How Much SIP Do You Need for ₹1 Crore?
₹1 crore is the first big milestone many Indian investors set. How much you need to invest each month to get there depends on three things: how many years you have, the return you assume, and whether your SIP grows over time. At 12% a year, the answer runs from ₹44,636 a month over 10 years down to ₹3,246 a month over 30.
The tables below cover the common combinations. For your own target, timeline or return, the goal SIP calculator works the numbers backwards from the amount you want, and the SIP calculator shows what any monthly amount grows into.
The monthly SIP for ₹1 crore
| Years to goal | At 10% a year | At 12% a year | At 14% a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | ₹49,639 | ₹44,636 | ₹40,114 |
| 15 | ₹24,900 | ₹21,012 | ₹17,693 |
| 20 | ₹13,813 | ₹10,872 | ₹8,522 |
| 25 | ₹8,045 | ₹5,875 | ₹4,266 |
| 30 | ₹4,810 | ₹3,246 | ₹2,175 |
All figures assume an instalment at the start of each month and a steady annual return. You can open the 15-year plan in the calculator and change any input.
Two patterns stand out:
- Time beats return. Stretching the timeline from 10 to 20 years cuts the monthly SIP at 12% by 76%, from ₹44,636 to ₹10,872. Raising the assumed return from 10% to 14% over 20 years cuts it by 38%.
- Waiting is expensive. Start at 25 for a goal at 45 and you need ₹10,872 a month. Start at 35 for the same goal and you need ₹44,636, about 4 times as much, and you put in ₹53.56 lakh of your own money instead of ₹26.09 lakh.
How a step-up lowers the starting amount
Salaries usually rise, so a SIP that is hard to afford today gets easier every year. A step-up SIP builds that in by raising the instalment by a fixed percentage each year. With a 10% yearly step-up at 12%:
| Years to goal | Flat SIP | Step-up SIP, first year | Step-up SIP, final year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | ₹44,636 | ₹30,592 | ₹72,134 |
| 15 | ₹21,012 | ₹12,086 | ₹45,897 |
| 20 | ₹10,872 | ₹5,368 | ₹32,830 |
| 25 | ₹5,875 | ₹2,541 | ₹25,028 |
| 30 | ₹3,246 | ₹1,253 | ₹19,876 |
The trade-off is a bigger total outlay. Over 15 years, the step-up plan invests ₹46.08 lakh against ₹37.82 lakh for the flat SIP, because its larger, later instalments have less time to compound. You swap a lower starting point for more money in later years, which suits most careers. Step-up SIP vs regular SIP looks at that trade-off in detail.
The inflation catch
₹1 crore in 20 years will not buy what ₹1 crore buys today. Assuming prices rise 6% a year:
| Years from now | What ₹1 crore then is worth today | Target worth ₹1 crore in today’s money | Monthly SIP for that target at 12% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | ₹55.84 lakh | ₹1.79 crore | ₹79,936 |
| 15 | ₹41.73 lakh | ₹2.4 crore | ₹50,356 |
| 20 | ₹31.18 lakh | ₹3.21 crore | ₹34,866 |
| 25 | ₹23.3 lakh | ₹4.29 crore | ₹25,214 |
| 30 | ₹17.41 lakh | ₹5.74 crore | ₹18,642 |
If ₹1 crore is meant to pay for something specific, such as a home or a child’s education, price it in today’s money and grow it with inflation before you work out the SIP; the goal calculator’s inflation setting does this for you. If it is simply a milestone, the first table is the one to use.
Three ways to close a gap
- Add years. At 12%, every five extra years roughly halves the monthly amount.
- Step up. A 10% yearly increase cuts the starting SIP by 31% to 61%, depending on the timeline.
- Start with what you can, then raise it. ₹10,000 a month at 12% reaches ₹1 crore in 20 years and 8 months; with a 10% yearly step-up it gets there in 16 years and 2 months.
What doesn’t work is closing the gap by assuming a higher return. Plan at a rate you would be comfortable defending, and treat anything above it as a bonus.
Frequently asked questions
Can a ₹5,000 SIP reach ₹1 crore?
Yes, given time. At 12% a year, ₹5,000 a month crosses ₹1 crore in about 26 years and 5 months, or 20 years and 6 months with a 10% yearly step-up.
Is 12% a realistic return?
It is a common planning assumption for diversified equity funds held for the long term, but returns vary widely from year to year and are never guaranteed. Check your plan at 10% too; if it only works at 14%, it is fragile.
Is the ₹1 crore before or after tax?
Before. For equity funds, gains on units held more than 12 months are taxed at 12.5% above ₹1.25 lakh a year, and gains on units held up to 12 months at 20% (summary of current rules). Aim a little higher if you need ₹1 crore in hand.
Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme-related documents carefully. The figures in this guide are illustrations that assume a constant return. They are not a forecast or investment advice.