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Target Savings Planner

How much to invest — one-time or monthly (with step-up & inflation) — to reach a financial goal.

This is a PADM India planning aid rather than a tax or legal calculator — there is no statute behind it. Most calculators start from what you invest and tell you what you get; this one works backwards: name the amount you want and when you want it, and it shows what you would have to put in to get there.

Both routes are costed side by side — a single fixed deposit today, or a monthly SIP/RD — across several interest rates, with optional annual step-up and inflation adjustment so you can plan realistic investments that grow with your income.

Your details
₹

The amount you want to reach.

% p.a.

Education and lifestyle expenses in India typically inflate at 6%–8% p.a.

Growth is shown year by year, or month by month if you choose months.

₹

Optional. Anything you have already set aside for this goal — it grows too.

% p.a.

Optional. Leave blank to compare the example rates only.

% a year

Optional. Increase your monthly SIP contribution each year as income grows.

How it is calculated

Inflation adjustment (optional)

  • Future target = target in today’s cost × (1 + inflation rate ÷ 100)^years

Growth of what you already have

  • F = S × (1 + r)^t
  • S = current savings, r = annual rate as a decimal, t = years. The shortfall the new investment must cover is the future target less F.

FD — required one-time investment

  • P = shortfall ÷ (1 + r)^t

SIP / RD — required monthly investment (with step-up)

  • Flat SIP: P = shortfall × i ÷ (((1 + i)^n − 1) × (1 + i))
  • Step-up SIP: starting instalment P₀ is calculated so that annual increments of s% reach the target shortfall at maturity.

Things to keep in mind

  • The comparison rates shown here are our own illustration, chosen to span a realistic range. They are not quoted by any bank or fund, and nothing on this page is a promised return.
  • The figures assume the rate you pick holds for the whole period. A fixed deposit rate is contractual for its term; a SIP return is not — it is an assumption, and markets do not deliver a steady number every year.
  • Interest on fixed and recurring deposits is taxable at your slab rate in the year it accrues, so the amount you actually keep will be lower than the maturity value shown.

Frequently asked questions

If you want ₹25 lakh for higher education 10 years from now, inflation at 6% p.a. means that education will cost ~₹44.8 lakh. Adjusting for inflation ensures your monthly investment target matches actual purchasing power at maturity.

As your salary or business earnings grow, increasing your monthly investment by 5% to 10% each year reduces the initial monthly commitment required today by 30% to 45%, making ambitious long-term goals immediately actionable.

For short-term goals (< 3 years), prioritize capital preservation with FDs, RDs or liquid/arbitrage funds (~6%–7.5%). For medium-term goals (3–7 years), balanced/hybrid funds (~8%–10%) work well. For long-term goals (7+ years), equity-oriented mutual funds (~11%–12.5%) help beat inflation.

To protect your accumulated wealth from a sudden market dip right before your goal, consider systematically shifting 15%–20% of the corpus annually from equity into liquid/FD assets during the final 2–3 years.

Enter it under current savings. The planner grows that amount at the same rate and asks the new investment to cover only what is left. If your existing savings alone would already reach the target, it says so.

For this calculation the mechanics are the same — a fixed amount every month. The difference is certainty: an RD pays a contracted rate, while a SIP return depends on the market. Treat the RD figure as reliable and the SIP figure as an illustration.

Further reading

This planner is a PADM India guidance tool, not a statutory calculator. The comparison rates are our own illustration of how different returns affect a savings goal — they are not quoted rates, promised returns or legal limits, and no bank or fund is obliged to offer them. The links above are background reading. Last reviewed 8 September 2026. This page is general information, not investment advice — please confirm your specific position with us before acting.

Related calculators

FD Calculator

Maturity value and interest on a fixed deposit at any compounding frequency.

SIP / RD Calculator

Projected value of a monthly SIP or recurring deposit, or a one-time investment, with optional annual step-up.