Retirement Corpus India: How Much You Need

Your retirement corpus is the total amount you need invested to fund your lifestyle after you stop working. In India, planning must account for inflation (typically 6–7%), longevity, healthcare, and tax-efficient withdrawal. This guide explains how to estimate and build your corpus.

Why Corpus Matters

Your corpus determines when you can achieve financial independence. Too small, and you risk running out of money. Too large, and you may have worked longer than necessary. The 4% rule and its variants help you find the right number.

Quick Estimate: The 25x Rule

A simple heuristic: you need 25 times your annual expenses. If you spend ₹12 lakh per year, you need ₹3 crore. For India, many planners use 30x to add a safety margin for inflation and longevity.

Detailed Calculation

Use our Retirement Corpus Calculator below to factor in your current age, retirement age, expected returns, inflation, and desired monthly income.

India-Specific Instruments

• NPS: Tax benefits, low cost, partial withdrawal from 60. Good for retirement bucket.
• PPF: Tax-free returns, 15-year maturity, extendable. Useful for fixed-income portion.
• EPF: If you're employed, EPF forms a significant part of your corpus.
• Index funds / ETFs: Low-cost equity exposure for long-term growth.

Inflation and Withdrawal

Your corpus must last 25–40 years in retirement. Sequence of returns risk matters—poor early returns can deplete your corpus faster. Plan for inflation-adjusted withdrawals and consider a safe withdrawal rate of 3–4%.

Next Steps

Compare NPS vs PPF for FI, understand the 4% rule, and use our Withdrawal Rate Calculator to stress-test your plan.