Delayed SIP calculator
Use this free delayed SIP calculator to find out how much higher your monthly SIP must be if you start late and still want to reach the same amount. Enter the SIP you could have started today, an expected return, the number of years until you need the money, and how long you would wait. The calculator shows the larger SIP you would need and how much more you would pay in overall.
How this delayed SIP calculator works
The calculator first works out the amount your SIP would reach if you started today. It then finds the higher monthly SIP that would reach the same amount in the shorter time left after your waiting period. Money grows at the yearly return you enter, compounded monthly. For example, a ₹10,000 monthly SIP at an assumed 12% return for 25 years would grow to about ₹1.90 crore. If you start 5 years later, you would need about ₹18,993 a month to reach the same amount. That is about ₹8,993 more every month, or roughly 90% higher, and you would pay in about ₹45.6 lakh in total instead of ₹30 lakh. The result is an illustration, not a forecast.
Why does catching up cost so much more?
When you start later, your instalments have fewer years to grow, so you have to make up the difference with larger instalments. The longer the wait, the steeper this gets. In the example above, a one-year wait needs only about 13% more each month, but a ten-year wait needs about 276% more. Starting early is far cheaper than catching up.
What this calculator does not include
The result is before taxes, exit loads and fund expenses, and it does not allow for inflation. It assumes the same return in every year, while real markets go up and down. It also assumes you can afford the higher SIP. If you cannot, you could extend the period, or accept a smaller target amount, and test both options using our Goal SIP calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a delayed SIP?
It means starting a SIP later than you had planned. The calculator shows how much more you would need to invest each month to still reach the same amount by the same date.
How can I make up for starting late?
There are three levers: invest more each month, invest for longer, or aim for a smaller amount. You can also raise your SIP every year as your income grows. Try our Step up SIP calculator to see how much that can help.
How is this different from the Cost of Delay calculator?
The Cost of Delay calculator shows how much final value you lose if you keep the same SIP and start later. This calculator shows the larger SIP you would need if you want to keep the same final value. Together they show both sides of the same decision.
Is the return shown guaranteed?
The calculator uses the rate you enter and assumes it stays the same, so the result is only as reliable as that rate. Mutual fund returns are market-linked and are not guaranteed. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme related documents carefully. Learn more on the AMFI investor awareness site.