Startup Founder Says Rs 40 Crore Needed To Retire In India, Internet Calls It "Mind-Boggling"

People often ask how much they need in assets before planning retirement. The answer may vary from person to person, but one thing is certain: retiring comfortably in an Indian metro city may cost far more than most people expect.

In a recent interview, Sandeep Jethwani, co-founder of wealth management firm Dezerv, was also asked about retirement corpus, and he pegged the number at a staggering Rs 40 crore. But his calculation has left social media stunned.

Speaking on The Money Mindset podcast with journalist Sonia Shenoy, Jethwani said a person retiring at 60 would need Rs 40 crore if their monthly expenses are between Rs 1-2 lakh. The IIM Bangalore-educated entrepreneur also added that the Rs 40 crore amount is "ex of the house you live in, ex of the car that you drive".

Also read | Startup Founder Claims Claude AI Agent Wiped Company's Database In Just "9 seconds"

Watch the video here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sonia Shenoy (@_soniashenoy)

On being asked about the kind of expenses included in the corpus, he answered: "Everything."

"The full corpus. Whatever the amount to cover your future expenses, Rs 40 crore in India for a mid-size family will be a reasonable amount," he added.

Notably, Shenoy pointed out that 40 crore is a lot for someone who's starting fresh. She mentioned that even 1 crore is too much. Jethwani agreed and said, "It is very hard."

"The numbers feel overwhelming but the fact is If you are in the age group of 35- 40 and have expenses of 1-2 lakhs per month living in a metro in India today, you will need a corpus of 40 crores by the time you turn 60 years of age," the caption of the video read.

The figure, he explained, accounts for inflation, healthcare, longevity and maintaining lifestyle without touching principal.

"In my opinion, If you spend 1-2 lakh/month today, You need roughly 10 crore by age 60 but Sandeep Jethwani my guest on the show tells me that inflation, lifestyle creep and unexpected health costs can inflate your retirement expenses much more than you think," Shenoy wrote as a follow-up in the comment section.

Also read | Voyager CEO Says Lunar Base Plans Could Enable Moon Living By 2030

Social Media Reaction

The advice triggered debate online because median salaries in India are far lower. Many users pointed out that Rs 40 crore is unattainable for most salaried professionals even with proper guidance. The video reached over 377,000 users and more than 5,000 liked it.

"Mind-boggling numbers. But learning from your videos, they don't seem impossible," one user wrote in the comment section.

"It is a mere calculation and not practically going to be received. I never believed. sip in mutual fund," another user wrote.

"Love how Rs 40 crore is being presented as normal retirement planning... that's literally top 0.01% wealth in India," a third user claimed.