How long will it take to reach Rs 5 crore?

The other day, we received a question from a reader: "I want to build a corpus of Rs 5 crore. How much time will it take?" It's a good question—and one that we hear often. For many investors, Rs 5 crore is more than just a round number. It represents financial freedom; a corpus big enough to fund retirement, children's education or a second innings without worry. While Rs 5 crore may seem a lot, it is a milestone you can work towards with a plan. But to get there, the real question you need to ask is: How much can you invest regularly? And for how long can you stay committed? Because ultimately, building Rs 5 crore isn't about chasing high returns or hitting the jackpot. It's about discipline, time and consistent investing. Even a modest SIP can lead you there, if you give it enough years and don't drop the baton halfway. Choose your starting point Let's take a simple example. Suppose you invest Rs 50,000 per month in equity mutual funds , and your portfolio earns an average return of 12 per cent annually. At that pace, you'll hit the Rs 5 crore mark in roughly 20 years. If you can invest more, the journey becomes shorter. A monthly SIP of Rs 75,000 brings the target closer to 17 years, while Rs 1 lakh per month gets you there in abo

This article was originally published on May 12, 2025.