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Step-up SIP Calculator
Model a SIP that increases every year in line with your rising income. Adjust any input below and your results update instantly.
Understanding step-up SIPs
The concept, the motivation, and what to watch out for.
What is a step-up SIP?
A step-up (or 'top-up') SIP automatically increases your monthly investment by a fixed percentage every year, instead of keeping it constant like a regular SIP.
Since most people's income rises over time, a step-up SIP lets your investment grow in step with your salary — so you invest a roughly constant share of your income, rather than a shrinking one, as inflation erodes a flat SIP's real value.
Small annual increases compound too
A 10% yearly step-up sounds modest, but applied to a growing monthly amount over 15-20 years it meaningfully outpaces a flat SIP of the same starting size.
Matched to how income actually grows
Most salaries rise with annual increments or promotions — a step-up SIP is a natural way to save more without it feeling like a bigger sacrifice each year.
How this calculator helps
Move any slider and see your maturity value update instantly, with the full formula and year-by-year breakdown shown alongside it.
Calculate your step-up SIP returns
Fill in the starred fields on the left — your results update instantly on the right.
Your details
e.g. ₹15,000/mo split across index funds
e.g. 10% more every year
e.g. 15 years for a mid-term goal
e.g. 12% for a mostly-equity portfolio
How these compare
vs. typical India long-term ranges
Expected return: 12%
India long-term equity avg: 10–13%
Annual step-up: 10%
Typical salary increment: 8–12%
These are example numbers. Edit any input on the left to see your own.
Your step-up SIP could grow to
₹1.29 Cr
2.3x your total investment
Total invested
₹57.19 L
Wealth gained
₹71.78 L
Portfolio value vs. invested
Portfolio valueAmount invested
Year-by-year breakdown
"% is growth" shows how much of that year’s portfolio value is compounding gains rather than your own contributions.
YearPortfolio valueAmount investedStatus
1₹1.90 L₹1.80 L
1.1x invested
5% is growth
3₹7.08 L₹5.96 L
1.2x invested
16% is growth
5₹14.62 L₹10.99 L
1.3x invested
25% is growth
7₹25.39 L₹17.08 L
1.5x invested
33% is growth
9₹40.49 L₹24.44 L
1.7x invested
40% is growth
11₹61.40 L₹33.36 L
1.8x invested
46% is growth
13₹90.05 L₹44.14 L
2.0x invested
51% is growth
15₹1.29 Cr₹57.19 L
2.3x invested
56% is growth
Compare scenarios
See how small changes move your maturity value.
Your plan
₹15,000/mo · +10%/yr · 15y
₹1.29 Cr
Maturity value
Baseline
No step-up
₹15,000/mo flat · 15y
₹74.94 L
Maturity value
-₹54.03 L
Return +2%
₹15,000/mo · +10%/yr · 14%
₹1.51 Cr
Maturity value
+₹22.42 L
Worked example, using your numbers
A step-by-step walkthrough of how your inputs become your maturity value.
Step 1 · Stepping up your SIP
Starting at ₹15,000/mo and stepping up 10% every year, by year 15 you invest
₹56,962/mo
Step 2 · Total invested
Across all 15 years, your cumulative contribution reaches
₹57.19 L
Step 3 · Maturity value
Compounding monthly at 1.00%, your investment grows to
₹1.29 Cr
✓
Of your final corpus, 56% (₹71.78 L) is pure investment growth — the power of compounding and stepping up together.
Personalised insights
What your numbers reveal, and what changing them would do.
Stepping up 10%/yr grows your corpus by ₹54.03 L
Compared to a flat ₹15,000/mo SIP, stepping up every year takes your maturity value from ₹74.94 L to ₹1.29 Cr.
56% of your maturity value is pure investment growth
₹57.19 L invested grows to ₹1.29 Cr — ₹71.78 L is compounding gains.
Your final year's SIP reaches ₹56,962/mo
Starting at ₹15,000/mo and stepping up 10% every year, your monthly instalment nearly 3.8x's by year 15.
+2% return adds ₹22.42 L to your corpus
At 14% instead of 12%, your maturity value becomes ₹1.51 Cr.
How this is calculated
Every step of the math behind your result, shown in the open.
This year's monthly investment
P_0 = starting monthly investment, s = annual step-up, y = year index, P_y = that year's monthly amount
Your starting monthly investment (P_0) increases by the step-up rate (s) once per year, so year y's instalment is P_0 compounded by (1+s) that many times.
Example: ₹15,000/mo stepping up 10%/yr → ₹56,962/mo by year 15
Projecting future value, year by year
FV_prev = previous year's value, P_y = that year's monthly investment, A = one year's annuity factor
Each year, last year's value compounds forward 12 months, and that year's stepped-up instalments are added in via a one-year annuity factor, A = [(1+r_m)¹² − 1] / r_m — repeated year after year, this gives your future value.
Example: Each year's stepped-up instalments compounding at 1.00%/mo → ₹1.29 Cr
Estimating your wealth gained
Total Invested = sum of every month's instalment across all years
Your total contribution across every stepped-up year is subtracted from the future value (FV) to show how much of your final corpus is pure investment growth.
Example: ₹1.29 Cr − ₹57.19 L invested → ₹71.78 L gained
Assumptions
- Your monthly investment steps up by a constant percentage once every 12 months.
- Returns compound monthly at a constant rate, rather than fluctuating year to year.
- Figures are indicative and pre-tax — not financial advice.
Did you know?
A few facts behind step-up SIPs and compounding.
10%
A common rule of thumb
Many investors step up their SIP by roughly the same percentage as their average annual salary increment, often around 10%.
72
The Rule of 72 still applies
Divide 72 by your expected return to estimate doubling time for the underlying corpus — the step-up simply means more is being added each year.
Auto
Most platforms automate it
Indian mutual fund platforms let you set a step-up SIP once, and the monthly deduction increases automatically each year without manual intervention.
↑
The gap widens over time
In the early years a step-up SIP looks similar to a flat one — the difference in final corpus becomes dramatic mainly in the later years of a long investment horizon.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most about step-up SIPs.
What is a step-up SIP?
A step-up SIP automatically increases your monthly investment by a fixed percentage every year, so your contribution grows in line with your rising income instead of staying flat.
How much should I step up my SIP by?
A common approach is to match your expected annual salary increment, often 8-12% in India — enough to meaningfully grow your investment without straining your budget.
How is this different from a regular SIP?
A regular SIP keeps the same monthly amount for the entire duration. A step-up SIP raises that amount once a year, which usually produces a larger final corpus for the same starting contribution.
What return should I assume?
Equity-heavy mutual funds in India have historically averaged 10-12% annually over the long term, though actual returns vary year to year and are never guaranteed.
Can I change my step-up rate later?
Yes — most mutual fund platforms let you adjust or cancel a step-up SIP at any time. This calculator assumes a constant step-up rate applied every year throughout.
Is this financial advice?
No. This tool provides indicative estimates based on your assumptions. Consult a certified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
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Learn more
Articles to go deeper on the ideas behind this calculator.
Strategy
How much should you step up your SIP?
Picking a step-up rate that matches your income growth without straining your budget.
5 min read
Comparison
Step-up vs regular SIP: the real difference
How much a yearly increase actually adds to your corpus, with side-by-side numbers.
6 min read
Strategy
How long should you stay invested?
Why the last few years of a SIP often matter more than the first.
6 min read