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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(atal pension yojana, APY scheme, pension after 60 India, ₹5000 pension, atal pension contribution chart, APY apply, pension scheme 2026)
+metatag-description=(Atal Pension Yojana 2026 — guaranteed ₹1k–5k/month pension after age 60. Open at any bank if aged 18–40. Contribution as low as ₹42/month.)}}
+====== Atal Pension Yojana (APY) 2026 — ₹1,000–5,000/month Pension After 60 ======
+**Direct answer.** Atal Pension Yojana gives a **guaranteed monthly pension of ₹1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 / 4,000 / 5,000** after age 60 to anyone who joins between **18–40 years** and contributes to age 60. Contribution is as low as **₹42/month** (₹1,000 pension at age 18). After your death, the **same pension goes to your spouse**; after both, the corpus is returned to nominee. Open at any bank with savings account + Aadhaar. **₹0 application fee**.
+===== Quick Answer =====
+  * Pension: **₹1k / 2k / 3k / 4k / 5k per month** after 60.
+  * **Eligible**: Anyone aged 18–40 with bank account + Aadhaar.
+  * **Contribution starts at ₹42/month** (₹1k pension, age 18).
+  * Same pension to spouse after your death + corpus to nominee.
+  * Open at any bank or post office.
+  * **Helpline**: **1800-110-069**.
+  * **Withdrawal stuck?** [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/ai-rti-draft-app.html|🪄 RTI in 60 sec]].
+===== What is this scheme =====
+APY launched **9 May 2015** under PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority). **Government guarantees the pension** — if returns from invested corpus are short, government tops up. **6.5+ crore subscribers** as of 2026.
+==== Why APY beats most options ====
+  * **Guaranteed pension** (not market-linked like NPS/MFs)
+  * **Low entry** — ₹42/month start
+  * **Govt subsidy** (closed for new joiners post-2022 except low-income, but legacy benefits continue)
+  * **Spouse pension** built in
+  * **Section 80CCD(1B)** — additional ₹50k tax deduction
+===== Key benefits =====
+  * **Guaranteed monthly pension** ₹1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 / 4,000 / 5,000.
+  * **Life-long pension** post-60 till your death.
+  * **Spouse pension** — after your death, spouse continues to get same pension till her/his death.
+  * **Corpus refund to nominee** — after both deaths, corpus (₹1.7L–8.5L approximately, depending on slab) goes to nominee.
+  * **Tax benefit** under **80CCD(1B)** — ₹50,000/year deduction (over and above 80C ₹1.5L).
+===== Contribution chart (sample) =====
+| Joining age | ₹1k pension monthly contribution | ₹2k | ₹3k | ₹4k | ₹5k |
+| 18 | ₹42 | ₹84 | ₹126 | ₹168 | ₹210 |
+| 25 | ₹76 | ₹151 | ₹226 | ₹301 | ₹376 |
+| 30 | ₹116 | ₹231 | ₹347 | ₹462 | ₹577 |
+| 35 | ₹181 | ₹362 | ₹543 | ₹722 | ₹902 |
+| 40 | ₹291 | ₹582 | ₹873 | ₹1,164 | ₹1,454 |
+(Rounded; bank-specific computation may vary by ₹1–2.)
+===== Who is eligible =====
+  * **Age 18–40** at the time of opening.
+  * **Indian citizen** with savings account.
+  * **Aadhaar mandatory** (linked to savings account).
+  * **Mobile number** — for SMS confirmations.
+  * **Not a tax-payer in last AY** — was a hard rule from October 2022; income-tax-paying citizens cannot newly join (existing accounts continue).
+===== Documents required =====
+  - **Aadhaar card** (mobile-linked)
+  - **Existing savings bank account** (any bank)
+  - **Mobile number**
+That's it — no photo, no income proof, no caste cert.
+===== Step-by-step application =====
+==== At your bank ====
+  - Visit your existing savings account branch.
+  - Ask for "**Atal Pension Yojana enrolment form**" (also available at bank's website).
+  - Fill: Aadhaar + bank account + chosen pension (₹1k/2k/3k/4k/5k) + nominee details + spouse details.
+  - Submit + Aadhaar OTP for eKYC.
+  - **First month's contribution auto-debited** from savings account.
+  - **PRAN** (Permanent Retirement Account Number) issued — save it.
+==== Online (some banks) ====
+  - Login to net banking / mobile app.
+  - "Investments" / "PFRDA / NPS" → "Atal Pension Yojana".
+  - Same details as above. Aadhaar OTP-based.
+  - Auto-debit set up.
+===== Common mistakes =====
+  * **Insufficient bank balance on auto-debit date** — penalty (₹1–10/month) charged. Repeated default after 6 months = account frozen.
+  * **Wrong pension slab chosen** — once chosen, change allowed **once per year** in April only.
+  * **Nominee not updated** — keep nominee current; default routes to legal heir which delays.
+  * **Aadhaar-bank not seeded** — auto-debit from non-Aadhaar account fine, but pension credit later may have DBT issues.
+  * **Not telling spouse** — spouse pension entitlement requires spouse to know + apply with death certificate.
+===== Latest updates (2026) =====
+  * **Income-tax payer exclusion** — since 1 October 2022, ITR-filing citizens cannot newly join. Existing subscribers continue.
+  * **Auto-payment via UPI AutoPay** — supported in 2024+ (alternative to bank auto-debit).
+  * **Online opening** — most major banks now have full digital APY enrolment.
+===== FAQ =====
+==== Can I increase or decrease my pension slab? ====
+**Yes — once per year** in April only. Visit branch, fill modification form. Contributions auto-adjust.
+==== What if I miss contributions? ====
+Penalty by slab: ₹1 (≤ ₹100), ₹2 (₹101–500), ₹5 (₹501–1000), ₹10 (> ₹1000). After **6 months default** → account frozen. After **12 months** → account closed (you get back contributions + interest minus penalty).
+==== Can I withdraw before 60? ====
+**Generally no.** Exit allowed **only on**:
+  * **Death** (corpus / pension to spouse + nominee)
+  * **Terminal illness** (with medical certificate)
+  * **Voluntary exit** before 60 — you get back **only your contribution + interest** (govt's contribution + investment returns are forfeited)
+==== Atal Pension vs NPS — which should I choose? ====
+**APY**: guaranteed pension, low contribution, simple, fixed amount. Best for low-to-mid income with predictability need. **NPS**: market-linked higher returns potential, more flexibility, no guarantee. Best for higher income with higher risk appetite. **You can have both**.
+==== After my death, does my spouse get full pension? ====
+**Yes** — same pension amount continues to spouse till their death. After both, corpus returned to nominee.
+==== I'm 35 and want ₹5,000/month pension. Affordable? ====
+**₹902/month × 25 years = ₹2.7 lakh paid in**. Spouse + you get **₹5,000/month for life** (~25 years post-60 = ₹15 lakh paid out). Plus corpus return to nominee. **Yes, very affordable.**
+==== Can I have APY + EPF + NPS? ====
+**Yes** — fully stackable. APY is on top.
+==== I joined APY in 2018 but stopped paying. Can I restart? ====
+If account frozen but **not closed**, you can **reactivate** by paying outstanding contributions + penalty. Visit branch.
+==== I'm a tax-payer now (started filing 2024). What happens to my APY? ====
+**Existing APY continues** — the 1-Oct-2022 cut-off applies only to **new** enrolments. You keep contributing + getting pension.
+===== You may also be eligible for =====
+  * **[[:pm-jan-dhan-yojana|Jan Dhan]]** — open the bank account first
+  * **[[:e-shram-card|e-Shram]]** — for unorganised workers (auto-eligibility for PMSYM)
+  * **PMSBY** — ₹2 lakh accident cover ₹20/year
+  * **PMJJBY** — ₹2 lakh life cover ₹436/year
+  * **[[:financial-support-schemes-india|💰 All financial schemes]]**
+  * **[[:rti-for-pension-delay|RTI for pension delay]]**
+===== Sources =====
+  * [[https://www.npscra.nsdl.co.in/scheme-details.php|APY — NPS Trust]]
+  * [[https://www.pfrda.org.in|PFRDA — official regulator]]
+  * [[https://www.npstrust.org.in|NPS Trust]]
+  * Helpline: **1800-110-069**
+{REVIEWED}
+//Last reviewed: 3 May 2026.//
+===== Visual / Infographic prompts =====
+  * **Infographic concept:** Contribution chart: Age 18 starting at ₹42/mo → ₹1k/mo pension after 60. Age 40 starting at ₹291/mo → ₹1k pension. Show 5 pension slabs side-by-side.
+==== SVG icon prompts (use any AI image gen) ====
+  - Minimal calendar icon transforming into a piggy bank, '60+' callout.
+  - Two figures (couple) silhouette with 'spouse pension' label arrow.
+  - Section 80CCD(1B) tax shield with ₹50,000 deduction.
+==== Feature image prompt ====
+//Realistic photo of an Indian senior couple at home, smiling at their bank passbook with pension credit, comfortable middle-class home, warm tones.//
+{{tag>atal-pension-yojana APY pension 2026 financial-schemes}}
+**New 2026 update on RTI Wiki:** [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/nps-swasthya-pension-scheme-health-2026|NPS Swasthya: medical withdrawals from NPS, 2026 pilot]]