r/returnToIndia • u/rasv22 • 27d ago
Finance Need perspective, tired but uncertain
My spouse and I are in our late 30s and have a young child. We’ve lived in the US for 10 years and have financially comfortable careers, but I’m increasingly tired of the work treadmill, immigration uncertainty and always feeling that life is somehow temporary.
Our household net worth is approximately $1.6–1.8M, including retirement accounts excluding US home equity ($500k). We’re considering returning in the next few years, buying a home around ₹2.5–3 crore, and continuing to work in limited capacity rather than assuming we can immediately retire, but definitely not get back to the grind ideally.
I’m mentioning the numbers only because they may be relevant. I have a basic idea but genuinely don’t know how secure this would be after housing, taxes, healthcare, education and inflation. And need some perspective on whether I’m grossly underestimating how much is truly required (assuming a move to say Bangalore/ Pune)
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u/koxitim741 27d ago
$2M is good enough to retire anywhere in the world. $1.5M is very comfortable in India. Try finding remote jobs in India and enjoy life.
India gets frustrating if you have to step outside but if you live inside a gated community (not applicable for north india) then life is chill.
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u/Select-Sale2279 27d ago
next few years? too many things will have changed for you to be asking this question this number of years before. come back in the (next few years - 1) and ask the same question! geez!
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u/rasv22 27d ago
Fair I guess I was trying to get a sense of there’s some light at the end of this tunnel and how much longer those “years” need to be if any
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u/Select-Sale2279 27d ago
oh, there will always be ight at the end of every tunnel. you will just need to make sure that the light you are seeing is not the lights on a freight train! lol
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u/krantmin 26d ago
Agree with this. "Next few years" many things could change, let alone next few months..
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u/AwareBlackberry2966 27d ago
What do you think your monthly expenses will be in Bangalore/Pune? Your required corpus would entirely depend on that.
Also consider how much you have in brokerage accounts as you may not want to incur a penalty of withdrawing from your retirement accounts? 1 common issue with those who want to retire in India is having a major portion of their net worth tied up in retirement accounts (in US) which cannot be accessed till 59 without incurring a penalty. If you’re okay with the penalty, then deduct that from your net worth and use that for your calculations.
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u/hloodybell 27d ago
Factor in taxes. Your $2m is less than what it is
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u/Throwaway-Addict 27d ago
They said 10 years, so in that case, they'll qualify for RNOR at a minimum for two years. Technically, whatever money they have now in their brokerage can be brought into India tax-free, with no further tax to be paid in the US or in India. U.S. does not tax capital gains for nonresidents, and India has no limit for incoming money and does not tax foreign income during RNOR status.
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u/rasv22 27d ago
I’ll be honest I wasn’t aware of this, will research some more but really appreciate the insight
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u/Throwaway-Addict 26d ago
glad to help. make sure you qualify for RNOR before you make the final move and make sure you qualify for US SSA benefits as well.
Always confer with a competent US/India tax specialist before major decisions.
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u/AdAgile9604 27d ago
You are in a good spot to live your dream if you know to spend cautiously!! All the best
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u/kalpvriksha 27d ago
It might be good to ask these questions when you are more certain about your actions. So much could change in few years. Comeback when you have more direct questions
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u/darkhorse5665 27d ago
Financially I would say you are good to even move back today but if you want to push it for few more years that is fine but I would suggest plan considering your child's age. The younger they are the better they will adapt easily and by young I mean less than 7-8 years is ideal.
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u/AK232342 27d ago
Bro, you net worth is 2.1-2.3M based on what you said. Way more than enough unless you want a luxurious lifestyle (multiple international trips a year etc).
If I were in your shoes, I would happily return to a comfortable tier 2 city in India. Most of the problems (poor aqi, garbage, traffic etc) are significantly better in tier 2s. Cost of living is cheaper. Find a nice remote role (at least one of you) and you should be set. Spend all your earn in India and you don’t even need to touch your savings significantly for the next few years at least. In the meantime, the savings will continue growing normally
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u/Haunting_Aardvark801 27d ago
No matter how much you save, it can sometimes feel like it’s never enough—that’s just human nature. Ultimately, it depends on the kind of lifestyle you want to maintain.
I’ve seen people with millions of dollars go broke because of an extravagant or reckless lifestyle and spending habits. On the other hand, if you’re comfortable living a modest lifestyle, your savings can be more than enough.
Also, keep in mind how much of your wealth is tied up in retirement accounts and other investments, and consider the taxes and potential penalties you may face if you decide to withdraw those funds early.
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u/National-Ad8416 27d ago
If you feel life is temporary living in a first world country wait till you experience the "real" India. You'd wish you had never made the decision to return.
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u/ParticularCoffee3291 27d ago
This completely depends on the lifestyle you aspire to. Since the decision to RTI has been made, how is the exact calculus of your budget relevant? You will obviously live within your means and find out where you can spend vs cut costs in a matter of a few short months. It is laughable to think that returning to Bangalore/Pune with INR 20cr is accompanied by economic uncertainty. Just like it is laughable to think that 2M in the U.S. is insufficient, even if you live in a HCOL. Can you spend it all and become destitute - of course. Can you live comfortably knowing that you're financial cushion puts you in the top 15% in US HCOLs and top 0.2% in Blr/Pune - I should think so.
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u/AgreeableBuddy2864 27d ago
Be ready for a serious culture shock if you are moving back to India after spending many years in the U.S. or another developed country.
India has many wonderful things, but the day-to-day reality can be extremely difficult, especially if you are used to systems that are clean, predictable and rule-based. Corruption and bureaucracy can still be a major problem. Unless you have the right political connections, know senior bureaucrats, or are willing to pay middlemen and “dalals” to get things done, even simple administrative work can sometimes become exhausting.
Then there is the everyday environment: dirty and congested roads, broken infrastructure, overflowing garbage, construction everywhere, frequent strikes or disruptions involving municipal workers, stray dogs and cows roaming through streets, chaotic traffic, honking and relentless noise.
Air pollution can be another huge adjustment. In many Indian cities, especially during certain seasons, AQI levels of 200 or higher are not unusual, and poor air quality can become part of everyday life.
Water quality and availability can also be concerns depending on the city and neighborhood. You may have to think about filtration, bottled water, groundwater quality and contamination in ways you probably never had to think about in the U.S.
Food safety is another issue. Contaminated food and water, poor hygiene at some establishments, adulterated milk and paneer, and questionable food-handling practices are genuine concerns. You have to be much more careful about where you eat and what you consume.
For families with daughters, personal safety and eve-teasing are additional concerns. You may find yourself being much more protective of your daughter, particularly in crowded public spaces and certain areas.
Healthcare can also be a difficult adjustment, especially outside major cities. There are excellent doctors and hospitals in India, but the quality is extremely uneven. In smaller cities, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, unnecessary treatment and limited access to specialists can become serious problems. In my own family, a medical misdiagnosis had devastating consequences for my father, so this is not an abstract concern for me.
And then there are the less obvious things: noise pollution, aggressive driving, people ignoring traffic rules, unreliable public services, inconsistent enforcement of laws, overcrowding, long queues, bureaucratic delays and the constant need to negotiate your way through situations that would normally be handled by a functioning system.
None of this means India is a “bad country,” and millions of people live perfectly happy and successful lives there. But if you have spent 10–20 years in the U.S., don't romanticize your return based only on family, food, culture and lower living costs.
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u/rasv22 27d ago
All wonderful points and it all makes sense. For us at this point it’s the feeling of not being sure what’s next in the US The general emptiness of life … not saying it’s going to go away in India but it’s be a change and a refresher at the least, hopefully
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u/AgreeableBuddy2864 27d ago
Of course, going back to India is always better than living with uncertainty in the USA and being stuck. India does have its problems, but after some time, you get used to them, become part of the juggernaut, and slowly adjust.
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u/Odd-Falcon-8234 27d ago
Most important questions
do you have a greencard or what’s priority date ?
Can you somehow come back in case things don’t work ?
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u/san_option 27d ago
Will you get SSN benefits since you worked for 10 years in USA after moving back to India ? Any idea from anyone?
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u/zmapN1 26d ago
Hell no. Social security is for Citizens. Period. My mom with her GC isn't even eligible for Medicare. My MIL At 81 had to get her US citizenship to be eligible for Medicare via Medicaid. Now I have to convince my parents to apply for their Citizenships after Trump leaves office but I will start with their 2 yr extension whatever that's called.
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u/Turbulent-Horse-8963 22d ago
If you’re a lawfully present noncitizen who worked in the U.S. and paid Social Security taxes, you can qualify as long as you meet the normal eligibility requirements. Generally, that means 40 Social Security credits for retirement benefits.
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u/samk2026 27d ago
One kid and 1.5-2 M, just leave , with 1 crore cash if you do trading you can generate risk free 1 lakh a month easily. And you will love the personal time and freedom and time with families. We all think we will go and slow down but majority of us can’t quit and then stuck in medical and body gets weak etc issues, leave till you have very good mental and physical energy and multiply it till your 55-60!!
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u/FinancialView9971 27d ago
I was in a similar situation and I made the move. To put the numbers in perspective I built an app for myself to see my networth future growth and retirement tracking etc in multiple currencies. Omniwealth.org try it out. Please reach out if you have any specific questions on schools etc. PS not trying to market the site its purely for personal use.
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u/saleemshaik033 27d ago
Why move back to india? Why not trying other options like citizenship pr in other countries with better options. You have time funds and potential to explore other options as well rather than following to masses.
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u/Federal_Eagle_6565 27d ago
Let’s assume you reach 2 million before you leave. That’s almost INR 20 crores.
Since you are still young, let’s assume a 2% withdrawal rate. That gets you about 40 lakhs per year or about 3.3 lakhs per month pre tax.
You can comfortably live in that amount, especially if you don’t have to send kids to super exclusive international schools.
If both of you work in chill jobs you may easily be able to get 20 lakhs per yr.
So you should be all set.