on its card.
  • Match the exact tenor and deposit band instead of comparing headline maximum rates.
  • Check whether premature withdrawal is allowed and whether a non-withdrawable product has different terms.
  • Compare cumulative interest with monthly or other payout options, including any payout discount or compounding difference.
  • Use the rate category that fits the depositor. A senior-citizen rate premium and a senior citizen’s tax treatment are separate questions.
  • Estimate tax using the investor’s full tax position for the relevant year rather than assuming a single post-tax rate.

In particular, obtain SBI’s current retail card before making an October 2026 four-bank comparison. The available SBI page labels its public rates as effective December 15, 2025, and was last updated June 16, 2026; those dates do not verify an October rate.

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