India has crossed the stage where SIP is a niche habit, in fact it has become a middle-class default. A decade ago, most families still treated equity as risky, seasonal or something meant for market people. Today, a young professional starts an SIP in the first year of work, a parent runs one for a child’s education & a business owner keeps SIPs alongside fixed deposits, gold, property & various insurance policies.
However, many investors run SIPs for years and still do not feel closer to retirement comfort, a debt-free home, or a fully funded child’s education. In many portfolios I have seen, the problem is not that people are irresponsible, but the problem is that the discipline is not attached to a number.
