Retirement Plan Karo
Know exactly how long your money will last. Bring your savings, spending and life goals together in one clear, year-by-year plan, made for families everywhere.
- Made for families worldwide
- Ready in 5 minutes
- Private, in your browser
Create your account
Save your plan and take it with you, on any device.
- Save your plan and family details
- Download your PDF summary
- Get an editable Excel dashboard
Step 1: Your Net Worth Today
Add your assets (what you own) and liabilities (what you owe). Net worth = Assets − Liabilities. Leave blank if none. Results update as you type.
About you
Liquid assets (cash or easily converted to cash)
Non-liquid assets (long-term or hard to sell quickly)
Liabilities (debts you owe)
Step 2: Where does your money go?
Enter your monthly income and costs. Tick Essential for things you cannot skip. The rest is what you can cut.
Income
Monthly expenses
Your protection (life insurance, health insurance and emergency money)
Step 3: Plan your retirement
See the fund you need, what you will have, and the monthly investment that closes the gap. Boxes marked as filled come from your earlier steps.
Your plan
Step 4: Year by year, with your life goals
See your fund grow, then pay you every year after retirement. In any year, add an amount for a life goal such as education, marriage or a car, and watch the fund change.
Year-by-year table
Growth = yearly rate × (start fund + half of the year's net flow). Goal costs grow with price rise until the year you pay them. Type a goal amount in any row.
| Age | Fund at start | Saved (+) or living cost (−) | Growth | Life goal (today's ₹) | Goal cost then | Fund at end |
|---|
What people say about Retirement Plan Karo
Here is what people liked about planning their retirement here.
I finished my plan in one sitting. The steps are short and the language is simple.
Seeing my plan year by year made things much clearer for me.
I like that each step explains how the numbers are calculated.
Easy to use on my phone. The buttons and text are big and clear.
The checklist told me what to look at next, one step at a time.
The Family Dashboard puts everyone’s details in one place. It is very handy.
No heavy words. I could follow every step without any help.
I liked that it shows the numbers and leaves the decision to me.
Testimonials are individual opinions, shared with permission, and are not a promise or guarantee of any result. This tool is for education only.
What to do at every age
Pick your decade and tick what you have done. Your age from Step 1 picks the list for you.
In your 20s
In your 30s
In your 40s
In your 50s
At 60 and beyond
Learn
Plain-English guides. Pick a topic.
BasicsCompounding: your money earns money
Compounding means your returns earn returns of their own. A SIP of ₹10,000 a month at 12% a year for 20 years grows to about ₹98.9 lakh, although you put in only ₹24 lakh.
Time does most of the work. The same SIP for 10 years gives about ₹23 lakh. Doubling the time gives more than four times the money.
Do this: Start now, even small, and raise the amount every year.
BasicsInflation: the quiet cost of living
Inflation is the yearly rise in prices. At 6% a year, prices double about every 12 years (72 ÷ 6).
A household that spends ₹50,000 a month today will need about ₹2.87 lakh a month in 30 years to live the same way.
Do this: Plan with a realistic inflation rate, and use a higher one for medical costs.
PlanHow big should your retirement corpus be?
Your corpus is the total savings you need on the day you retire. It depends on your monthly expenses at that time (after inflation), how many years you will live in retirement and the returns you earn on the money.
A common rule of thumb is 25 times your yearly expenses, which means withdrawing 4% a year. That rule comes from long-term US data. Prices rise faster in India and people live longer, so check it against a full calculation like the one in Step 3.
Do this: Count every year till 90 or later, not only till the average life expectancy.
InvestSIP and the step-up habit
A Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) invests a fixed amount every month. You buy more units when prices are low and fewer when they are high, so you do not need to time the market.
A yearly step-up raises the SIP as your income grows. In the sample plan, a 5% yearly step-up cuts the starting SIP you need by about a third.
Do this: Automate the SIP for salary day and never pause it in a market fall.
PlanPlan big goals separately from retirement
Children's education, marriage, a car, a home or a foreign trip have a fixed date and cost. Retirement has no loan: you can borrow for education, but you cannot borrow for your old age. So protect the retirement fund first.
Education costs often rise faster than general inflation. Money needed within about 3 years is safer in an FD or debt fund than in equity. If you pay goals from your retirement SIP, every rupee you take out stops compounding for your retirement.
Do this: List each goal with a year and a price, then add each one to the year-by-year table in Step 4.
ProtectBuild your emergency fund first
An emergency fund is money you can reach in a day for job loss, illness or urgent repairs. Keep about 6 months of essential expenses in a savings account, a short-term FD or a liquid fund.
Without it, a crisis forces you to sell investments at a bad time or take a costly loan.
Do this: Fill this before you raise your SIP.
InvestAsset allocation and rebalancing
Asset allocation is how you split money between equity (growth), debt (stability), gold and cash. Younger investors usually hold more equity. As retirement comes closer, move gradually towards debt.
A simple starting point for equity is 100 minus your age, as a percentage of your financial assets. Rebalance once a year if one part drifts far from your plan. Avoid putting most of your wealth in one house or one asset.
Do this: Check your mix in Step 1 and act on the guidance.
InvestEPF, PPF and NPS in your plan
EPF is the provident fund for salaried employees. PPF is a government-backed long-term savings scheme with a 15-year lock-in. NPS is a market-linked pension account where part of the money must buy an annuity when you exit.
Rates, limits and exit rules change from time to time, so check the latest from EPFO, your bank or post office, and PFRDA. Treat these as the steady part of your plan, not the whole plan.
Do this: Record each balance in Step 1 so the planner counts them.
WithdrawSWP: your own monthly pension
A Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) pays you a fixed amount every month from a mutual fund or other corpus while the rest stays invested.
Raise the withdrawal each year for inflation. Many planners keep the first-year withdrawal near 3% to 4% of the corpus. A higher rate runs the money down faster.
Do this: Test your numbers in Step 4 and check the safe withdrawal shown there.
WithdrawSequence-of-returns risk
A market fall in the first few years of retirement hurts far more than the same fall later, because you are withdrawing while prices are low.
Keep 2 to 3 years of expenses in safe assets such as FDs or debt funds, so you do not have to sell equity in a down year. Be ready to trim withdrawals for a year or two.
Do this: Set aside a bucket of safe money before you retire.
ProtectHealth and life insurance
Medical costs usually rise faster than general inflation, and employer cover often ends when you leave or retire. Buy a personal health policy early, when it is cheaper and easier to get.
If others depend on your income, term life insurance protects them. A common rule of thumb is a cover of 10 to 15 times your yearly income.
Do this: Make sure premiums appear in your expense sheet.
ProtectClear costly debt before you retire
Credit card, personal and overdraft loans often charge more than your investments earn, so repaying them is a sure gain. Try to keep total EMIs under about 40% of your income.
Aim to clear your home loan before you retire so your fixed costs fall when your income does.
Do this: List every loan in Step 1 and repay the costliest first.
WithdrawThink about tax on retirement income
Interest, capital gains, pension and annuity income are taxed in different ways, and tax rules change in most Budgets. This planner does not include tax.
Your take-home amount can be lower than your withdrawal. Ask a chartered accountant to check the latest rules before you decide where to keep your money.
Do this: Add a margin to your expenses to allow for tax.
ProtectNominees, will and documents
Check that every bank account, mutual fund, insurance policy, EPF and NPS has a nominee. A written will and a simple list of your accounts and who to call saves your family time and stress.
Review nominees after major life events such as marriage, children or the loss of a parent.
Do this: Keep a one-page list of all accounts where your family can find it.
Ideas that sound right but can leave you short.
"I will start saving when I earn more."
Fact: Starting late costs more than saving a little early. In a typical plan, a 5-year delay can cut the final fund by nearly half.
"My EPF or PPF is enough."
Fact: Often it is not. Inflation raises your costs every year, so check your balance against the corpus you really need.
"Equity is too risky for retirement."
Fact: Over long periods some equity helps beat inflation. Hold less as retirement nears, and keep safe money for the first years.
"My employer or the government will pay a pension."
Fact: Most private-sector workers have no guaranteed pension. EPF and NPS balances are savings you must plan to turn into income.
"Expenses fall a lot after retirement."
Fact: Some costs fall, such as travel to work, but medical costs rise. Plan for 70% to 100% of your current spending, not less.
"Real estate is my retirement plan."
Fact: Property is hard to sell quickly and pays no monthly income unless rented. Keep most of your retirement money in financial assets.
"A SIP guarantees returns."
Fact: A SIP only spreads your purchases over time. Returns depend on the market and can be low or negative in some years.
"Employer health cover is enough."
Fact: Cover often ends when you leave or retire. Buy a personal policy early.
- Annuity
- A product that pays you a fixed income, usually for life, in exchange for a lump sum.
- Asset allocation
- How your money is split between equity, debt, gold, cash and property.
- Bond
- A loan you give to a government or company. It pays interest and returns your money at the end.
- Compounding
- Earning returns on your earlier returns, so growth speeds up over time.
- Corpus
- The total savings you build or need for a goal such as retirement.
- Credit risk
- The chance that a borrower fails to pay back what it owes.
- Debt fund
- A mutual fund that invests in bonds and similar loans, usually with lower risk than equity.
- Diversification
- Spreading money across different assets so one bad result does not hurt too much.
- EPF
- Employees' Provident Fund. A retirement savings account for salaried employees and their employers.
- ETF
- Exchange-traded fund. A fund that trades on the stock exchange and usually tracks an index.
- Emergency fund
- Easy-to-reach money kept for job loss, illness or urgent repairs.
- Equity
- Ownership in companies, such as shares and equity mutual funds. Higher growth, higher risk.
- Expense ratio
- The yearly fee a mutual fund charges, shown as a percentage of your money.
- FD
- Fixed deposit. Money kept with a bank for a set time at a fixed interest rate.
- Glide path
- A plan that moves your money from equity towards debt as you get older.
- Index fund
- A fund that copies a market index, often with low costs.
- Inflation
- The yearly rise in prices that lowers what your money can buy.
- Liquid asset
- Something you can turn into cash quickly without a big loss, such as bank savings.
- Liquidity
- How quickly you can turn an asset into cash.
- Longevity risk
- The risk of outliving your money because you live longer than planned.
- Lump sum
- A single large investment made at one time.
- Mutual fund
- A pool of money from many investors, managed by professionals and invested in shares, bonds or both.
- NAV
- Net asset value. The price of one unit of a mutual fund.
- NPS
- National Pension System. A market-linked pension account where part of the money buys an annuity at exit.
- Net worth
- Everything you own minus everything you owe.
- P2P lending
- Lending money to individuals or businesses through an online platform. It carries default risk.
- PPF
- Public Provident Fund. A government-backed long-term savings scheme with a 15-year lock-in.
- Real return
- Your return after taking away inflation.
- Rebalancing
- Selling a little of what has grown and buying what has lagged, to return to your target mix.
- Rule of 72
- A quick way to find how long money takes to double: divide 72 by the yearly return.
- Rupee cost averaging
- Investing a fixed amount regularly, so you buy more units when prices are low.
- SCSS
- Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme. A government-backed savings scheme for people above a set age.
- SIP
- Systematic Investment Plan. A fixed amount invested every month.
- SWP
- Systematic Withdrawal Plan. A fixed amount taken out of your investment every month.
- Safe withdrawal rate
- The share of your corpus you can withdraw each year with a low chance of running out.
- Sequence risk
- The risk that poor market returns early in retirement drain your corpus faster.
- Step-up SIP
- A SIP that rises by a set percentage each year.
- Term insurance
- Pure life cover that pays your family if you die during the policy term.
- Volatility
- How much the price of an investment moves up and down.
How much money do I need to retire?
It depends on your expenses, your retirement age and how long you want your money to last. A common rule of thumb is 25 times your yearly expenses at retirement. For your own number, use Step 3, which adds up every future withdrawal after inflation.
When should I start planning for retirement?
As early as you can. Time is the biggest factor in compounding, and a few years of delay can cost a large share of your final fund.
How much of my income should I save?
A common starting point is 20% of your take-home income, and more if you start late. Step 2 shows your saving rate and how cutting expenses can raise it.
Is the 4% rule right for India?
The 4% rule comes from US data. Indian inflation has been higher, and retirements are getting longer, so many planners start lower, around 3% to 3.5%. Step 4 tests your own numbers and shows a safe starting withdrawal.
What return should I assume?
Use a number you would be comfortable with if markets disappoint. Long-term equity returns are not guaranteed, so check what happens with a return 2% lower. The SIP step shows this.
What is the difference between SIP and SWP?
A SIP puts money in every month while you build your corpus. An SWP takes money out every month once you retire.
Should I invest a lump sum or a SIP?
A SIP spreads your purchases and reduces the risk of investing everything at a bad time. If you have a lump sum, many people invest it in stages over several months.
Are EPF, PPF and NPS enough?
They are a useful base, but for many people they do not cover all expenses after inflation. Add them in Step 1 and compare your total with the corpus you need.
How big should my emergency fund be?
About 6 months of essential expenses, in a bank account, a short-term FD or a liquid fund.
What if I am already close to retirement?
Focus on safe withdrawals, health insurance, clearing loans and keeping 2 to 3 years of expenses in safe assets. Use Steps 5 and 6 to test how long your money will last.
Which inflation rate should I use?
Many Indian planners use 6% for general costs. Medical costs usually rise faster, so a cautious plan uses a higher rate or a separate health budget.
Can I pay for my child's education and marriage from my retirement SIP?
You can, but the money you take out stops growing for retirement. Step 4 shows the SIP each goal needs and what is left for retirement. If it is short, raise your SIP, move a goal later or lower its cost.
Is my data saved or shared?
No. All calculations run in your browser and your plan numbers are not sent anywhere. Contact details you give at sign-up, and a summary result such as your score, may be sent to us as explained in the Privacy Policy.
Is this financial advice?
No. Retirement Plan Karo is an education tool. Results depend on your inputs and on assumptions that may not come true. Please talk to a SEBI-registered investment adviser or a chartered accountant before you decide.
How are the calculations done?
Monthly compounding at the yearly rate divided by 12. SIPs are paid at the end of each month and withdrawals are taken at the start of each month. Every step has a "How is this calculated?" box.