Calculator Inputs
Example Data Table
| Scenario | Child Age | Goal Age | Current Cost (₹) | Inflation | Return | Monthly SIP (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Plan | 4 | 18 | 25,00,000 | 10% | 12% | 15,000 |
| Private University Plan | 6 | 18 | 35,00,000 | 11% | 12% | 22,000 |
| Overseas Study Plan | 8 | 18 | 60,00,000 | 9% | 11% | 40,000 |
Formula Used
Future Cost = Current Cost × (1 + Education Inflation)Years to Goal
Future Value = Present Amount × (1 + Expected Return)Years
Each year’s SIP is increased by the step-up rate. Every monthly installment compounds until the goal date.
Funding Gap = Net Target − Projected Corpus
Net Target = Future Education Cost − Expected Scholarship Support
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your child’s current age and target education age.
- Add today’s estimated cost for the education goal.
- Set education inflation and expected mutual fund return assumptions.
- Include any existing corpus, monthly SIP, annual step-up, and extra lump sum.
- Add expected scholarship support if relevant.
- Click Calculate Education Goal to see the result above the form.
- Review the target, projected corpus, required SIP, gap, chart, and yearly table.
- Use CSV or PDF export for planning discussions and documentation.
FAQs
1. What does this calculator estimate?
It estimates the future cost of your child’s education, projected mutual fund corpus, required SIP, lump sum needs, and any likely funding shortfall.
2. Why is education inflation separate from fund return?
Education costs and investment growth behave differently. A plan is realistic only when it models rising education expenses separately from portfolio returns.
3. What is a step-up SIP?
A step-up SIP increases yearly by a chosen percentage. It helps families match growing income and reduce pressure from starting with a very high SIP.
4. Should I rely only on expected returns?
No. Returns are assumptions, not guarantees. It is better to test conservative, moderate, and optimistic cases before finalizing an education funding plan.
5. Can scholarships reduce my target amount?
Yes. Expected scholarship support reduces the net funding requirement. However, it is wise to use a cautious value unless the support is highly certain.
6. What if my projected corpus is lower than the target?
You can increase SIP, add a lump sum, raise the step-up rate, extend the time horizon, or revisit cost and return assumptions carefully.
7. Is lump sum better than SIP for education planning?
Neither is always better. Lump sums benefit from longer compounding, while SIPs spread contributions over time and may be easier for family budgets.
8. Can this calculator be used for multiple education goals?
Yes, but calculate each goal separately first. Different goals may have different ages, costs, inflation rates, and investment timelines.