Year 1
- Start now
- ₹2,40,776
- Start later
- ₹0
- Difference
- ₹2,40,776
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Investing over time
Cost of delay
Compare starting to invest now with waiting, when both stop on the same date.
Uses Indian household-planning assumptions. Changing currency changes the displayed units, not the underlying jurisdiction.
Describe the investment
The same end date for both paths.
Results update when an input changes. Review the key figures, projection and assumptions below.
Waiting 3 years may cost ₹36,40,219, about 33% of what starting now could build.
- If you start now
- ₹1,10,80,735
- ₹25,00,000 invested
- If you start in 3 years
- ₹74,40,516
- ₹21,40,000 invested
- To catch up later
- ₹15,450 a month
- Starting in 3 years, instead of ₹10,000
Both paths invest the same amounts and stop on the same date. The later path simply has fewer years to grow.
- Start now
- Start later
Year 20
- Start now
- ₹1,10,80,735
- Start later
- ₹74,40,516
- Difference
- ₹36,40,219
Select a year to compare the two balances.
View data tableReview the year-by-year balances 20 rows
| Year | Start now | Start later | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₹2,40,776 | ₹0 | ₹2,40,776 |
| 2 | ₹3,99,405 | ₹0 | ₹3,99,405 |
| 3 | ₹5,78,153 | ₹0 | ₹5,78,153 |
| 4 | ₹7,79,571 | ₹2,40,776 | ₹5,38,795 |
| 5 | ₹10,06,533 | ₹3,99,405 | ₹6,07,128 |
| 6 | ₹12,62,280 | ₹5,78,153 | ₹6,84,127 |
| 7 | ₹15,50,462 | ₹7,79,571 | ₹7,70,891 |
| 8 | ₹18,75,193 | ₹10,06,533 | ₹8,68,660 |
| 9 | ₹22,41,108 | ₹12,62,280 | ₹9,78,827 |
| 10 | ₹26,53,429 | ₹15,50,462 | ₹11,02,967 |
| 11 | ₹31,18,044 | ₹18,75,193 | ₹12,42,851 |
| 12 | ₹36,41,583 | ₹22,41,108 | ₹14,00,476 |
| 13 | ₹42,31,521 | ₹26,53,429 | ₹15,78,091 |
| 14 | ₹48,96,276 | ₹31,18,044 | ₹17,78,232 |
| 15 | ₹56,45,340 | ₹36,41,583 | ₹20,03,757 |
| 16 | ₹64,89,404 | ₹42,31,521 | ₹22,57,883 |
| 17 | ₹74,40,516 | ₹48,96,276 | ₹25,44,240 |
| 18 | ₹85,12,253 | ₹56,45,340 | ₹28,66,913 |
| 19 | ₹97,19,913 | ₹64,89,404 | ₹32,30,509 |
| 20 | ₹1,10,80,735 | ₹74,40,516 | ₹36,40,219 |
Year 2
- Start now
- ₹3,99,405
- Start later
- ₹0
- Difference
- ₹3,99,405
Year 3
- Start now
- ₹5,78,153
- Start later
- ₹0
- Difference
- ₹5,78,153
Year 4
- Start now
- ₹7,79,571
- Start later
- ₹2,40,776
- Difference
- ₹5,38,795
Year 5
- Start now
- ₹10,06,533
- Start later
- ₹3,99,405
- Difference
- ₹6,07,128
Year 6
- Start now
- ₹12,62,280
- Start later
- ₹5,78,153
- Difference
- ₹6,84,127
Year 7
- Start now
- ₹15,50,462
- Start later
- ₹7,79,571
- Difference
- ₹7,70,891
Year 8
- Start now
- ₹18,75,193
- Start later
- ₹10,06,533
- Difference
- ₹8,68,660
Year 9
- Start now
- ₹22,41,108
- Start later
- ₹12,62,280
- Difference
- ₹9,78,827
Year 10
- Start now
- ₹26,53,429
- Start later
- ₹15,50,462
- Difference
- ₹11,02,967
Year 11
- Start now
- ₹31,18,044
- Start later
- ₹18,75,193
- Difference
- ₹12,42,851
Year 12
- Start now
- ₹36,41,583
- Start later
- ₹22,41,108
- Difference
- ₹14,00,476
Year 13
- Start now
- ₹42,31,521
- Start later
- ₹26,53,429
- Difference
- ₹15,78,091
Year 14
- Start now
- ₹48,96,276
- Start later
- ₹31,18,044
- Difference
- ₹17,78,232
Year 15
- Start now
- ₹56,45,340
- Start later
- ₹36,41,583
- Difference
- ₹20,03,757
Year 16
- Start now
- ₹64,89,404
- Start later
- ₹42,31,521
- Difference
- ₹22,57,883
Year 17
- Start now
- ₹74,40,516
- Start later
- ₹48,96,276
- Difference
- ₹25,44,240
Year 18
- Start now
- ₹85,12,253
- Start later
- ₹56,45,340
- Difference
- ₹28,66,913
Year 19
- Start now
- ₹97,19,913
- Start later
- ₹64,89,404
- Difference
- ₹32,30,509
Year 20
- Start now
- ₹1,10,80,735
- Start later
- ₹74,40,516
- Difference
- ₹36,40,219
Formula and assumptions
Formula: Both paths invest monthly at the beginning of each month and compound at the annual return divided by twelve. The later path invests the same lump sum and monthly amounts, starting after the delay, and stops on the same end date.
- Money waiting to be invested earns nothing in this comparison.
- Returns are illustrative, constant and before product costs or taxes.
- The catch-up amount keeps the same step-up and reaches the start-now value by the end date.
Value basis: nominal unless a result explicitly says “today’s money” or “inflation-adjusted.”
Calculator version cost-of-delay-1
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