How much retirement corpus do you need in India?
A useful rule of thumb in India: your retirement corpus should cover 20–30 years of inflation-adjusted monthly expenses, while continuing to earn a safe return on the remaining balance. If you spend ₹50,000 a month today and inflation runs at ~6%, you'll likely need around ₹2,87,175 a month at age 60 — and a corpus of about ₹6,43,23,086 to fund it for 25 years.
How inflation impacts retirement
Inflation quietly halves purchasing power roughly every 12 years at 6%. That means a 30-year-old retiring at 60 will see prices roughly 5–6× today's levels. A retirement plan that doesn't model inflation will look comfortable on paper and bankrupt in practice.
How much monthly SIP is needed for retirement?
The required SIP depends on your current savings, years left to invest, expected return and inflation-adjusted corpus target. With the values above, the estimated monthly SIP needed is ₹16,185. If your existing SIP is below that amount, the calculator shows the exact monthly increase needed to close the gap.
How to build your retirement corpus
- Start a monthly SIP in equity / index funds as early as possible.
- Step it up 10% every year with your salary increment.
- Keep at least 60–70% in equity until ~10 years from retirement.
- Gradually shift to debt and balanced funds as retirement approaches.
- Build a separate health insurance + emergency buffer so the corpus isn't drained by surprises.
Common mistakes in retirement planning
- Planning in today's rupees and ignoring inflation entirely.
- Assuming employer EPF / NPS alone will be enough.
- Stopping or pausing SIPs during market downturns.
- Underestimating retirement years — many Indians now live well into their 80s.
- Holding too much equity right up to retirement and then facing a crash.
Pro tip: The most powerful lever isn't return rate — it's time. Adding 5 more years of investing usually beats chasing a 2% higher return.