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 about 15 years. On the other hand, if you're early in your career and can only spare Rs 20,000 monthly, it will take you a little over 27 years—but you'll still get there. That's the power of compounding over time.

Here's a snapshot to help you visualise different possibilities:

It's alright to start small

Now, you might be thinking—"Rs 50,000 a month is a lot. I can't start there." That's okay. You don't have to.

That's where step-up SIPs come in. This simply means increasing your SIP amount every year—say, by 10 per cent—as your salary or income grows. It's a smart, realistic way to match your investments with your earning power.

For instance, if you start with Rs 25,000 per month and increase it by 10 per cent every year, you could still reach Rs 5 crore in about 21 years—faster than a flat Rs 25,000 SIP, which would take over 25 years.

So, instead of worrying about how big your SIP is today, focus on getting started, and stepping it up as you go. Time and consistency will take care of the rest.

What the numbers don't tell you

While calculating your path to Rs 5 crore is easy, sticking to it is where most investors falter. Investing for two decades sounds great on paper, but it involves living through market crashes, personal emergencies and changing life goals.

That's why consistency matters more than timing. Even a slightly lower return will work in your favour if you stay the course and keep increasing your SIP as your income grows. Think of your SIP as a habit, not a market bet. Start with what you can, and commit to it.

Use tools, not guesswork

If you're unsure how much to invest, use our Goal Planner . It helps you reverse-engineer your investment plan. Just enter your target amount and time frame and it tells you the monthly investment required.

There's no perfect path to Rs 5 crore. But every path begins with a step. The earlier you take it, the easier it gets.

And if you'd like help choosing the right funds for this journey, our advisory service— Value Research Fund Advisor —can guide you with personalised fund recommendations, tailored to your goals and risk profile.

Also read: How and where to invest Rs 10 lakh today?

This article was originally published on May 12, 2025.