Prepared by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Rates and rules verified 5 October 2026
Every month of delay costs more than the SIPs you skip, because the early money has the longest time to compound. See the corpus you lose, the extra SIP needed to catch up and a month-by-month delay table.
The calculator builds two SIPs that must reach the same goal date: one that starts now and one that starts after your delay. Both use the same monthly return (the monthly equivalent of your CAGR). The cost of delay is the difference between the two final corpuses.
The catch-up SIP is the monthly amount the late starter must invest to reach the same corpus: catch-up = SIP × corpus (on time) ÷ corpus (delayed). The lumpsum to recover is the one-time amount that, invested when the late SIP begins, closes the gap.
A ₹10,000 monthly SIP for 20 years at 12% builds ₹91,12,111. Starting 5 years late (15 years of SIPs) builds ₹47,14,578 — a loss of ₹43,97,532 (48%) although you skipped only ₹6,00,000 of contributions. To catch up you would need a SIP of ₹19,328.
Market returns are not smooth: a 12% CAGR is an average over a long period and individual years vary widely. The result is an arithmetic comparison, not a forecast, and it ignores taxes, expense ratios and exit loads.
In a 20-year, 12% plan a one-year delay reduces the final corpus by roughly 12%, even though you skip only 5% of the total contributions. Use the delay table for your own numbers.
Because the early instalments have the most compounding time. Missing them removes the largest growth years, not just the money.
Yes. The calculator shows the higher monthly SIP that closes the gap. A step-up SIP or an occasional lumpsum can also work.
No. It compares pre-tax corpuses. Use the lumpsum calculator to see post-tax value for the final amount.
Then no SIP is possible before the goal date and the delayed corpus is zero.
Rates and rules shown here were checked against the sources above on 5 October 2026. Government notifications can change a rate or rule at short notice; always confirm on the official site before you invest, file or claim.
Educational estimate only. Tax, legal, financial or regulatory treatment depends on facts and the law applicable to the relevant period. Verify the current official source or obtain professional advice before acting.
Scope: Arithmetic comparison of a SIP started now with a SIP started after a delay, ending on the same goal date.
The calculation engine was checked against an independently written reference implementation across 360 delay input combinations, and against published figures where the scheme publishes them. Review date: 5 October 2026.
Prepared by Finin2min Editorial Desk. Educational estimate only.
Background, worked examples and the rules behind these numbers.