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Cost of delay calculator
What waiting a few years to start your SIP really costs you.
Pick a monthly amount and the year you need the money. We work out two numbers: what you build if you start this month, and what you build if you start later. The difference is the price of "I will start next year".
- Worked example
- ₹10,000 a month, goal 25 years away, start delayed by 5 years₹89.8 lakh less
- At 12% a year, an assumed rate for illustration. You put in ₹6 lakh less, and end up with ₹89.8 lakh less.
The cost of waiting
₹89,84,872
less at the goal, by starting 5 years late
Start now Start late
To catch up after waiting, you would need ₹18,993 a month instead of ₹10,000.
The return is an assumed rate for illustration, not a promise. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.
Every year you wait, priced
Same monthly amount, same goal date, same assumed rate as above. Only the start year moves. Look at the last column: that is the monthly SIP you would need to land on the "start now" figure.
| Start after | You invest | Value at goal | Lost versus starting now | SIP needed to catch up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turn on JavaScript to see the table. | ||||
Two colleagues, one goal: age 60
Smaller amount, earlier start, bigger result
- Riya starts at 25 with
- ₹5,000 a month
- She invests in total
- ₹21 lakh
- Value at 60
- ₹3.25 crore
- Arjun starts at 35 with
- ₹10,000 a month
- He invests in total
- ₹30 lakh
- Value at 60
- ₹1.90 crore
Arjun puts in ₹9 lakh more and still finishes ₹1.35 crore behind. The extra 10 years do the work, not the amount.
12% a year, assumed rate for illustration. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.
Why the gap is so large
The last years carry the most weight
Compounding is slow at first and fast at the end. When you start late, you do not lose the first five years of growth. You lose the last five, which are the biggest.
- Year 1 to 10₹10,000 a month grows to about ₹23 lakh. Most of it is still your own money.
- Year 11 to 20The pot crosses ₹99 lakh. Growth now adds more each year than you contribute.
- Year 21 to 25It goes from ₹99 lakh to ₹1.90 crore. Five years, close to ₹90 lakh added. This is the slice a 5-year delay removes.
Figures use 12% a year, an assumed rate for illustration. Real returns move up and down every year.
Time beats the return rate
People spend weeks hunting for a fund that might give 1% more. Starting 5 years earlier usually matters more than that 1%. ₹10,000 a month, goal in 25 years:
| Assumed rate for illustration | Start now (25 years) | Start in 5 years (20 years) | Cost of the delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8% a year | ₹95.7 lakh | ₹59.3 lakh | ₹36.4 lakh |
| 10% a year | ₹1.34 crore | ₹76.6 lakh | ₹57.2 lakh |
| 12% a year | ₹1.90 crore | ₹99.9 lakh | ₹89.8 lakh |
Read it across the rows: starting now at 8% gets you almost as far as starting 5 years late at 12%. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.
"I will start when..."
The reasons we hear most often, and what we suggest instead.
"...my salary goes up"
Start with ₹500 or ₹1,000 now and add a yearly step-up of 10% tied to your increment. The habit matters more than the first amount. See how a step-up SIP works.
"...the market comes down"
Nobody times this well for 20 years. A monthly SIP buys more units when prices fall and fewer when they rise, so a fall during your SIP helps rather than hurts. Read what to do when markets fall.
"...I find the right fund"
Pick a sensible category for your goal and time frame, start, and review once a year. A good fund started today beats a perfect one started in 2030. We help with the category choice.
"...my card dues are cleared"
Fair, and the right order. Clear high-interest card dues first and keep a small emergency fund. Then start, even if small, the month after.
Free, no obligation
Start this month, at a size that suits you
Tell us your monthly amount and the goal. We suggest two or three fund categories that fit your time frame and risk, help with KYC, and set the SIP date after your salary credit.
- SIPs from ₹500 a month
- Step-up plan tied to your yearly increment
- One review a year, on WhatsApp or a call
Questions
About this calculator
How is the cost of delay worked out?
We take your monthly SIP and assumed rate and work out two values on the same goal date: one with the SIP running for the full period, one with it starting later. The difference is the cost of delay. SIP is assumed to be paid at the start of each month, with monthly compounding.
Is 12% a realistic return?
It is an assumed rate for illustration, not a forecast. Equity categories have seen long periods above and below this. Try 8% or 10% in the calculator: the gap shrinks in rupees, but starting early still wins every time.
Can I make up for lost years by investing more later?
Yes, and the table shows how much. A 5-year delay on a 25-year goal needs roughly 1.9 times the monthly amount at 12%. A 10-year delay needs nearly 3.8 times. Most people find that harder than starting small now.
Does inflation change the picture?
Inflation lowers what the final corpus buys, for both the early and the late starter. It does not close the gap between them. Our inflation calculator shows the target in future rupees.
What if I already started late?
Then the best time is now, and the second lever is the amount. A yearly step-up of 10% to 15% recovers a large part of the gap. Ask us for a free portfolio review and we work out the numbers with you.
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Put a number on your goal, then set the SIP that gets you there.