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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →A mutual fund SIP does not promise a 30% return. SIP is a way to invest a fixed amount periodically; the return depends on the fund, the dates and amount invested, the measurement period, and the calculation used. A fund’s best historical rolling return is not the same as what an investor earned by making monthly SIP contributions over a particular period.
What does “30% SIP return” mean?
A systematic investment plan (SIP) is a schedule for investing in a mutual-fund scheme at fixed intervals, rather than investing the entire amount at once. AMFI describes rupee-cost averaging and disciplined investing as features of this approach, not as a return guarantee. AMFI’s SIP explanation
When someone cites a 30% return, the figure needs context: which scheme and plan, what dates or period, and whether it is a return from a specified SIP schedule or a statistic calculated from historical rolling periods. Those are different measures and should not be presented interchangeably.
How SIP returns are calculated
Because each SIP installment is invested on a different date, a return calculation must account for the timing of the contributions as well as the investment’s ending value. Fund factsheets commonly report an annualized SIP return using XIRR. SBI Mutual Fund explains XIRR as a way to calculate returns from an initial and final value and a series of dated cash flows, allowing for the time impact of transactions. Its January 2026 factsheet illustrates SIP performance using ₹10,000 invested on the first business day of each month; its since-inception convention starts on the scheme allotment date and continues on the first business day of subsequent months. The figures are for the regular plan and are compared with total-return index benchmarks. SBI Mutual Fund January 2026 factsheet
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A rolling return answers a different question: what returns would an investor have seen across successive historical windows of a fixed length? A maximum rolling return is the strongest such window in the period analyzed, not an annualized result for every investor’s SIP.
Example: a 30% rolling return alongside a lower SIP return
PPFAS Asset Management’s July 2026 factsheet for Parag Parikh ELSS Tax Saver Fund shows why a bare “30% SIP return” can mislead. The regular plan’s maximum five-year rolling return was 30.79%, while its annualized SIP return for July 30, 2021 to July 31, 2026 was 8.86%. The factsheet says its rolling returns are calculated daily since inception for the stated three- and five-year periods. These figures describe different calculations; the 30.79% figure is not the return for the cited five-year SIP schedule. PPFAS July 2026 factsheet
The same factsheet reports the following annualized SIP returns for periods ending July 31, 2026:
| Plan | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | -4.83% | 2.87% | 8.86% |
| Direct | -3.77% | 4.04% | 10.16% |
For a separate rolling-return comparison, the regular plan’s maximum, minimum, and average three-year rolling returns were 35.78%, 9.93%, and 20.41%, respectively. The direct plan’s corresponding figures were 37.51%, 11.14%, and 21.87%. These are historical figures from the factsheet’s calculation window through July 2026, not a current market-wide ranking or a forecast.
How to compare SIP returns fairly
When comparing funds, use comparable figures rather than selecting the largest percentage from different methods or periods.
- Match the period and contribution schedule. Compare the same start and end dates and the same installment timing.
- Match the plan type. Compare direct with direct or regular with regular; do not mix plan bases.
- Use annualized SIP returns for SIP comparisons. Do not substitute a lump-sum CAGR or a maximum rolling return for the result of a specified contribution schedule.
- Check the benchmark. Compare scheme performance with an appropriate total-return index benchmark over the same period.
- Consider risk as well as return. SEBI’s January 17, 2025 circular mandates disclosure of the Information Ratio as a risk-adjusted return measure for mutual-fund schemes. SEBI circular on Information Ratio disclosure
- Read the dated factsheet. Record the factsheet date and the period covered; historical figures change as market values and measurement windows change.
Is there a current mutual-fund SIP with the highest returns?
The available official examples do not establish a current, comparable all-scheme leaderboard for SIP returns. A single “highest” fund cannot be identified responsibly without checking current disclosures using the same period, contribution dates, plan type, and calculation method. SEBI’s mutual-fund investor resource directory links to AMFI performance data, scheme details, calculators, and other resources that can help investors inspect current information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can a SIP guarantee 30% returns?
No. AMFI states that “Mutual Fund Schemes are not guaranteed or assured return products” and that “Past performance does not guarantee future performance of any Mutual Fund Scheme.” Mutual-fund units carry investment risk, including the possibility of losing principal. SBI Mutual Fund likewise says its SIP simulation is illustrative, not a promise or forecast, and that a SIP does not assure profit or protect against losses in a declining market. AMFI’s mutual-fund risk information
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