Is 10 years working in US equivalent to 35 in India for working couple ?

[RBee]

Weekend party; met a Desi couple who are in Bay Area for last 6 years..(They are waiting for their dates to be current for GC)..Husband and wife both work for a well known company and both make 6 figure salaries..

Wife said they will be here for just 4 more years as working in US for 10 years is equivalent to working 35 years in India..Then she doesn't have to work in India at all..

1 US$ is 66 INR(as of today) but purchase price parity is only around 5.. But still with India's inflation touching double digits every year, I did not agree with her statement..

What do you think ?

Plus other than inflation, saving potential in India is more for double income couple due to RE increasing every year IMO...So wife who will be in her early 30s deciding to leave job once in India isn't advisable IMO..

What is your take ?

[Dicky_Bird]

I have seen this trend where wife leaving work as soon as kid gets to middle school
too much work for Mom if doing chores and working
i think the couple you met are intelligent and making right choice

[SSGHere]

It's excellent idea for DINK of 6 figures salaries working at well known bay area company for 10 years. Almost all assets classes more than double in last 6 years, with some reasonable investments, we are talking around $1M+ assets i.e. 6-7 Cr in INR.

A 3% SWR is more than enough for comparable life style in India.

[techynt]

Its all relative.

* Working 10 years did they save equal to working in similar job in India for 35 years?

* Do they have any RE in India....else 5 years savings will be eaten up by home purchase. most people who worked 35 years in India in good jobs have homes/RE worth more than $1-4 millions

If some one saved $2 million in 5 years its equal to 35 in India.

[plansup]

Assuming you start working at 25 , after 35 years in India you are 60 but after 10years in US you are only 35.

35 is not equal to 60.

So the answer is no, in my opinion.

[techynt]

What if the 60 year old barely has $500k in savings and US couple have $3 million?

Assuming you start working at 25 , after 35 years in India you are 60 but after 10years in US you are only 35.

35 is not equal to 60.

So the answer is no, in my opinion.

[plansup]

In that case, yes.

I was assuming the couple in original post was indicating the earnings and savings in US for 10 years in US is same as earning and saving in India for 35 years, so in that case 500K at 60 would be better than 500K at 35.

What if the 60 year old barely has $500k in savings and US couple have $3 million?

[VS007]

Everyone knows for desis life in US is boring, monotonous and its loud, fun, colorful full of festivities in India and time flies faster!
Hence 35 years spent in India may seem like only 10 years in US! Its all relative!

[RRS]

I always encourage woman to work as long as she could hold gainful employment. Have seen couple of close relatives who took VRS ( voluntary retirement) in their late 40s . They absolutely have regressed as far as their cognitive and critical thinking capabilities go. One believes in dark magic(she was considered rational when she was working) and other has immersed herself in updating her Facebook profile pictures everyday.she tracks every single like for her profile changes and she answers every like with a lengthy comment. They both were productive to society than their current occupation : ). Kids grow up and men/women need work to keep themselves sane : ). If they choose to do some NGO or useful work to the society, then it is different.

[techynt]

I think the question maybe how long to work and save before one can retire. Its true for many people 10 years in USA is equal to 35 years in India in terms of savings.

Everyone knows for desis life in US is boring, monotonous and its loud, fun, colorful full of festivities in India and time flies faster!
Hence 35 years spent in India may seem like only 10 years in US! Its all relative!