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Why This "10% Return" LIC Scheme is Actually Anuradha in Disguise ЁЯе╕ЁЯУЙ

By Kuldeep Singh тАв May 27, 2026 тАв 5 min read
Analysis of LIC policy returns vs inflation in India

LetтАЩs be real. The guys designing some of these insurance schemes are smoking something on a completely different level.

"Beta, just deposit тВ╣10 Lakhs today. Wait 7 years. Then enjoy тВ╣1 Lakh every year for the rest of your life!"

тАФ Every Insurance Agent Uncle Ever

Now, to our dads and dadajis, this sounds like an absolute jackpot. "Wow! 10% guaranteed return every year? Take my money!"

But hold up. Let's do the real math. If you look closely, this "amazing" scheme is actually giving you returns lower than a boring old bank FD. Let me show you how the illusion works.

The 7-Year "Black Hole" ЁЯХ│я╕П

HereтАЩs the main trick. For 7 whole years, your тВ╣10 Lakhs is locked up, earning you zero cash flow.

If you took that exact same тВ╣10 Lakhs and just dumped it into a basic 7% Fixed Deposit and went to sleep... by the end of year 7, your money would have quietly grown to about тВ╣16 Lakhs.

So, when year 8 hits and the company finally hands you your тВ╣1 Lakh, they aren't giving you a 10% return on your original 10 Lakhs. They are giving you тВ╣1 Lakh on an accumulated asset of тВ╣16 Lakhs.

Do the simple math: That drops your actual return down to barely 6.2%. Suddenly, that 10% pitch doesn't look so hot, does it?

The Inflation Slap ЁЯТ╕

Sure, тВ╣1 Lakh sounds like solid passive income today. But fast forward 15 or 20 years. Thanks to inflation, that exact same тВ╣1 Lakh will probably only be worth around тВ╣30,000 to тВ╣40,000 in today's purchasing power. The payout stays completely flat, while the price of everything else continues to rise.

See For Yourself ЁЯУК

I actually built a custom calculator to expose exactly how this math plays out behind the scenes and shows you the real Internal Rate of Return (IRR). Adjust the sliders below to see the numbers in action.

Real Return (XIRR) Calculator

10,00,000
7 Years
1,00,000
30 Years
7.0%

Chit Fund IRR

0.00%

FD Rate

7.00%

Chit Fund

Cash Received: тВ╣30L

Corpus Left at End: тВ╣0

FD (With Same Withdrawals)

Cash Received: тВ╣30L

Corpus Left at End: тВ╣0

If Invested in FD at 7.0%

If Invested in Chit Fund

So yeah, this isn't a financial masterstroke.

This is basically Anuradha ЁЯТГ, and sheтАЩs going to smoothly cut your returns for the next 30 years. тЬВя╕П

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Want to read the boring official document? Here is the link to LICтАЩs New Jeevan Shanti (Plan 858).

5 Basic FAQs About the Scheme (Just the Facts)

1. What exactly is this scheme in plain English?

ItтАЩs a "Deferred Annuity" plan. Translation: You pay LIC a big lump sum today (like тВ╣10 Lakhs), they lock it up for a few years (like 7 years), and then they promise to pay you a fixed yearly pension for the rest of your life.

2. Does my family get the тВ╣10 Lakhs back after IтАЩm gone?

Yes. If you buy the standard option, whenever you pass away, your nominee gets the original тВ╣10 Lakh deposit back as a death benefit, and the yearly pension stops.

3. What if I die before the 7-year waiting period is over?

Your money doesn't vanish. Your nominee will receive your original тВ╣10 Lakhs plus some extra guaranteed additions that built up during those waiting years.

4. Can my spouse keep getting the pension if I die?

Yes, if you choose the "Joint Life" option when buying it. You get the pension while you're alive, and if you pass away, your partner gets the exact same amount for the rest of their life.

5. Can I pull my money out if thereтАЩs a sudden emergency?

You can, but it will cost you. You can surrender the policy, or you can take a loan against it (usually up to 80% of its surrender value). But if you break it early, you might lose a chunk of your original capital.

5 FAQs On Why ItтАЩs Actually a Terrible Investment ЁЯЪй (The Hidden Truths)

1. Wait, is the agent lying about the "10% return"?

They aren't technically lying about the numbers, but they are hiding the time value of your money. During those 7 years where your money is locked up, it earns zero payouts. If you put that same money in a basic FD, it would grow to тВ╣16 Lakhs. When they finally pay you тВ╣1 Lakh, it's on a base of тВ╣16 Lakhs, not 10. The actual Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is only around 5.5% to 6%.

2. But isn't a guaranteed тВ╣1 Lakh every year a safe bet?

It is safe from market crashes, but it is guaranteed to be destroyed by inflation. The payout is 100% fixed. If you lock in тВ╣1 Lakh today, you get exactly тВ╣1 Lakh twenty years from now. With inflation, that тВ╣1 Lakh will only have the purchasing power of about тВ╣30,000 to тВ╣40,000 in the future.

3. At least the pension is tax-free, right?

Nope. This is another trap. The тВ╣1 Lakh yearly payout is treated as regular income and is fully taxable according to your tax slab. If you are in the 30% bracket, the government is taking тВ╣30,000 of your pension every year.

4. What are people on the internet actually saying about this plan?

If you look at Reddit personal finance forums or investment discussions, the consensus is brutal. Most experienced investors call it a trap for the elderly. People who ran the actual math in Excel realized the returns barely beat a savings account over the long term, and deeply regret locking up massive amounts of capital with zero flexibility.

5. So what should I do with my тВ╣10 Lakhs instead?

If you want guaranteed safety, even a rolling bank Fixed Deposit or RBI Floating Rate Bonds will give you better flexibility and often better returns without locking your money in a black hole for 7 years. If you want to actually beat inflation and build wealth over 20-30 years, a simple mix of Mutual Funds (using a Systematic Withdrawal Plan for retirement income) will destroy this LIC scheme's returns.

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Kuldeep Singh - Finance blogger and consumer investigator

About Kuldeep Singh

I believe that knowledge is the ultimate currency. Through Deep Money Minds, I bridge the gap between complex financial concepts and everyday practical technology to help you succeed.