Three checks before you trust a return number.

Same SIP can look like a 33 pct winner or an 11 pct slogger depending on which number the app surfaces. Run these three before you tell yourself the story.

Ask for the XIRR, not the absolute.

Absolute return is total profit on total inflow. It hides every detail about when the money arrived. XIRR is the rate that respects timing. If your app only shows absolute, dig deeper or paste the cash flows into a sheet.

Compare apples to apples.

The 5Y CAGR on a fund factsheet assumes a lump sum sat for five years. Your SIP CAGR is XIRR. They will diverge by 200 to 400 basis points in any normal market. The brochure number was never your experience.

The shorter the SIP, the wider the gap.

A two year SIP that catches a steep rally looks heroic on absolute and ordinary on XIRR. Long SIPs in fairly normal markets see the two numbers converge. If the gap is huge, time did most of the work, not the fund.

If your statement only shows you absolute return, you are reading half the story. The other half is when each rupee arrived. XIRR is the half that pays your rent in retirement.

Learn how XIRR, CAGR, and rolling returns each measure something different on the RupeeCase Learn hub.

rupeecase.com / learn