Lumpsum Calculator
See what a one-time investment could grow to, or how much to invest today to reach a goal.
Fund calculators usually compound yearly.
The fund's yearly cost, taken off the return. Direct plans cost less than regular plans.
Many equity funds charge 1% if sold within 12 months. Check your fund's factsheet.
Shows the result in today's money.
Where the money waits before it moves into the equity fund. An example assumption.
Lumpsum vs SIP vs STP of the same total
Year-by-year growth and chart
| Year | Value | Returns so far | In today's money |
|---|
How your lumpsum value is worked out
One amount goes in once, and every year it grows on top of last year's growth.
- 1
Growth each year
12% a year= × 1.12 a year
- 2
Compound it
1.12 ^ 10 years= × 3.1058
- 3
Grow your money
₹1,00,000× 3.1058= ₹3,10,585
- 4
What you gain
₹3,10,585− ₹1,00,000= ₹2,10,585
Read more: the formula, worked examples, lumpsum vs SIP, STP and tax
A lumpsum is one amount invested at once, for example a bonus or the proceeds of a sale put into a mutual fund. Every year it earns a return on the original amount and on all the returns so far. That compounding is why the growth line curves upward. Want to invest monthly instead? Try the SIP calculator; for regular top-ups on top of a starting amount, use the investment calculator; to find the yearly return between two values, use the CAGR calculator.
The formula
future value = amount × (1 + r ÷ k)^(k × years)
r = yearly return − expense ratio
k = times it compounds a year (1 = yearly)
you keep = future value − exit load − tax
amount needed today = goal ÷ (1 + r ÷ k)^(k × years)
With yearly compounding this is simply amount × (1 + r)years. The growth multiple is future value ÷ amount, and the CAGR is the steady yearly rate that gives it: (1 + r ÷ k)k − 1.
Worked example
₹1,00,000 for 10 years at 12% a year: 1.1210 = 3.105848, so the value is 1,00,000 × 3.105848 = ₹3,10,585. Your returns are ₹2,10,585 and your money multiplies 3.11 times. At 12% it doubles in log 2 ÷ log 1.12 = 6.1 years. With 6% inflation the value is worth ₹3,10,585 ÷ 1.0610 = ₹1,73,429 in today's money, a real return of 1.12 ÷ 1.06 − 1 = 5.66% a year.
Fees, exit load and tax
A 1% expense ratio turns 12% into 11%, so the example ends at 1,00,000 × 1.1110 = ₹2,83,942: the fee costs you ₹26,643. Exit loads apply only if you sell early: with a 1% load for 12 months, selling after 6 months at 12% gives a value of ₹1,05,830, an exit load of ₹1,058, short-term tax of 20% × ₹4,772 = ₹954 and ₹1,03,817 in your hand.
Tax on equity fund gains in India
| Units held | Tax on the gain |
|---|---|
| Over 12 months (long-term) | 12.5% on gains above ₹1.25 lakh in a year |
| 12 months or less (short-term) | 20% |
For the worked example the tax is (2,10,585 − 1,25,000) × 12.5% = ₹10,698, leaving ₹2,99,887, before 4% cess and any surcharge. The ₹1.25 lakh exemption is shared by all your equity gains in a financial year, and this assumes you sell everything in one year. Debt fund gains are taxed at your slab rate; use "A flat rate I enter" for those.
Lumpsum vs SIP vs STP
Splitting the same ₹1,00,000 into 12 monthly instalments of ₹8,333 (the rest kept as cash) ends at ₹2,95,021 after 10 years, ₹15,564 less than investing it all now, because each instalment spends less time invested. An STP keeps the waiting money in a debt fund at 7% and moves ₹8,333 a month into equity: it ends at ₹3,00,991, including ₹5,970 of debt fund interest left over. All three use the same 12% effective yearly return (0.9489% a month).
This comparison assumes the market rises smoothly. In real life prices go up and down: if they fall soon after you invest, a SIP or STP buys more units at lower prices and can beat a lumpsum. Nobody can reliably time this, so a SIP or STP is mainly a way to reduce regret on a large amount, not a way to earn more.
Mutual fund returns are not guaranteed and vary from year to year. The return chips are example assumptions, not predictions or the past returns of any fund. This calculator assumes a steady average return, so treat the result as an illustration, not investment advice. India tax rates are from the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024, unchanged for FY 2026-27; checked on 9 October 2026.
Common questions
How is lumpsum return calculated?
Future value = amount × (1 + yearly return)^years. ₹1,00,000 at 12% a year for 10 years grows by 1.12^10 = 3.1058 times, to about ₹3,10,585. That is ₹2,10,585 of gains on top of what you put in. The calculator assumes a steady average return, so treat it as an illustration.
Lumpsum or SIP: which is better?
With a steady return, investing the lump sum at once ends higher because all the money is invested for longer. In the example, ₹1 lakh for 10 years at 12% reaches ₹3,10,585 as a lumpsum, against ₹2,95,021 if spread as a SIP over 12 months. Real markets rise and fall, though, and a SIP spreads your buying price, which softens a bad start.
What is an STP and when does it help?
A systematic transfer plan puts the lump sum in a debt fund and moves a fixed amount into an equity fund each month. The money waiting still earns the debt fund return. In the example, with a 7% debt fund over 12 months, the STP ends at ₹3,00,991: between investing all at once and a SIP with the rest left as cash.
How long does a lumpsum take to double?
At 12% a year it takes about 6.1 years: log 2 ÷ log 1.12 = 6.12. The rule of 72 gives a quick estimate: 72 ÷ 12 = 6 years. A 1% expense ratio drops the net return to 11% and stretches the doubling time to about 6.6 years.
Is lumpsum mutual fund profit taxed in India?
For equity funds held over 12 months, gains above ₹1.25 lakh in a year are taxed at 12.5%. Sold within 12 months, the whole gain is taxed at 20%. In the example, the tax is (₹2,10,585 − ₹1,25,000) × 12.5% = ₹10,698, before 4% cess. Debt fund gains are taxed at your slab rate.
How much lumpsum do I need for ₹1 crore?
At 12% a year for 15 years, each rupee grows 1.12^15 = 5.4736 times, so you need ₹1,00,00,000 ÷ 5.4736 = about ₹18,26,963 today. Switch to "Amount needed for a goal" to try your own target, and add inflation or tax in Advanced.
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