Step-Up SIP Explained
A Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) is a disciplined way to invest in mutual funds. A Step-Up SIP (or Top-Up SIP) takes this a step further by allowing you to increase your SIP amount periodically, usually annually. This strategy helps you account for rising income and inflation.
What is a Step-Up SIP?
The Step-Up SIP Calculator helps you visualize how small annual increases can lead to a significantly larger corpus over time compared to a regular SIP. It allows you to align your investments with your growing income.
How Does It Work?
The calculator accounts for four key variables: your initial investment, the duration, the expected return, and the annual step-up percentage.
The Logic:
- Year 1: Standard SIP Calculation on Initial Amount
- Year 2: Monthly Amount increases by Step-Up %. New SIP calculation adds to previous balance.
- Repeat: This process repeats for the entire tenure.
- Final Corpus = Sum of all compounded values
Calculation Example
Suppose you start an SIP of ₹5,000 with an annual step-up of 10%, for 5 years at 12% return.
- Year 1: ₹5,000/month
- Year 2: ₹5,500/month (10% increase)
- Year 3: ₹6,050/month
- Year 4: ₹6,655/month
- Year 5: ₹7,320/month
- Total Invested: ₹3,66,312
- Maturity Value: ~₹4,92,290
How to Use Finzony’s Step-Up SIP Calculator?
- Enter SIP Amount: Input the initial amount you want to invest monthly.
- Set Duration: Choose how many years you plan to stay invested.
- Set Step-Up %: Enter the percentage by which you plan to increase your SIP every year (e.g., 10% to match salary hikes).
- Expected Return: Input the annual rate of return you expect from the mutual fund.
Benefits of Step-Up SIP
- Beats Inflation: Automatically adjusts your savings to keep up with rising costs.
- Matches Income Growth: As your salary increases, your savings rate increases proportionately.
- Reach Goals Faster: A 10% annual step-up can almost double your corpus compared to a flat SIP over 20 years.
- Power of Compounding: The extra amount invested in later years gets compounded, adding significantly to the final total.
Factors Influencing Earnings
- Duration: Longer horizons allow the 'Step-Up' effect to compound massively.
- Step-Up Rate: Even a small 5% annual increase makes a huge difference over 15-20 years.
- Expense Ratio: Lower expense ratios in mutual funds mean higher net returns for you.
- Market Performance: Actual returns depend on the market conditions of the underlying asset class.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stop the step-up facility later?
Yes, most AMCs allow you to modify or cancel the top-up facility while continuing the base SIP.
What is a good step-up percentage?
A common rule of thumb is to step up your SIP by the same percentage as your annual salary hike, typically 5% to 10%.
Is Step-Up SIP better than Lumpsum?
They serve different purposes. Step-Up SIP is best for salaried individuals to capture future income growth, while Lumpsum is for deploying existing idle capital.