Step up SIP strategies: Maximizing gains with progressive investments
Systematic investment plans, or SIPs, have emerged as one of the most popular investment options for Indian investors looking to save and create long-term wealth in a disciplined manner. However, with rising inflation eroding the value of money over time, investors have started looking for ways to maximize their returns through SIPs. One such strategy that is gaining traction is the step-up SIP.
What is a step up SIP?
A step up SIP allows investors to increment their monthly SIP installments automatically by a pre-defined amount either every year, half-year or quarter. This helps combat the effect of inflation and allows someone to invest more as their income increases over the years. For example, if an investor starts with a monthly SIP of Rs. 5,000 in a mutual fund, under a step up SIP they can choose to increase it by Rs. 1,000 every year. So, in the second year, the SIP amount would become Rs. 6,000; in the third year, it would become Rs. 7,000, and so on. Many mutual fund houses provide this facility on their websites through online mandates.
Step up SIP calculator.
Investors can use a step up SIP calculator available online to analyze how this strategy can boost their returns over the long term. The calculator allows one to input the starting SIP amount, annual increment percentage, expected rate of return on investment, and tenure of the SIP. It then maps out how the invested amount will keep increasing every year and the projected corpus that can be accumulated. For example, if someone starts a step up SIP of Rs. 5,000 per month for 15 years in a fund offering 12% annual returns and increasing the SIP by 10% yearly, the total investment would be around Rs. 1 crore. This contrasts to around Rs. 90 lakh if the same amount is invested through a regular SIP of Rs. 5,000 per month.
Advantages of a step up SIP
Combats inflation: Automatically increasing SIP installments each year inflation factors and allows someone to invest more as their earnings rise.
Higher corpus: The progressively increasing investment results in a much larger corpus accumulated over 15-20 years or more.
Disciplined approach: Just like regular SIPs, it encourages regular monthly investments through auto-debit and does not require manual increases annually.
Flexibility: Most funds allow flexible step-up percentages and frequencies according to someone’s convenience and financial planning goals.
Things to keep in mind
While step up SIPs can supercharge returns, there are a few things investors need to watch out for
Volatile markets: Returns may underperform during periods of prolonged volatility, like a financial crisis. So, have a long-term horizon.
Taper increments in downturns: Consider pausing or reducing step up percentages temporarily if earnings are impacted.
Review allocation: Rebalance periodically to maintain target asset allocation as portfolio values change over time.
Redeem only in emergencies: Withdrawals should be avoided to maximize the power of compounding unless an urgent need arises.
Diversify across asset classes: Don’t concentrate entire investments in just one asset class like equity. Maintain some fixed-income exposure, too.
A well-planned step-up SIP strategy can supercharge long-term wealth creation for those investing towards financial goals like child’s education, retirement, or a large lifestyle purchase 5-10 years down the line. It allows one’s money to keep working harder by automatically compensating for inflation every year. Using the calculator and choosing the right growth mutual fund schemes can truly make a difference to one’s investment strategy.