How to Use the Step-Up SIP Calculator with Inflation?
Investing regularly through a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) is one of the smartest ways to build wealth. But with inflation slowly eating into your purchasing power, simply investing a fixed amount may not be enough.
That’s where Step Up SIPs with Inflation come into play—helping you grow your investments in line with rising costs and secure a better financial future.
In this post, we’ll explain how to use our Step Up SIP Calculator with Inflation, decode all the outputs, and guide you on maximizing returns while beating inflation.
We’ll also compare normal SIPs, step-up SIPs, and step-up SIPs adjusted for inflation so you can make informed decisions.
To use below Step Up SIP Calculator With Inflation you need to enter
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Enter your initial monthly SIP amount – The starting monthly investment.
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Annual Step-Up Percentage (%) – The percentage by which your SIP increases every year.
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Expected Annual Return (%) – The estimated annual return on your investments.
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Investment Duration (Years) – How long you plan to invest.
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Inflation Rate (%) – The expected average inflation rate over the investment period.
Example:
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Monthly SIP: ₹5,000
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Step-Up: 10%
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Annual Return: 12%
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Duration: 20 years
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Inflation: 5%
The calculator will then show you the future value of your investments adjusted and unadjusted for inflation, helping you understand your real wealth growth.
Explanation of Output Fields
| Output | Meaning |
|---|
| What you invested (sum of SIPs) | Total amount you contributed over the years (nominal value). |
| Worth of investments in future | Total future value of investments without adjusting for inflation. |
| Worth after inflation | Future investment value adjusted to today’s purchasing power (real value). |
| Investment amount adjusted for inflation | What your invested amount would be worth today after inflation adjustment. |
| Estimated returns | The profit made before considering inflation (future value – invested). |
| Inflation-adjusted profit (real gain) | Actual profit in today’s terms after inflation, showing real growth in purchasing power. |
Now that you have understood how to use moneycontain Step Up SIP Calculator with Inflation, go ahead and try it yourself below:
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What is a Step-Up SIP?
A Step-Up SIP is an investment strategy where you increase your monthly SIP contribution every year by a fixed percentage. This helps your investments grow over time and keep pace with inflation or increasing income.
What is Inflation & Its Impact on Investment?
Inflation is the rate at which prices of goods and services increase over time, reducing your money’s purchasing power. For example, if inflation is 5%, something costing ₹100 today will cost ₹105 next year.
Impact: If your investments don’t grow faster than inflation, your real wealth actually decreases, even if the nominal value of your investment increases. Adjusting for inflation ensures you understand the true value of your returns.
Many investors who invest money in a mutual fund scheme through SIP’S whether lumpsum or monthly or make any other form of investments such as in gold, real estate, stock market etc. does not count the rate of inflation.
Most first time investor miss this point, they only think, ok this will be the amount I would be getting at the end of my mutual fund scheme.
However, with time the value of money changes, what I means to say the value of Rs.100 after 25 Years would not be the same.
Due to inflation the prices or goods of any economy or country increase over a period of time. Hence you should account inflation while calculating your returns.
To account inflation in your future value investments either drop the expected rate of return on investment, for example, if you are expecting 15% return on your investment you need to subtract the inflation rate for same period.
So, let say the average inflation for last 5 years is 3.5% so instead of taking 15% expected return, you count your return on 12.5%. You can get the inflation rate from here for India.
To find the real interest rate, we take the nominal interest rate and subtract the inflation rate.
Real interest rate = nominal interest rate − inflation rate.
However the above method to calculate the inflation is the basic estimation, as inflation and returns compound the correct way or formula to calculate inflation adjusted return is given below:
Inflation-adjusted return = (1 + Return) / (1 + Inflation) – 1
Applying the formula by using above no.
(1+15%)/(1+3.5%)-1= 11.11%, this is correct return you should expect on your investment post inflation.
Check out the below image to understand how inflation make a great impact even on your investments across different financial instruments such as Stock market (Equity), Mutual funds, FD, RD, Commodity & even real estate.
One need to understand “time value of money” as money loses its value over time, investing becomes important. Investing make sure a sustainable economic growth of a country and overall.
Therefore as an normal person or an investor you should know the (TMV) “time value of money” the value of money does not remain the same across time.
Meaning, the value of Rs.10000 today is not really Rs.10000 3 years from now. Oppositely, the value of Rs.10000 3 years from now is not really Rs.10000 as of today.
Whenever there is motion of time, there is an element of opportunity. Money has to be accounted or adjusted for that opportunity as in case inflation is that element.
Therefore it is very much important for you to make investments in mutual funds schemes.
Checkout the impact of inflation on your returns as well as your life using moneycontain inflation rate calculator and calculate your future expenses easily.
At the same time there is another method or concept called present value or discounting, this helps you in knowing the (PV) present value of your future investments.
Calculate the present value of your future investment using moneycontain present value calculator.
Comparison Table: Normal SIP vs Step Up SIP vs Step Up SIP with Inflation
Feature |
Normal SIP |
Step-Up SIP |
Step-Up SIP with Inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
SIP Contribution Growth |
Fixed |
Increases annually |
Increases annually |
Adjusted for Inflation |
No |
No |
Yes |
Purchasing Power Impact |
Decreases over time |
Better than normal SIP |
Maintains purchasing power |
Returns Potential |
Moderate |
Higher |
Highest |
Investment Planning |
Simpler |
Moderate complexity |
Requires inflation estimate |
SIP vs Fixed Deposit vs Gold
Feature |
SIP (Mutual Funds) |
Fixed Deposit |
Gold |
|---|---|---|---|
Expected Returns |
10–14% |
5–7% |
6–8% |
Inflation Protection |
Yes |
No |
Partially |
Liquidity |
High |
Moderate |
High |
Risk Level |
Moderate to High |
Very Low |
Moderate |
Taxation |
Capital Gains Tax |
Interest taxed as income |
Capital Gains Tax |
Ideal For |
Long-term wealth building |
Capital safety seekers |
Diversification/hedging |
SIPs outperform FDs and gold in long-term wealth creation, especially after inflation. But gold and FDs offer safety and diversification.
SIP vs Lumpsum Investment
| Comparison Point | SIP | Lumpsum |
|---|
| Investment Frequency | Monthly or periodic | One-time |
| Risk | Lower (averaging effect) | Higher (market timing risk) |
| Ideal For | Salaried individuals | People with idle cash |
| Return Potential | Moderate, stable | High (if timed well) |
| Discipline | High (regular investment) | Low |
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SIP Strategy Tips
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Start Early: Time in the market beats timing the market.
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Step-Up Annually: Increase SIP as income grows.
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Don’t Stop in Market Dips: Volatility is normal; keep investing.
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Diversify Your SIPs: Across asset classes and fund types.
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Review Once a Year: Check performance, rebalance if needed.
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Use SIP Calculators: Plan goals better using tools.
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Automate Payments: So you never miss an investment.
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Choose Low-Cost Funds: Lower expense ratios = better net returns.
Why Investing Is Important: Real-Life Examples
Imagine you invest ₹5,000 monthly for 20 years with a 10% annual step-up and 12% returns.
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Without considering inflation, your investment might grow to ₹80+ lakhs.
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But inflation adjustment shows your money’s true worth in today’s terms is closer to ₹30+ lakhs.
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This means while the number looks big, your buying power might be less if inflation is ignored.
Real-life: During hyperinflation or rising cost periods, those who don’t increase their savings or investments risk losing wealth. People who invest regularly and increase contributions over time can stay ahead financially.
Case Study: SIP Growth Comparison Over 20 Years
Imagine you start with ₹5,000 per month SIP in three scenarios:
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Normal SIP: ₹5,000/month, no increase, 12% annual return
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Step-Up SIP: ₹5,000/month increasing by 10% yearly, 12% return
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Step-Up SIP with Inflation: Same as above but adjusted for 5% inflation
Results after 20 years (approximate):
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Normal SIP: ₹50.6 lakhs (real value: ₹18.9 lakhs)
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Step-Up SIP: ₹1.15 crores (real value: ₹43.3 lakhs)
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Step-Up SIP with Inflation: ₹1.15 crores (but real value after inflation: ₹43.3 lakhs)
Insight:
While nominal returns are high in all cases, inflation eats away real value. Step-up SIP helps offset this and creates significantly more wealth.
Pro Tips for Step-Up SIP Investing
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Start early: Time is your biggest ally; compounding accelerates wealth growth.
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Increase step-up % according to income: Align increases with salary hikes.
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Track inflation trends: Adjust your SIP step-up rate to beat inflation.
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Review annually: Recalculate expected returns and inflation rates.
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Diversify: Combine SIP with other investments like ETFs, stocks, or real estate for balanced risk.
Best Mutual Funds for SIP in 2025
Here are 5 mutual funds with strong performance and potential for SIP investors in 2025:
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Axis Bluechip Fund – Low risk, large-cap focus
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Mirae Asset Emerging Bluechip Fund – Mid + large-cap blend
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HDFC Small Cap Fund – High growth potential, higher risk
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ICICI Prudential Equity & Debt Fund – Balanced fund for stability
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SBI Magnum Multicap Fund – Good diversification across sectors
Note: Always do your own research or consult a financial advisor.
Tax Benefits of SIP in India
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ELSS (Equity Linked Savings Scheme):
Offers tax deduction up to ₹1.5 lakh under Section 80C. -
Capital Gains Tax:
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Equity mutual funds: Tax-free up to ₹1 lakh in gains annually, 10% after that.
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Debt mutual funds: Taxed as per your income slab (after 3 years, indexation benefits apply).
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Dividends:
Taxed in the hands of the investor at applicable slab rate.
Tip: If tax savings is your goal, prefer ELSS funds via SIP.
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No paperwork. No account opening charges. Get started in 5 minutes! Dhan also offers advanced tools like TradingView & Options Trader built-in.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What if inflation is higher than expected?
Adjust your step-up % higher or invest in inflation-beating assets like equities.
Q2: Can I change the step-up % later?
Yes, many SIPs allow you to revise contributions annually.
Q3: Is the calculator’s return guaranteed?
No, returns are estimates based on input assumptions.
Q4: What if my income doesn’t grow?
You can keep the step-up rate low or zero but be aware of inflation erosion.
Quiz: Are You Saving Enough?
Answer the following 5 questions honestly to get your saving score and advice!
1. How much of your monthly income do you save or invest?
A. Less than 10%
B. 10–20%
C. 20–30%
D. More than 30%
2. How often do you review your financial goals or investments?
A. I never do
B. Once a year
C. Every 6 months
D. Every 3 months or more
3. Do you have an emergency fund that covers 3–6 months of expenses?
A. No, not at all
B. I’m building it
C. Yes, partially
D. Yes, fully funded
4. How do you invest your money?
A. I don’t invest, I save in a bank
B. Mostly fixed deposits
C. SIPs in mutual funds
D. A balanced portfolio (SIP, stocks, gold, etc.)
5. Do you increase your SIPs or savings when your income increases?
A. No
B. Sometimes
C. I try to
D. Always
Scoring:
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A = 1 point
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B = 2 points
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C = 3 points
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D = 4 points
Total your score out of 20.
Results & Advice
5–8 Points: “The Starter”
You’re just beginning your savings journey. Don’t worry — start small, be consistent, and consider SIPs. Build an emergency fund first.
9–13 Points: “The Growing Investor”
You’re on the right path! Try automating your savings and increasing them with income hikes. Look into mutual funds for better returns.
14–17 Points: “The Disciplined Saver”
Well done! You’re saving regularly and making smart choices. Stay consistent, explore diversification, and review goals periodically.
18–20 Points: “The Wealth Builder”
Excellent! You’ve mastered the basics of personal finance. Now it’s time to optimize for tax, inflation, and long-term wealth. Keep it up!
If you’re looking for a broker that offers speed, transparency, and advanced tools, Dhan is one of the best choices today. With zero brokerage on delivery trades and intuitive charts, Dhan is built for both beginners and pro traders. Invest in Stocks, F&O, Commodities, Currency, ETFs, Mutual Funds, SGBs, IPOs, SIPs and much more.
Click Here to Open Your Free Dhan Account
No paperwork. No account opening charges. Get started in 5 minutes! Dhan also offers advanced tools like TradingView & Options Trader built-in.
Conclusion
Step-Up SIPs with inflation adjustment are a powerful way to build real wealth by ensuring your investments grow not just nominally but in line with rising living costs. Using our calculator helps you plan effectively and make informed investment decisions that protect your purchasing power for decades.
I want to quote John Maynard Keynes, he said “The importance of money flows from it being a link between the present and the future”.
John Maynard was a British economist, whose ideas fundamentally changed the theory and practice of macroeconomics and the economic policies of governments.
As an investor you should know the (TMV) “time value of money” the value of money does not remain the same across time. Meaning, the value of Rs.1000 today is not really Rs.1000, 2 years from now. Oppositely, the value of Rs.1000, 2 years from now is not really Rs.1000 as of today.
Whenever there is motion of time, there is an element of opportunity. Money has to be accounted or adjusted for that opportunity.
What is the one thing that you want when you get old? Time, so that you can correct and reverse the mistakes you did in past.
Time is equal for all of us on this planet at least? The more you invest your present time in right direction and decision, better will be your future.
Do start investing today, if you are not because the people who wait for right time, it does not come simply.
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Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article, including the Step-Up SIP Calculator with Inflation, is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, or tax advice. All investment decisions should be made based on your own research or after consulting a qualified financial advisor. Past performance of any investment product does not guarantee future returns. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of the content for your specific financial situation. Investments are subject to market risks, including the possible loss of principal.

