SIP ₹2,000/Month for 15 Years: Calculator Scenario

You invest ₹3,60,000; compounding adds ₹6,49,152

Over 15 years you contribute ₹3,60,000 from your pocket (₹2,000 × 180 months). At a 12% CAGR that becomes ₹10,09,152, so compounding adds ₹6,49,152 on top of what you put in. The longer you stay invested, the larger this gains-to-contribution ratio becomes; most of it lands in the later years.

₹10,09,152 in 15 years buys what ₹4,21,084 buys today

₹10,09,152 in 15 years is not ₹10,09,152 of today's purchasing power. After 6% average inflation, it buys what about ₹4,21,084 buys today. That is still real growth: your money grows faster than prices, but the honest figure is the inflation-adjusted one, not the headline number.

One-shot redemption: ₹68,140 LTCG on ₹6,49,152 of gains

Equity mutual fund units held over 12 months qualify for long-term capital gains tax: 12.5% on gains above the ₹1.25 lakh annual exemption. On ₹6,49,152 of gains, a one-shot redemption implies roughly ₹68,140 in LTCG tax, leaving about ₹9,41,012. Redeeming in tranches across financial years uses the ₹1.25 lakh exemption each year and can reduce that figure materially.

Time is the main asset

At this stage the main asset is time: a small automatic contribution builds the habit while you watch markets rise and fall. If broad equity suits your horizon, a low-cost index fund keeps the first portfolio simple.

Step up, stay invested, cut costs, redeem in tranches

• Step up the SIP: raising ₹2,000 by 10% a year as income grows beats the flat amount over 15 years.
• Stay the full tenure: the biggest compounding happens in the later years; stopping early forfeits most of the gains.
• Keep costs low: a direct-plan Nifty 50 index fund (0.1–0.2% expense ratio) preserves more of the 12% than a high-cost regular plan.
• Redeem in tranches: spreading withdrawals across financial years uses the ₹1.25 lakh LTCG exemption repeatedly.