Updated
Updated · Mint · Aug 11
Experts Urge Gen Z to Start SIPs in Their 20s, Targeting 25 Times Annual Expenses
Updated
Updated · Mint · Aug 11

Experts Urge Gen Z to Start SIPs in Their 20s, Targeting 25 Times Annual Expenses

1 articles · Updated · Mint · Aug 11

Summary

  • Time—not a high starting salary—is the biggest wealth-building edge for people in their 20s, Siddharth Maurya and Akshay Rao said ahead of International Youth Day.
  • A 10-year head start can sharply widen final returns through compounding, they said, arguing that delaying investing carries a large long-term cost.
  • ₹10,000 monthly SIPs with 10% annual step-ups—rising to ₹11,000 and then ₹12,100—can help young earners increase investments as income grows instead of funding lifestyle inflation.
  • Rao said Gen Z should first build an emergency fund covering 6-12 months of essential expenses and repay high-interest debt before starting mutual-fund SIPs aligned with risk appetite.
  • For long-term financial independence, the experts advised diversified equity mutual-fund investing and avoiding social-media-driven bets on stocks or crypto, with a broad goal of building a corpus near 25 times annual expenses.

Insights

Can traditional compounding advice really save Gen Z when housing costs are swallowing half their paychecks?
Will the new trend of loud budgeting finally crack the code to beating lifestyle inflation for young earners?
Are viral social media financial trends destroying the chance of early retirement before it even begins?