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How much corpus do you need to withdraw ₹50,000 per month via SWP?

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The Answer
₹1 Crore
at 6% annual portfolio return (perpetual withdrawal)

Calculate the lumpsum corpus required so that a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) of ₹50,000/month never depletes your principal, assuming 6% annual returns.

By Aditya GuptaAccounting & Finance EducatorLast reviewed May 31, 2026Source: SEBI

Why SWP Corpus Planning Matters

A Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) turns a retirement corpus into a monthly paycheck. Withdrawing ₹50,000 a month — roughly ₹6 lakh a year — covers a comfortable retirement in most non-metro cities and pays the rent in a metro for a couple. The big question is how much corpus you need to start with so that monthly withdrawals don’t eat into the principal.

The answer depends entirely on your portfolio return. At 8% balanced returns with 6% inflation, around ₹75-80 lakh is enough to sustain ₹50,000/month for 25 years (the principal slowly depletes). At 10% returns with regular step-ups, the same income is sustainable from ₹65 lakh. For a true perpetual income — principal preserved indefinitely — you need closer to ₹1 crore at 6% real return.

SWP is more tax-efficient than dividends because only the gains portion of each withdrawal is taxable. For Indian retirees in the 20-30% slab, this can save lakhs in taxes over a 20-year horizon compared to interest-bearing FDs.

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SWP Corpus Calculator

Corpus Required (Perpetual)
Monthly Interest Generated
Visual Breakdown
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How We Calculated This

Monthly withdrawal: ₹50,000
Portfolio return: 6% p.a. (conservative, debt-heavy allocation)
Withdrawal is perpetual — principal remains intact
Formula: Corpus = (Annual Withdrawal ÷ Return Rate) × 100
Assumes stable returns; actual returns will vary
No tax deducted at source on SWP from equity funds (held >1 year)

Frequently Asked Questions

What return rate should I assume for SWP planning?+
For a conservative retirement SWP, use 6–7% (debt-heavy or balanced allocation). For equity-heavy portfolios, 8–9% is reasonable but more volatile. Avoid assuming >10% for withdrawal planning.
Is ₹1 crore enough for retirement if I want ₹50,000/month?+
At 6%, yes — but only in nominal terms. With 6% inflation, your ₹50,000 today will have the purchasing power of ₹26,000 in 15 years. You’d want to either invest more aggressively or plan for step-up withdrawals.
Can I use SWP from a mutual fund for this?+
Yes. You can set up an SWP from a debt or balanced fund. The units are redeemed each month automatically. Note that each redemption may have capital gains tax implications depending on holding period.
What happens if my portfolio earns less than the withdrawal rate?+
If returns fall below your withdrawal rate, you start depleting the principal. At 4% return with 6% withdrawal, your corpus erodes ~2% annually — so a ₹1 crore corpus becomes ₹98 lakh after Year 1.
Is there a tax on SWP withdrawals?+
For equity fund SWP, each redemption is treated as a sale. Gains are taxed as LTCG (12.5% above ₹1 lakh) or STCG (20%) depending on holding period. Debt fund gains are taxed per your income slab.