Retirement3 min read · Updated 21 October 2026
How much corpus do you need to retire early in India?
A plain way to size your retirement corpus in India: yearly spending, a withdrawal rate that survives inflation, and a worked example for ₹18 lakh a year.
The rule
Multiply yearly spending by 25 to 30. Spending ₹18 lakh a year means ₹4.5 to ₹5.4 crore. The lower the draw rate, the safer. At 3% you need about 33 times spending.
A worked example
Corpus ₹6 crore, spending ₹18 lakh a year (3.0% of the corpus), no pension, return 5% after inflation, 35 years to cover. The corpus is not drawn down in real terms, so it lasts.
What breaks it
A bad run of markets in the first years, a long retirement, medical costs, and spending that creeps up. Plan for 90 years or longer, and keep one to two years of costs in safe assets.
What to do
- Find your real yearly spending.
- Multiply by 28 for a rough target.
- Check how long your own pot lasts in the tool.
- Raise your savings rate or retire later if short.
Common questions
What is the 4% rule?
Drawing 4% of your pot in year one, then adjusting for inflation. It came from US data and is a starting point.
Is 4% safe in India?
Higher inflation means many people use 3% to 3.5%.
Should I count my house?
Only if you will sell it. The home you live in does not produce income.