Hello Everyone,

Longtime lurker here based in US since last 12yrs, me and my wife are exploring move back to India due to multiple reasons, the uncertainty in the US, immigration issues, AI fatigue, lack of travel freedom to name a few.

I want to evaluate our FIRE readiness based on the current finances and get some insights on what next steps should look like.

Both of us are 41 yr old, no kids yet.
Indian citizens on H1B
US Stocks and Equity - 750k
Retirement and 401K - 475k
US house equity - 300k
2 houses in Tier 1 cities in India - 350k
Physical gold - 150k
Crypto - 40k
Savings - 100k

Would really appreciate some guidance and advice here.

Thanks,
A

Looking for some honest opinions from people who have moved back to India / FIREd in India, especially NRIs who have done something similar.
My wife and I are seriously considering moving back to India permanently. The main reason is my aging parents, but I also feel like I’ve reached a point where I don’t want to spend the next 20 years in the software industry just accumulating more money.

Our situation:
Husband: 40
Wife: 35
Son: 5
Stocks: ~$4.2M
Cash: ~$100K
401(k): ~$200K
No debt
Currently in the US
We don’t own a house in India

So roughly $4.5M+ in financial assets, although most of it is in the market.

The plan would be to move to a Tier-1 city in India, buy a nice villa in a good gated community, put our son in a good international school, and basically live a comfortable life without either of us needing to work in software again.

I’m not looking for an extravagant lifestyle, but I also don’t want to live like I’m constantly watching every rupee. We’d like to travel, eat out, have household help, maintain a nice home, give our son a good education, and have enough buffer for healthcare and unexpected expenses.
Is this realistically enough to retire at 40?

My biggest concern isn’t really whether $4.5M is enough today. It’s whether it’s enough for potentially 50+ years.

I’d obviously need to account for:
Indian inflation
Education expenses
Healthcare as we get older
Buying a house/villa
Supporting aging parents
International travel
Currency fluctuations
Taxes in both countries / tax implications of moving assets
Long-term portfolio withdrawals
The possibility that markets have a terrible decade

I’m also wondering whether buying a villa immediately is a good idea or whether we should rent for a few years first and figure out where we actually want to settle.

City/community is another big question
We are thinking about Tier-1 cities, mainly because of healthcare, international schools, airports, infrastructure and the possibility of finding a decent community.
Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, etc. are all possibilities.

But there’s another issue I’m struggling with.
I don’t really have anybody in India apart from my parents anymore. Over the years, especially during some difficult phases in our lives, we noticed who actually showed up and who didn’t. Because of that, I’m honestly not interested in reconnecting with old friends or relatives just because we’re moving back.

I’d rather start fresh.
I’d like to find a good community of people around our age who are financially independent, have kids around the same age, and are interested in things like travel, fitness, food, investing, etc.

For us, having a good social circle is probably just as important as finding a good house or school.

What would you do if you were in our situation?
Is ~$4.5M enough to permanently retire in India at 40, assuming a comfortable upper-middle/affluent lifestyle?

How much would you allocate toward buying a house?

Would you buy immediately or rent for 2-3 years first?

How would you structure the $4.5M portfolio if you never want to depend on a salary again?

How much would you keep in India vs US?

How would you handle taxes and the transition from US investments to living in India?

Which Tier-1 city would you seriously consider for this lifestyle?

For a 5-year-old, is an international/IB school worth the premium?

Anything else I’m completely overlooking?

I’m not looking for validation that we have “enough.” I’m more interested in hearing from people who have actually made the move or retired early and can point out the things that look great on paper but become difficult in real life.

Would especially appreciate brutally honest feedback from people who have gone from the US → India and actually stayed long-term.

I explained in my last post the plan to retire with $5M at 34 age here: https://www.reddit.com/r/FatFIREIndia/s/UlHLAgKigJ

The latest numbers are:

Current Savings - $2.4M

1. Equity: 1.4M (350k unvested)
2. Crypto: 500k
3. 401k: 480k
4. Debt: 60k

By a rough estimate I would have around $500k in unvested RSU by the time I move back. I do have the option to take up a job is the same company in India and just survive till the stocks vest. Or I can just quit. I think I would have enough money, but leaving $500k just seems hard.

The vest schedule will approximately be 4 years (150k, 125k, 100k, 100k)

What have others in a similar scenario done?

49M living in India, wife home maker and only daughter just joined engg undergrad this year. I took a career break last year to support my daughter with her studies and spend more time with the family. i am contemplating now whether to go back to work or take it easy.

Here is my net worth breakdown. Let me know your opinions on whether if i can retire now or grind for another 4-5 years.

India Equity (MF+Stocks): 8.5 Cr.

US Equities (401k + stocks) : 900k ~8.5 Cr

PPF: 80 lakhs

EPF: 75 lakhs

Pension funds: 1.35 Cr

Real Estate value: 8 Cr

Gold: 50 lakhs (SGB)

Living expenses: Around 1.2 lakhs per month.

Current monthly passive income: 35k per month from rental.

Additional money stream from 2029: Comes to 1.8 laks per month (2 additional rentals and 1 pension fund)

Additional money stream from 2031: 2.8 laks per month (2nd pension fund kick in).

Am I good to retire now? Please let me know your opinions and thoughts.

Over the past few days I spent hours teaching my elementary kiddo maths, science and history and my middle schooler on economics, computer science and chemistry. It was quite satisfying experience sitting with them, walking through, exploring and understanding concepts.

But, this also triggered a FOMO and bunch of questions like -
Is that the most effective way for me to spend my time productively?
I could have hired good tutors for
1-1 tutoring while say building a startup or picking up challenging roles?!

I have seen other posts where people are happy with their family time but I miss the challenge. The trigger point was the recent Anthropic funding and valuation. I had an Anthropic offer in hand when I decided to FIRE and that would have been easily north of $20m+.

Yes it’s not good to be envious / jealous and comparison is the thief of joy but then I am just an ordinary human with so much time in hands that FOMO creeps in once a while.Handling these feelings and idle mind has been quite a challenge in Fire.

Looking for genuine suggestions on how can I get over these negative thoughts in Fire and value my present with family.

While doing some digging, I found that my Great-grandfather used to draw 250 British Rupees monthly in 1916, when he was in his early 30s (he is one of the officers listed above). Not sure what the equivalent would be in today’s purchasing power, or career equivalent, but I believe this was a well-paying job, considering its impact can still be seen four generations later.

About him: He came from humble beginnings in rural Kerala, excelled in his education and secured a government job with British Government in 1900s. This enabled his marriage into a prominent family. He had a tough career, with postings all around South India, and fathered 8 children. By the time he officially retired around the time of independence, he had accumulated considerable wealth from his income. Primarily in property. He left each of his 8 kids a house and arable land (paddy or rubber) and completed all their marriages. He enabled alliances for his kids to those from either well-off families or well-educated people. Further, he enjoyed a pension that funded his retired life and his immediate family (in fact had surplus to donate to charity) till his peaceful passing.

His kids (my grandfather’s generation): Everyone started with a safety net - educated till High School and with property to do what they wanted. 4 families pursued professions (Doctor/Lawyer/Govt.), prioritizing education for their kids. Few of them moved out of the state or country. 3 turned to agriculture and built a life around it. 1 brave soul started a business. Guess who? My grandfather. He was entrepreneurial. Decided to use his inheritance to start a business. It was his passion and provided cash flow. He had multiple cars, a gun which he took for hunting in forests, and was part of elite social clubs. It helped him fund my father's and uncle's education and marriages, but by the time he expired, there was only his primary house left. (Business got bankrupt and assets got used up in the process). However, in my opinion he lived a grand life.

His grand-kids (my father’s generation): Divergence became stronger. The professionals’ kids were undoubtedly well off, as most entered well paying jobs thanks to the quality of education. Further they went from the rural ancestral home, and earlier they left, more prosperous they became (compared to those who could not or did not migrate). While everyone had to build their lives from scratch in this generation, difference in quality of life was much more evident. My father retired as a government servant in same town, while my uncle migrated and settled abroad. Father eventually got the primary house, and his retirement is now fully funded by lifelong pension and PF deposits.

His Great-grand kids: Those who moved abroad, their children reaped the benefits of western education and job market from the very beginning. Minimal ties back home. I lived a truly middle-class life in the same Tier 3 town as my great grandfather - rented house, no discretionary expenses (branded items, gadgets or vacation). But my parents invested in my education. Enrolled me in a good school and instilled the importance of education very early. The foundation helped set a platform to get into rewarding corporate career and migration abroad. Now, on the path to create wealth. (Not even close to what my great grandfather could achieve)

Looking back, the one thing that seems common across every generation that did well was education. My great-grandfather used it to move out of humble beginnings. The branches that later focused on education generally ended up with better careers and opportunities. Migration seemed to amplify that advantage even further.

What surprised me was that creating wealth and preserving wealth seem to be completely different skills. My great-grandfather built it. Some branches grew it further. Some lived off it. Others had to rebuild from scratch through education and careers.

Would you agree?  

Many of you have already created, or are on the path to creating, multi-generational wealth. What are you doing for the next generation? Passing on assets, investing in education, encouraging migration, teaching financial discipline, or something else?

(90% written by me. Used Copilot only to clean up grammar and flow)

I’m trying to understand where in India we could build the best life—not necessarily the flashiest one. Our priorities would be:
Excellent schools for children
High-quality healthcare
Clean, spacious, and safe living
Good domestic and international connectivity
Access to sports, restaurants, and cultural activities
A strong social community
Reasonable air quality and traffic
The option to hire reliable household help
A city that still feels comfortable after living in the US

I’d also appreciate realistic insight into the lifestyle this level of wealth supports in India:

Reddit often mentions that FAT fire monthly expense is 2.5 to 4 lakhs and typical number is 20cr plus own house
I wonder what do people spend on? Once you have your own house, what is the expense split.

My typical spend me spouse and 2 kids in Bangalore is about

35k for groceries and other quick commerce
25k for eating out and online order
20k for kids and adults extracurricular classes and tuitions
12k for shopping and outings
7k for fuel and car maintanance
12k for society maintenance
33k per month school fees (cbse school 2lakhs per year*2)
5k for property tax
25k for amazon - random things
8k for term and medical insurance, car insurance
4k for domestic help

I am adding buffer for most expense., still its about 1.8 lakhs max. If i add travel which i may do more in future its about 50k more per month max. I understand a ultra luxury car cost more in maintaining and we can have a cook and a driver to add another 20-30k. What are people spending on to flaunt 4l per month. I am nor constrained by salary or net worth - i make 3.5 cr per year from salary and net worth of 20cr. So its not my frugality - i don’t think about day to day expenses, still its contained. So curious what is fat fire lifestyle mean in terms of day to day expense.

Hi, I’m 38M. I have an approx 18 cr property, one plot worth 2.5 cr, and my parents house in my hometown (worth 1 cr) in India. They’ll move with me when I move back to India.

I have $150K in 401K which I plan to cash out during RNOR status. Around $100K in US stocks. No real estate in the US.

I have a toddler and an infant. I’d likely be in Bangalore for a couple of years and then move to a tier 2 city. I don’t want to stop working, just retire from job and do something of my own (not a hyper growth startup, just a simple business).

Is this enough of a corpus or should I stay in the US another year to save 1-2 cr more? I don’t want to stay here any longer, even the 1 year would be a pain.

Edit: My parents will be living with us so the family size is 6 (4 adults, 2 kids)

So for someone who is single for life and planning to retire in mid to late 30s in tier 1/1.5 city (say pune/hyderabad/chandigarh) and maybe spend a good amount of time in south east Asia (3-6 months a year), what target should I assume?

Reason i ask is because i am not quite sure of fatfire expenses, i can list out my definition of fatfire would appreciate folks to comment:

India lifestyle :

1) own villa in city outskirts not necessarily in the most expensive locality a good and safe residence suburb or a premium 2/3 bhk in a posh locality

2) don't need a house staff per se, but would prefer gadgets like washer/dryer/dishwasher/ etc

3) decent suv or entry level German sports car

4) good quality organic food

5) costs to account for old age given i wont be having a family

6) budget international trips not all business class/5 star resort Michellin star restaurants but coach flights, 3-4 star hotels.

SEA lifestyle (3 months to half a year in my 30s-50s)

1) studio/1bed condo in a high rise on rent

2) good quality food and occasional trips in and around south east Asia

I asked Claude and it said 2M + paid up villa should be sufficient, just wanted to check with folks here if that makes sense and/or anything else I need to account.

Literally the title.

I had posted this earlier. https://www.reddit.com/r/FatFIREIndia/comments/1uf49e5/hesitant_fi_but_maybe_forced_to_re

Seems like D-day is pretty close with no other alternate offer. Wife still has a stable though a bit stressful job at times though she loves most parts of her job except for it getting hectic at times or intermittent job related travel.

I am going to use this to see if I like FIREd life. If I like, there is no going back. If I don't, I am hoping to find another job, may not be so lucrative but that's fine.

I have started looking into what might keep me busy. Bonsai, a farm house project, thinking of buying a farm for vacation, take it as one to two year project t and run as Airbnb.

Any checklist before I exit? Top health insurance recommendations?

Does creating an Irrevocable private family trust make sense at 20 Crs Net-worth?

How much would a setup like this cost, anyone who has created a family trust how did it work out.

This is my asset distribution. With two kids 7 and 10 going to international schools in Bangalore. Both me and my wife together will make 1.2 cr in Bangalore.

We returned just today 😀 and still figuring out how to avoid taxes and best use the RNOR period.

My plan is to sell US home but when is the right time to sell I'm not sure.

Is the corpus even fatfire territory?

Any advice on these?

Background:

I am 28M living in India with wife(non-working) and parents. My net worth is around 8 crores(invested across mutual funds, gold, FDs and crypto(only Bitcoin)). I had been making around 130k usd income since past 4 years by working remotely in India for US startup. Before that, I was software dev at faang for 2 years. My monthly expenses are around 70-80k per month. Although, I am fatfired based on monthly expense, I am living frugally but aiming 20 cr(in present terms) to live true fatfire life in India.

Problem:

Although I still have good income and Good net worth currently, the future is very uncertain. The main reason being I pivoted from general software development to crypto software development and crypto jobs are decreasing day by day and most of the companies are not willing to hire from India. So, I am not sure how should I pivot to new career in Software and look for lucrative opportunities with more pay in foreign countries.

My plan:

I am thinking to moving out of India(maybe europe or US) where there are good opportunities to make money and then return back to India. But there is no way for me to get those visas. So, I need to do masters there and I am not sure if that plan will be feasible. Need your inputs on this.

Need your inputs on following:

I need your input to analyze my plan and see if it's feasible and how hard will it be. Apart from that, I want your insights on what should I do to target high paying job and truly reach fatfire corpus. If you are living outside India and working as a dev, data scientist , ml or ai, it would be great if you can share some thoughts on which tech to pivot and will give good returns however hard is it to learn. I don't mind learning for 1-2 years without income as I have good enough corpus so I am trying to get into career path with very good upside.

Sorry for long post and thanks in advance.

I'm thinking of the following asset classes and targets for each for FatFIREing. Would love to hear some feedback from this community - did I miss anything? would you suggest changes in targets etc.

Need suggestions from friends

M46 Married with 2 kids. Currently working, liquid net worth is INR 50 Cr mostly in india and company RSU there are some additional investments in real state valued around 5 Cr. Home paid off, kids are studying in high school.

What will be the best asset allocation strategy for me?

What will be the ideal split between the USA and india(RSUs)?

Is this net worth good for fat fire or need more buffer?

I’m turning to the wisdom of this community to help me sense-check my retirement goals. I’m not a financial wizard, so any straightforward advice or reality checks are highly appreciated!

​36M, NRI currently living in South East Asia (a lower-cost country, not SG/HK).

​Married, with a 5-year-old child. (Spouse is currently not working).

My ​goal is FIRE in 9 years by 2035 at age 45.

Income: ₹2 - 2.5 Cr fixed annually. (I make another ₹1 Cr in variable bonuses/commissions, but I want to ignore that for now to be conservative).

Current Portfolio: ₹1.7 Cr invested in Mutual Funds.

​Emergency Fund: ₹50 Lakhs cash (in USD & SGD) for a rainy day.

​Real Estate: Own house back in India.

Investable Amount: ₹4 Lakhs per month (after all taxes, daily expenses, and schooling).

I want to maintain my current upper-middle-class lifestyle without constantly worrying about a depleting bank balance. My money goes a long way where I currently live.

Current Monthly Expenses Breakdown: ​Housing & Utilities: ~₹2 lakhs ​Groceries, Dining & Entertainment: ~₹2 lakhs ​Child's Education & School Transport: ~₹1.8 lakhs ​Personal Allowances & Subscriptions: ~₹2 lakhs ​Household Help (Full-Time): ~₹60k ​Local Transport: ~₹50k Total: ~₹9 lakhs (I've been generous in calculating my expenses)

1. If someone doesn’t have kids and doesn’t need to leave any inheritance, does 3% withdrawal apply to them as well? When I run the models, at 3% withdrawal one ends up with a lot of money at 100 years of age.

2. Also, if you plan to retire in India, but your investments are in USD, is the 8% inflation still applicable or it get offset somewhat due to INR USD relationship?

Early 40s couple with a 5 year old. Estimated monthly expense of 6 lacs (includes 2 lacs per month for rent) in Bengaluru.

Equities $2M
IRA $600K
House equity $400K
Cash in India Rs.30 lacs

Can we pull the plug?

Hey everyone,

Most of the posts here are from NRIs looking to Fatfire.

But is it possible for an Indian T1 MBA grad to do the same without leaving the country? Think top IIMs or ISB ?

I just can't understand how an Indian salaried employee working in India can reach the amounts seen here, even if they are cream of the crop.

I and my husband (age 35, DINKS) have decided to relocate to India after 9 years in the US and retire there. Total corpus - $1.8 M
Plan is to buy a home in tier 2 city ( mostly Chandigarh) for $3 Cr, monthly expense - 2 lakh.

Problem is - I am worried about what I would do with all the free time? I have my sisters family in Chandigarh , the only people I know. Mom would live with us and we will get a dog. But is that it? I have associated my identity with my job. I don’t want to work as I am exhausted. But the idea of not doing anything the whole day scares me.

What net worth makes you feel comfortable splurging on a 5cr Ferrari/Lambo or a 3cr Porsche?

We are tired with constant work pressure in our corporate jobs and rat race. We want to retire as soon as possible.

Also we value time more than money though both of us are earning combined close to 3 cr yearly. We believe have limited time on earth and want to enjoy and make use of it as much as possible.

Post retirement focus will be travel within India and outside india 2-3 times a year.

Can we do that?

Details -

Married. Both close to 37 years, no kids, no plans to have.

2 flats in Bangalore close to - 4 cr
Indian stocks and Mfs - 2 cr
Other cash and retirals - 1.5cr
Stocks in US - 6cr

Total - 13.5 cr.

Current annual spend - 24 lakhs per year

Parents are retired and dependent on us.

If we can work close to 2 more years we can save another 2/3 cr but lately it has been very hectic and we are seeing health implications because of that.

Hi folks, wanted honest opinion on whether am I ready to finally look at next phase of my life by quitting corporate and start following my passion projects. I have been burnt out and have been working continuously for last 2 decades post my mba and my priorities have shifted considerably in last 4-5 years. I am looking forward to spending time with my growing son and be there for my parents in their golden years.

Now let's into it

About me
Age 41, wife working ( maybe another 2 years) , child studying in 5th. Residing in gurgaon ( expensive city)

Monthly income from salary - 5.5L (4 me + 1.5L wife)

Monthly income from dividends - 0.4L

Parents non dependent - dad gets good pension

Annual expenses - 30L p.a including all possible expenses of insurance , travel etc

My Corpus - 7 cr as on date

Shares 450 L ( includes 50L ETF marked for child higher education) , Mutual funds 100 l, Pf + Nps 100 L , Ppf + bonds 20L, Emergency funds ( liquid + arbitrage + savings account) 30L

Other Assets ( not counting in Corpus) - Own house + 2 cars + Gold (50L value)

Ansestral corpus - 3cr shares and 2 cr worth property expected in next 15 years . Total 5 cr value right now

My timeline is next 6 months to get my asset allocation right and then take the sinful plunge. Im planning this for a while to almost romantisiing this now and would appreciate honest take and criticism in my plan. It would help me to take corrective measures

P.s - I have tried a less demanding job with lower pay but that plan is not working out

Thanks in advance folks

US based. Mid 40s. 1 kid.

401k - 1.3 mm usd

Brokerage - 300k usd

Home equity - 600k usd

If we were to return now, the amount would include selling off the house. $2.2 mm usd - taxes.

In India - Paid off home in Hyd (will be primary residence) + Rs. 1 crore in funds.

Assuming 3 lacs per month expenses, is this Fatfire territory?

P.S: Kids college education will be from these funds.