Retirement Corpus Calculator
Find the exact corpus you need on the day you retire — and the monthly SIP you must start today to build it, adjusted for inflation and returns.
- Free — no sign-up
- Instant, on-screen results
- Built by our CA · CS team
- Rules cited on the page
Enter your figures — the result on the right updates as you type.
How we got there — step by step
Get a personalised retirement plan from a CA
We map your goals, existing investments and tax position into a clear SIP roadmap.
Disclaimer: Indicative estimate. Actual corpus and SIP depend on real market returns, actual inflation, taxes and any lump sums, pension or EPF you already hold. Returns are not guaranteed.
Why a retirement corpus is bigger than you think
Inflation quietly doubles your cost of living every 12 years at 6%. A ₹50,000 monthly budget today becomes nearly ₹2.87 lakh a month by the time a 30-year-old turns 60. Your corpus has to fund that inflated lifestyle for 20–25 years after your salary stops — which is why the number runs into crores.
The assumptions behind the maths
Every retirement number rests on a handful of assumptions. Change any of them on the left and the corpus and SIP update instantly. Here are the defaults this calculator starts with.
| Current age → Retirement age | 30 → 60 |
| Life expectancy | 85 years |
| Current monthly expense | ₹50,000 |
| Inflation | 6% p.a. |
| Return before retirement | 12% p.a. |
| Return after retirement | 7% p.a. |
How the corpus is calculated
We inflate today's expenses to the retirement date, then discount the whole retirement span back using a real (inflation-adjusted) return so the corpus keeps pace with rising costs. Finally we work out the SIP that grows into that corpus at your pre-retirement return. Worked example with the defaults:
Key terms explained
Corpus at retirement
The single lump sum you must have on your retirement day. It is invested at the post-retirement return and drawn down over your remaining years, staying ahead of inflation.
Real rate of return
Your investment return minus inflation, computed as (1+return)/(1+inflation)−1. Sizing the corpus on the real rate is what lets your withdrawals rise with prices every year.
Monthly SIP
The fixed amount you invest every month from now until retirement. Because of compounding, starting a few years earlier dramatically lowers the SIP needed for the same corpus.
Pre vs post-retirement return
Before retiring you can take equity risk for a higher return; after retiring you shift to safer debt, so the post-retirement return is lower. Both are modelled separately here.
Questions people ask
Short answers on Retirement Corpus Calculator. Tap a question to open it.
01How much do I need to retire?
Enough to fund your inflation-adjusted expenses for the rest of your life. A common starting point is 25 to 30 times your first year of retirement expenses, adjusted for how early you retire and how conservatively the corpus will be invested.
02Why does the corpus have to keep growing after retirement?
Because expenses keep rising with inflation for another twenty or thirty years. A corpus parked entirely in fixed deposits typically loses purchasing power, which is why a portion usually stays in growth assets even in retirement.
03What withdrawal rate is safe?
Around 3% to 4% of the corpus in the first year, rising with inflation each year thereafter, is the widely used rule of thumb. A longer retirement or a more conservative portfolio argues for the lower end.
04Should EPF and NPS be counted in the corpus?
Yes. The EPF balance and the NPS accumulation are part of the retirement corpus, although NPS requires a portion to be annuitised at exit, so the drawable part is smaller than the balance.
05What if I start late?
Increase the monthly contribution sharply, extend the working years, or reduce the target expense. A step-up contribution that rises with income each year closes a surprising amount of the gap over ten to fifteen years.
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Disclaimer: This tool gives indicative results for general guidance only and is not professional advice. Please verify with a qualified CA before acting on the numbers.