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Emergency fund calculator: months of essentials, set aside.
Add up the costs that cannot stop, choose the months of cover and see the target, the gap and the months to close it.
- Formula shown
- Free, nothing stored
- Share your result as a link
01How it works
In plain words.
The target is the monthly essentials, including EMIs and premiums, times the months of cover. The calculator subtracts what is already set aside and divides the gap by the monthly addition.
The formula
Target = (essentials + EMIs + premiums) x monthsGap = target - set asideMonths to build = gap / monthly addition, rounded up02Worked example
The default numbers, by hand.
Rs 58,000 a month of essentials for 6 months: a target of Rs 3.48 lakh. With Rs 1 lakh set aside and Rs 15,000 a month, the gap of Rs 2.48 lakh closes in 17 months.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Essential monthly expenses | ₹40,000 |
| Monthly EMIs | ₹15,000 |
| Insurance premiums, monthly average | ₹3,000 |
| Months of cover | 6 months |
| Already set aside | ₹1,00,000 |
| You can add each month | ₹15,000 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Emergency fund target | ₹3.48 L |
| Still to set aside | ₹2.48 L |
| Months to get there | 17 months |
| Months covered today | 1.72 |
03Key concepts
What to know before you use it.
Months of cover
Common rules of thumb are 3 to 6 months for a stable salaried income and more for variable income, single earners or dependants. The months input is the choice.
Where it is kept
An emergency fund is usually kept where it can be reached in a day or two with little risk of a fall, such as a savings account, a sweep deposit or a liquid fund.
Good to know
- Count only costs that continue if income stops.
- Review the target when EMIs or the household change.
04Assumptions
What the calculator assumes.
- No return on the money set aside; monthly additions are equal.
05Questions
Asked about the Emergency fund.
How much emergency fund should I have?
Rules of thumb run from 3 to 6 months of essential costs, more when income is irregular or there are dependants. The calculator sizes it for the months you choose.
Should EMIs be included?
Yes. EMIs continue whether or not income does, so they belong in the monthly essentials.
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06Keep going
Learn the idea, see it applied.
More goal planning calculators
Education only, not investment advice. RupeeCase is a technology platform operated by QC Alpha Technologies Pvt Ltd; it is not a fund, a PMS or a SEBI registered investment adviser. Model returns are back tested and not a promise of future returns. Figures carry the date they were checked.