SIP calculator guide

The SIP calculator on Kalkulator.in estimates future corpus from monthly investment, expected annual return, and tenure in years. It is a planning flashlight — useful for comparing assumptions, not a contract with the market.

Inputs and outputs

Monthly investment: The SIP amount — 1,000, 5,000, 25,000.
Expected annual return: Your assumption in percent. Try a range, not one number.
Tenure: Years you plan to continue the SIP.
Output: Estimated corpus, total amount invested, and estimated gains under that assumption.

How to use it sensibly

Run 10%, 12%, and 14% for equity-oriented goals. If your retirement plan only works at 14%, it is fragile. If it works at 10%, you have margin.

Compare with an FD path using the FD calculator for money you cannot risk. For a one-time amount instead of monthly, use the lumpsum calculator. For compound growth concepts, see the compound interest calculator.

Worked example

8,000 monthly for 18 years at 12% → estimated corpus roughly 48 lakh. Total invested 17.28 lakh. Estimated gain 30.7 lakh.

Same inputs at 10% → corpus roughly 36 lakh. A 2% return difference over 18 years costs 12 lakh in projected corpus. That gap is why return assumptions matter.

Same inputs at 14% → corpus roughly 65 lakh. Optimistic, but useful as an upper band, not a plan.

Step-up SIP projection (manual approach)

Our calculator uses a flat monthly amount. For step-up SIPs (10% annual increase), run multiple calculations: years 1–5 at 5,000, years 6–10 at 8,000 (after step-ups), etc. Or add the step-up manually by increasing the monthly amount each year in separate rows and summing. Many apps show step-up projections natively; use those for precision.

Cluster reading — guides in this section

What is SIP? — how systematic investment plans work, setup steps, and what you actually own.
SIP vs FD — which fits which goal, liquidity, tax, and inflation comparison.
Power of compounding — why time beats heroics, Rule of 72, and what breaks compounding.
Common SIP mistakes — stopping in crashes, fantasy rates, no emergency fund, and goal mismatch.

What we do not promise

Scheme selection, tax optimisation, guaranteed returns, or market timing. The calculator assumes a smooth compounded return — real markets do not deliver smooth lines. Pair projections with diversified funds that match your horizon and risk capacity.

For retirement-specific multi-goal planning, try the retirement calculator alongside the SIP calculator.

Goal-based reverse calculation

Need 50 lakh in 15 years? Try monthly amounts at 10%, 12%, and 14% until the corpus matches. At 12%, you need roughly 10,000 per month. At 10%, roughly 12,000. The calculator works forward; you adjust the monthly input until the output hits your target.

Inflation-adjusted targets

50 lakh today is not 50 lakh in 15 years of inflation. If education costs rise 8% a year, a 20 lakh course today needs roughly 63 lakh in 15 years. Inflate your goal first, then run the SIP calculator on the inflated number.

Comparing fund categories

Use 10–11% for large-cap assumptions, 11–13% for flexi-cap, and 8–9% for debt SIPs — rough bands, not promises. Running the same 5,000 at three rates shows how category choice shifts outcomes without changing your monthly sacrifice.

Kids education worked example

Child is 3 years old; college entry in 15 years; target 40 lakh in today's money at 7% inflation → roughly 1.1 crore future need. SIP at 12% for 15 years → roughly 26,000 monthly. At 10% → roughly 33,000. The gap between return assumptions is the gap between comfortable and stretched.

Monthly vs quarterly SIP

Most calculators assume monthly frequency. Quarterly SIPs exist but reduce cost averaging benefit. If you invest 15,000 quarterly instead of 5,000 monthly, the corpus at the same assumed return is slightly lower because fewer purchase points smooth the average.

Record assumptions in writing

When you plan a 40 lakh goal at 12%, write "assumed 12%, actual will vary" on the same paper. Future-you will otherwise forget the assumption was a stress band, not a guarantee.

Wedding corpus example

Daughter age 8; wedding in 15 years; target 25 lakh today; inflate at 6% → roughly 60 lakh future need. At 11% SIP return, monthly ≈ 13,500. At 9%, ≈ 16,800. Start with what fits; step up 10% yearly if income rises. The calculator gives the monthly gap; your budget gives the reality check.

Retirement gap example

Age 40, retire at 60, need 2 crore corpus. 20 years at 11% → roughly 26,000 monthly. Already have 15 lakh invested? Subtract existing corpus from goal before solving for monthly SIP — the calculator shows gross need; subtract what you already have manually.

First salary checklist

Month one of your first job: run the SIP calculator with 2,000, 5,000, and 8,000 at 10% and 12% for 25 years. Circle the monthly amount you can pay even in a no-bonus year. Start that SIP before lifestyle inflation eats the surplus — the calculator takes five minutes; regret lasts years.

Practical takeaway

Run the SIP calculator at least twice — once at a dull return, once at a moderate return — before you fix a monthly mandate. Write the assumed rate on the same note as the SIP amount. Revisit yearly when salary changes. Share the screenshot with family if the SIP is a shared household goal. A visible monthly figure on the fridge beats a vague plan to invest someday.

Disclaimer: Illustrative tool. Not investment advice. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully.