Lesson 8 of 28 · How much to invest for a goal · 3 min read · Reviewed 15 Oct 2026
Start from the amount and the date, then work back. To reach ₹1 crore in 15 years at 12% a year, you need about ₹19,800 a month. With 10 years it is about ₹43,000; with 20 years about ₹10,000.
Every goal has two numbers: how much and by when. Put those first and the monthly amount follows.
The date matters more than people expect. Five extra years can halve the monthly amount, because returns have longer to do the work.
Key idea: Price the goal in future rupees. A ₹50 L education cost today may be about ₹90 L in ten years at 6% inflation.
Try the calculator and the one-question quiz on this page to check your own numbers.
This lesson uses 12% for equity funds as an example. For goals under five years away, plan with a lower, debt-like return of 6% to 7%.
Start with what you can and raise the SIP each year as your income grows. The next lesson shows how much that helps.
Separate SIPs make each goal easy to track. You can still hold the same fund for more than one goal.
For learning only, not investment advice. Designed and built by people who have worked at India’s leading wealth management firms.