‘Passive income is making Gen Z unemployable’: Financial advisor warns wealthy Indian parents about the comfort trap and raising entitled children

What happens when financial security arrives before a young person has had the chance to experience financial struggle? Financial advisor Prem Soni believes excessive comfort can sometimes create an unexpected problem for wealthy families. In a social media post, he argued that passive income and parental support may be discouraging some Gen Z adults from taking jobs, learning survival skills or building independent careers. His blunt observations about money, ambition and entitlement have sparked a broader conversation about privilege and work.

Financial advisor Prem Soni took to social media to argue that some high-net-worth Indian parents may be unintentionally weakening their children's drive by providing them with passive income.

Passive income can create 'comfort trap'

According to Soni, these parents believe they are securing their family's future. However, he argued that excessive financial comfort can leave some young adults with little incentive to develop their own careers or financial independence. He described the situation as a wealth dilemma affecting some 25-year-old Gen Z adults in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities.

The three traps facing wealthy Gen Z adults

Soni identified three specific traps that he believes can prevent young people from entering the workforce.

The ego trap

According to Soni, some young adults avoid blue-collar work or entry-level sales roles because they feel such jobs could damage their family's reputation. Coming from a wealthy family, they may feel that certain forms of work are beneath their social standing. The result, he argued, is that they can remain unemployed rather than accept a job that does not match their family's perceived status.

The lifestyle trap

The second issue, according to Soni, is lifestyle inflation. He argued that some young adults reject entry-level corporate jobs paying around Rs 30,000 a month because the salary may not cover their existing spending on cafes, fuel and weekend trips. When expenses are already being supported by family wealth, starting at the bottom of a career ladder can appear financially unattractive.

The entitlement trap

Soni also questioned why some young people from business families refuse to take over the traditional businesses that helped create their wealth. He argued that these businesses can be dismissed as boring or insufficiently glamorous, leaving young adults unwilling to continue the family enterprise.

‘They wake up at 11 AM’: Soni's blunt observation

Soni painted a particularly provocative picture of what he believes this lifestyle can look like. He claimed some financially supported young adults may wake up late, live off rental income generated by their parents and occasionally spend a few hours in the family office without taking meaningful responsibility.

He described this as effectively playing “Director-director” in an air-conditioned office before leaving. His criticism, however, is directed not only at the children but also at their parents.

Why Soni blames parents too

According to Soni, parents can contribute to the problem by making their children's lives too comfortable. He argued that while a father may continue working long hours into his 50s, a financially dependent 25-year-old may have little urgency to develop the same work ethic.

Soni described this as a situation where parents' desire to provide comfort can inadvertently reduce their children's active ambition. He went as far as saying that if a parent is funding a child's comfort zone, the child risks becoming a “massive liability” dependent on a monthly allowance.

Should wealthy children be encouraged to move out?

Soni also raised the issue of independence. He argued that some Indian parents discourage their children from moving to another city because they already have enough family income at home. His point is that leaving home and navigating unfamiliar surroundings can force young adults to develop practical survival skills.

He contrasted this with the United States, where he claimed children are more often pushed to become independent. His broader argument is that financial security can be valuable, but giving young adults complete financial cushioning before they develop their own skills may remove some of the motivation that comes from having to build a life independently.