How much does starting SIP 10 years late cost?

Starting a SIP of ₹10,000/month at 35 instead of 25 (at 12% CAGR, retiring at 60) results in nearly ₹2.3 Cr less at retirement — even though you invested for 25 years vs 35 years. The first decade of compounding is disproportionately powerful.

Is it too late to start investing at 40?

It is never too late to start, but starting earlier is always better. At 40, with a 20-year horizon to retirement at 60 and ₹20,000/month SIP at 12% CAGR, you can still build ₹1.9 Cr. The key is to start now rather than waiting further.

Cost of Starting Late — SIP Investment at 25 vs 35 vs 45 | Clearmind

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Monthly SIP (₹)

Expected CAGR: 12%

Start 25Start 30Start 35Start 40Start 45

Start at 25 · 35y of investing

₹6.50 Cr

Invested: ₹42.00 LGains: +₹6.08 Cr

Start at 30 · 30y of investing

₹3.53 Cr

Invested: ₹36.00 LGains: +₹3.17 Crvs 25: −₹2.97 Cr

Start at 35 · 25y of investing

₹1.90 Cr

Invested: ₹30.00 LGains: +₹1.60 Crvs 25: −₹4.60 Cr

Start at 40 · 20y of investing

₹99.91 L

Invested: ₹24.00 LGains: +₹75.91 Lvs 25: −₹5.50 Cr

Start at 45 · 15y of investing

₹50.46 L

Invested: ₹18.00 LGains: +₹32.46 Lvs 25: −₹5.99 Cr

The compounding gap: Starting at 25 vs 45 produces 12.9× more wealth with the same monthly SIP. The only difference is time. You cannot buy back lost years.

Illustrative only. Uses a simplified SIP model with fixed CAGR and assumes monthly investments until age 60. Not investment advice.