XIRR in Mutual Funds: The Correct Way to Calculate Your Investment Returns

Investing in Mutual Funds

When investing in mutual funds, we often invest money annually or at regular intervals. After a few years—say 5, 10, or 15 years—when we consider redeeming our investment, the first thing we want to know is how much return we have earned.

General Calculation vs. the Correct Method

Most people estimate their returns simply by comparing the invested amount with the maturity amount. However, this is not the correct approach. Calculating the actual return on investment is crucial as it accurately reflects how your money has performed over time.

What is XIRR?

From a mathematical perspective, XIRR (Extended Internal Rate of Return) is the single rate of return that accurately represents your investment’s return based on the dates of investments and withdrawals.

This method is particularly useful when investments are made in multiple stages and at different times.

In the case of SIP (Systematic Investment Plan), where investments are made monthly and for varying durations, calculating the actual return using XIRR becomes much easier.

Why is XIRR Better for Mutual Funds?

For example, let’s say you invested ₹4,000, ₹9,000, ₹5,000, ₹4,000, and ₹6,500 over five years through SIP and received a maturity amount of ₹53,000. In this case, XIRR will accurately show your actual rate of return.

Mutual fund investments usually do not happen at fixed intervals, and withdrawals may also occur at different times. Therefore, XIRR considers both your investment and withdrawal dates to calculate the precise return.

How to Calculate XIRR?

You can easily calculate XIRR using Microsoft Excel.

The formula for XIRR in Excel is:
=XIRR(values, dates, guess)

By using this function, you can determine the exact return on your mutual fund investments, considering all cash inflows and outflows over time.

Enter these values into Excel and apply the XIRR formula. The result will be 11.92%, which represents your actual investment return.

CAGR vs. XIRR

When investing in mutual funds, we often check the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the last 3 or 5 years. However, CAGR does not provide an accurate calculation for irregular investments like SIPs.

Example:

If you invest ₹10,000 per month for 3 years and receive a final maturity amount of ₹4,00,000, calculating CAGR separately for each investment becomes complex.

Benefits of XIRR

✅ Considers all investment and withdrawal dates
✅ Provides the actual return on your mutual fund investments
✅ Offers a precise and effective method to determine real returns

While CAGR is useful for evaluating overall mutual fund performance, XIRR is better suited for calculating actual returns on individual investments.

When investing, use XIRR to plan for better returns!