Start from the amount you want. Work out the one time investment you need, the return it would take, or how many years it needs, for any target.
How much should I invest today to get 1 crore?
At 12% a year it is ₹18,26,963 over 15 years, ₹10,36,667 over 20 years, and ₹5,88,235 over 25 years. Time does almost all the work. Ten more years cuts what you need to invest by nearly two thirds, which is why starting matters more than the amount.
What if I do not have that much to invest at once?
Then a monthly SIP is the answer, not a lumpsum. The goal SIP calculator sizes the instalment for the same target. Many people also do both: put in what they have now and add a monthly SIP on top of it, which reaches the goal sooner than either alone.
The return it says I need looks very high. What now?
Treat it as a warning, not a target. Nothing in India reliably pays more than about 12% a year over a long period, and chasing a higher number is how people end up in something they do not understand. Change one of the other two inputs instead: invest more, or give the goal more time.
Should the target be in today’s rupees?
No. Enter what the goal will cost on the day you need it. A ₹20 lakh course today is closer to ₹40 lakh in twelve years at 6% inflation. Run the figure through the inflation calculator first, then bring the answer here.
How is this different from a CAGR calculator?
They are two faces of the same formula. A CAGR calculator tells you the return an investment actually delivered, looking back. This page looks forward, and lets you solve for whichever of the three inputs you do not have. Solving for the return here gives exactly the CAGR figure.
Does this account for tax?
No. The target is the amount in your account before you sell. Gains on equity mutual funds held over a year attract long term capital gains tax, so the amount you can actually spend is lower. Add a margin of 10% to 12% to the target if the money is going to be withdrawn all at once.