Step-up SIP calculator · India 2026
Step-up SIP Calculator: Grow Your SIP With Your Salary
By Pratik Bajoria, Chartered Accountant & NISM-certified Research Analyst · Last reviewed 7 Oct 2026 by Pratik Bajoria, CA
When clients ask me how to reach a big goal on a modest salary, the answer is rarely a bigger SIP today. It's a SIP that grows with them. A step-up SIP raises your monthly investment every year, ideally the month your increment lands.
Illustration: start at ₹10,000 and step up 10% a year. By year 11 your SIP is ₹25,937 a month, but you never felt a jump bigger than one year's raise. Because those extra rupees also compound, the corpus gap versus a flat SIP widens every year. The calculator below shows the corpus, total invested and final-year instalment.
Estimated step-up SIP maturity value
₹86.8 L
Step-up SIP formula
Instalment in year k = P × (1 + s)k−1 · Corpus = Σ instalment × (1 + i)months remaining
P = starting SIP, s = yearly step-up, i = annual return ÷ 12, each instalment invested at the start of the month. Example: ₹10,000, 10% step-up, 12% for 20 years → about ₹1,98,88,715 on ₹68,73,000 invested.
Step-up SIP returns table: ₹10,000 starting SIP
Estimated corpus at an assumed 12% a year (illustration). Total invested shown below each value.
| Yearly step-up | 10 years | 15 years | 20 years | 25 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% (flat SIP) | ₹23,23,391invested ₹12,00,000 | ₹50,45,760invested ₹18,00,000 | ₹99,91,479invested ₹24,00,000 | ₹1,89,76,351invested ₹30,00,000 |
| 5% | ₹27,86,942invested ₹15,09,347 | ₹65,30,752invested ₹25,89,428 | ₹1,37,37,623invested ₹39,67,914 | ₹2,73,47,861invested ₹57,27,252 |
| 10% | ₹33,74,326invested ₹19,12,491 | ₹86,83,849invested ₹38,12,698 | ₹1,98,88,715invested ₹68,73,000 | ₹4,27,55,461invested ₹1,18,01,647 |
| 15% | ₹41,18,727invested ₹24,36,446 | ₹1,18,35,225invested ₹57,09,649 | ₹3,02,55,942invested ₹1,22,93,230 | ₹7,25,75,157invested ₹2,55,35,162 |
Chart: flat SIP vs 5% and 10% step-up
Step-up SIP needed for ₹1 crore
Starting monthly SIP required (assumed 12% return):
| Years | Flat SIP | 5% step-up | 10% step-up | 15% step-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | ₹43,041 | ₹35,882 | ₹29,636 | ₹24,279 |
| 15 | ₹19,819 | ₹15,312 | ₹11,516 | ₹8,449 |
| 20 | ₹10,009 | ₹7,279 | ₹5,028 | ₹3,305 |
| 25 | ₹5,270 | ₹3,657 | ₹2,339 | ₹1,378 |
₹1 crore in 20 years buys much less than ₹1 crore today — inflate goals first with the goal calculator.
Return assumption matters as much as step-up
₹10,000 with a 10% step-up for 20 years:
| Assumed return | Estimated corpus | Total invested |
|---|---|---|
| 8% | ₹1,32,74,911 | ₹68,73,000 |
| 10% | ₹1,61,45,403 | ₹68,73,000 |
| 12% | ₹1,98,88,715 | ₹68,73,000 |
| 14% | ₹2,48,09,316 | ₹68,73,000 |
Cost is part of return: a 1-point expense gap compounds the same way — check with the direct vs regular calculator. Track the real result with XIRR, not a constant rate (XIRR vs CAGR).
The mistake: a step-up you can't keep
People set a 15% step-up in an excited moment, then hit a year with a home loan EMI or a new baby and stop the SIP altogether. A missed step-up costs a little. A stopped SIP costs a lot. Choose a step-up you'd keep in a bad year; 5–10% is enough for most salaried investors.
And step up a direct plan where you can. The cost gap compounds on a growing SIP too; see the direct vs regular calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a step-up SIP?
A step-up (or top-up) SIP automatically increases your monthly SIP instalment by a fixed percentage or amount every year — for example 10% each April. Most AMCs and platforms let you register the step-up once when you start the SIP, so the increase happens without a new mandate.
How is a step-up SIP calculated?
Each year is treated as a 12-month SIP at that year's instalment. Instalment in year k = P × (1 + s)^(k−1). Every instalment compounds monthly at the assumed return until the end of the horizon; the calculator adds them up. There is no simple closed formula, so calculators iterate month by month.
What will ₹10,000 SIP with 10% step-up become in 20 years?
At an assumed 12% a year, about ₹1,98,88,715 on ₹68,73,000 invested; the final-year instalment is about ₹61,159 a month. A flat ₹10,000 SIP gives about ₹99,91,479 on ₹24 lakh. Returns are not guaranteed.
How much step-up SIP do I need for ₹1 crore?
At an assumed 12% with a 10% yearly step-up, you need to start at about ₹11,516 a month for 15 years or ₹5,028 for 20 years, versus ₹19,819 and ₹10,009 for a flat SIP.
What step-up percentage should I choose?
Match it to realistic income growth after expenses — many people use 5–10%. A step-up you can sustain beats an aggressive one you pause. Review it each year alongside your emergency fund and goals.
Is a step-up SIP better than a regular SIP?
It is not a different product — it simply invests more over time. The bigger corpus comes mostly from the extra money invested, so compare corpus and total invested together, and compare with a higher flat SIP from day one if you can afford it.
Educational tool only — not investment, tax or legal advice. Figures are formula-based illustrations using the stated assumptions; actual outcomes depend on notified rates, rules and your specific facts. Verify with official sources or a qualified professional before acting. Findost (findost.io) and PaisaGuru by Findost are not affiliated with Findoc, FinDost, or other similarly named brands. PaisaGuru is the AI wealth concierge of Findost.