Atal Pension Yojana (APY): guaranteed ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 monthly pension, who can join, how much to pay and the rules
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) gives a Central Government guaranteed pension of ₹1,000, ₹2,000, ₹3,000, ₹4,000 or ₹5,000 a month from age 60, for life. After you, your spouse gets the same pension, and after both, the nominee gets the pension wealth. You can join between 18 and 40 with a savings bank or post office account. Since 1 October 2022, anyone who is or has been an income-tax payer cannot open a new APY account. Joining at 18 costs ₹42 to ₹210 a month; at 40, ₹291 to ₹1,454.
Key facts Last verified: 25 Oct 2026
| Item | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pension | Guaranteed ₹1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 / 4,000 / 5,000 a month from age 60, until death | PFRDA |
| Age to join | 18 to 40 years | PFRDA |
| Income-tax payers | Not eligible to open a new account from 1 October 2022 (if they are or have been taxpayers) | PFRDA FAQ |
| Monthly contribution | ₹42–₹210 if joining at 18; ₹291–₹1,454 if joining at 40 | PIB backgrounder (8 May 2025) |
| Late payment | ₹1 per ₹100 per month of delay; the account is never closed for non-payment | PFRDA FAQ |
| Helpline | 1800-110-069 (new subscribers), 1800-889-1030 (existing subscribers) | PFRDA FAQ |
Rekha, 26, runs a small tailoring shop in Kolhapur and doesn't pay income tax. She wants something fixed in old age, not market ups and downs. With APY she pays a small amount every month from her savings account and gets a pension guaranteed by the Government of India from 60. If something happens to her, her husband gets the same pension.
The "triple benefit"
| When | Who gets what |
|---|---|
| From your 60th birthday | You get the chosen pension (₹1,000 to ₹5,000) every month for life |
| After your death | Your spouse gets the same pension for life |
| After both | Your nominee gets the pension wealth accumulated till you turned 60 |
Who can join
- Indian citizen aged 18 to 40 (you can join up to your 40th birthday)
- Have a savings bank account or post office savings account
- Not an income-tax payer now and never been one (rule from 1 October 2022)
- Only one APY account per person. Each eligible family member can have their own
- Government / PSU employees and existing NPS subscribers can also join if they meet the above
Already in APY and now pay income tax? No problem. If you joined on or before 30 September 2022, or you became a taxpayer after joining, your account continues. Only people who were taxpayers on the date of applying (after 1 Oct 2022) are not allowed; if such an account is found, it is closed and the money returned, with no penalty.
How much you pay
The contribution depends on your age at joining and the pension you choose. The earlier you join, the less you pay each month.
| Joining age | For ₹1,000 pension | For ₹5,000 pension |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | ₹42 a month | ₹210 a month |
| 40 | ₹291 a month | ₹1,454 a month |
Ages in between fall between these figures. Your bank shows the exact amount when you pick a pension. You can pay monthly, quarterly or half-yearly by auto-debit, and you contribute until age 60 (at least 20 years).
How to join
- Go to the bank branch or post office where you have a savings account and fill in the APY registration form. Or use your bank's net banking / app, if it offers APY, or the eAPY online option linked from PFRDA's APY page.
- Choose the pension amount and payment frequency.
- Give nominee and spouse details (mandatory). Aadhaar and a mobile number are recommended for updates.
- Keep enough balance for the auto-debit on the due date.
Rules worth knowing
- Missed payments: banks collect ₹1 for every ₹100 due, per month of delay. The account is not closed for non-payment; you can catch up any time with the overdue amount.
- Change pension: you can increase or decrease the pension amount once a financial year (fee ₹50).
- Change frequency: switch between monthly, quarterly and half-yearly once a year.
- Exit before 60: allowed voluntarily, but you get back only your contributions plus earnings (minus charges), not the guaranteed pension.
- Death before 60: the spouse can continue the account till the date you would have turned 60 and then get a lifelong pension, or take the whole corpus.
- Tax: the same tax benefits as NPS apply (under the old regime).
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for Atal Pension Yojana?
Indian citizens aged 18 to 40 with a savings bank or post office account who are not and have never been income-tax payers (rule from 1 October 2022).
How much pension do I get in APY?
A guaranteed ₹1,000, ₹2,000, ₹3,000, ₹4,000 or ₹5,000 a month from age 60, depending on the amount you chose and paid for.
How much do I have to pay every month in APY?
It depends on your joining age and pension choice: ₹42 to ₹210 a month if you join at 18, and ₹291 to ₹1,454 a month if you join at 40.
Can an income-tax payer join Atal Pension Yojana?
Not since 1 October 2022. But those who joined on or before 30 September 2022, or became taxpayers after joining, can continue. A non-taxpayer spouse can open their own account.
What happens if I stop paying APY?
The account is not closed. Overdue interest of ₹1 per ₹100 per month is charged, and you can regularise it by paying the dues.
Official links
Use only these government websites. HumainOne is not connected to any of them.
- PFRDA — Atal Pension YojanaScheme, eligibility, eAPY link
- PFRDA — APY FAQsTaxpayer rule, delays, exit, death
- PIB — APY backgrounder (May 2025)Contribution range by age
- APY helpline (new subscribers)PFRDA toll-free
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