Name your target amount and the date. Get the monthly SIP that reaches it, the return it would take, or how long a SIP you can afford would need.
How much SIP do I need for 1 crore?
It depends almost entirely on the time you give it. At 12% a year, 1 crore needs about ₹21,011 a month over 15 years, ₹10,871 over 20 years, and ₹5,875 over 25 years. Ten extra years cuts the instalment by nearly three quarters.
What return should I assume?
For an equity fund held over 10 years or more, 11% to 12% is a sober assumption. For a mixed portfolio, use 9% to 10%. For a debt fund or an FD, use 6% to 7%. Planning at 15% and hoping is how goals get missed.
What if I cannot afford the instalment it shows?
Switch the mode at the top. Enter what you can actually afford and ask how long it would take, or what return it would need. Seeing that the answer is 22 years rather than 15, or a fantasy return of 19%, is more useful than a number you will never pay. A yearly step-up is usually the cheapest way to close the difference.
What does the step-up do to the instalment?
It cuts the starting figure sharply. A flat SIP for ₹1 crore in 15 years at 12% is ₹21,011 a month. Raise it 10% a year and you start at ₹12,085, ending at ₹45,893 in the final year. Most people get a yearly increment, so a step-up matches real life better than a flat plan.
Should I count my existing savings?
Yes, but only the money you have earmarked for this goal. Your emergency fund is not part of it. The calculator grows what you enter at the same return and takes it off the target, which lowers the SIP you need.
Should the target be in today’s rupees?
No. Enter what the goal will cost on the day you need it. A ₹20 lakh college fee today is closer to ₹40 lakh in 12 years at 6% inflation. Run it through the inflation calculator first, then bring that figure here.
What if my returns fall short?
Review the plan every year. If the corpus is behind, raise the SIP or push the date. Small corrections early are painless. A correction in the final two years is not.