Step-Up SIPs work in 3 major steps. Let’s understand them.

1. Set up a regular SIP investment, just like any other SIP.

2. Choose a specific increment, which can be a fixed rupee amount or a percentage of your initial investment.

3. Define the frequency of step-ups which is usually done annually.

Suppose you started with a monthly SIP of INR 1,000 and chose a 10% annual Step-Up. So, after a year, your SIP amount will automatically increase to INR 1100, i.e., INR 1000 + 10% of INR 1000. This will continue every year, increasing your total investment amount over time.

1. Your Step-Up amount should align with your anticipated income growth. This could be based on the average salary hikes in your area of work, promotion expectations, or any other additional income streams.

2. A good rule of thumb is to choose a Step-Up percentage in the 5-7% range, but it is important to stay comfortably within your budget.

3. The longer your investment horizon, the more aggressive you can be with your Step-Up increment amount because compounding will work efficiently in a longer horizon. However, a smaller and more conservative Step-Up might be more suitable for shorter investment goals, i.e., less than five years.

4. It is essential to consider the objective of your investment; for example, are you saving for retirement, a down payment on a house, or for your child’s education? This will help you set up a strategy for Step-Up SIP that best aligns with your goals. More aggressive goals might influence you to choose a higher Step-Up percentage.

5. The most crucial factor is to ensure the Step-Up amount is affordable and does not strain your monthly budget and spending. It is better to choose a sustainable increment amount that you can maintain throughout the investment tenure rather than a high percentage that you might have to discontinue later.

6. Begin with a moderate Step-Up percentage and gradually increase it as your income grows. Also, periodically analyze your financial situation and adjust your Step-Up amount if possible, and remember to use a Step-Up SIP calculator to visualize the impact of Step-Up SIPs on investment corpus.

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all answer for the ideal Step-Up increment. It is a personalized decision that entirely depends on your financial goals.

1. Income Growth

   Regular SIPs keep your investment amount fixed and require manual adjustments to increase the investment amount. Step Up SIPs, however, are designed to grow with income and increase the investment amount automatically, which helps maximize returns.

2. Compounding Effect

   In the case of Step-Up SIPs, the investor receives investment benefits from compounding and boosting returns since his Step-Up percentage is also re-invested. In traditional SIPs, compounding happens on the invested amount, which limits the growth potential.

3. Combats Inflation

   Step-Up SIPs act as a counteract and help grow the corpus at a rate that can outpace inflation, whereas, in regular SIPs, the investment amount remains stagnant over time because of inflation.

4. Corpus

   At maturity, the corpus will be significantly higher in Step-Up SIPs than regular SIPs.

Regular SIPs are a great way to start investing, but Step-Up SIPs offer a decisive advantage. They help in disciplined investing and faster achieving long-term financial goals.

Below mentioned points are a general guide on how to use the calculator:

1. Input the monthly amount that you’re comfortable investing from the beginning.

2. Choose the Step-Up increment by which you plan to increase this monthly investment.

3. Choose the time period during which you plan to keep the Step-Up SIP active.

4. Then, choose the expected annualized rate of return of the mutual fund.

Once all the details have been entered, the calculator will display the total investment amount, estimated maturity amount, and estimated returns.

Additionally, you can adjust the input values to see how they will affect the future value.