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INDIA INDIA · 2 MIN READ

High home loans and low returns trap India’s wealthy in stressful jobs

A married couple in their late 30s from Delhi owns a ₹3 crore home with 28 years of loan repayments remaining, ₹80 lakh in mutual funds, and ₹35 lakh in fi…

A married couple in their late 30s from Delhi owns a ₹3 crore home with 28 years of loan repayments remaining, ₹80 lakh in mutual funds, and ₹35 lakh in fixed deposits, yet they cannot afford to leave their high-stress jobs, according to a viral post on X highlighted by livemint.com. Despite appearing financially secure on paper, ongoing financial commitments keep them tied to demanding work.

The couple’s home loan EMIs continue for nearly three decades, while their mutual funds have seen no growth over the past two years and fixed deposits are only growing at the rate of inflation. The post by @Theonenameddamn sparked a debate about how such financial obligations limit the ability to quit stressful jobs, as the assets either grow slowly or not at all, creating a silent trap for many Indians with similar profiles.

This situation underscores the challenges faced by India’s middle and upper-middle-class families who invest heavily in real estate early in life. The long-term EMIs on expensive homes can hinder wealth creation, as the cost of homeownership creates reverse compounding effects. Some commentators suggest renting and building a corpus before buying property to avoid such financial strain, especially in high-cost cities like Delhi.

The viral post has drawn widespread attention to the financial pressures behind India’s apparent wealth, highlighting that owning assets worth several crores does not necessarily translate into financial freedom. The discussion continues on social media, with thousands engaging on how to balance asset ownership and job stress in India’s evolving economic landscape.

Editorial standards. Reported and edited at Startupniti's news desk from the sources listed in the right rail. Every fact traces to a citation. If something looks wrong, write to corrections.
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