'Once you cross 40...': US-return NRI explains why he left America, built Rs 12 crore wealth and a steady passive income in Pune

An NRI who moved back to India after nearly a decade in the US has shared how he built assets worth over Rs 12 crore and created a steady passive income of around Rs 1.5 lakh per month. As per the Reddit post, the user shared that he doesn't miss the US and is enjoying his return to India. "I liked my 7 years there — clean air, water, and systems were nice — but I’ve never felt unhealthy in India either, so I don’t see much difference in all that rhetoric? he said

From student loan to entrepreneurship in the US

The individual, now in his 40s, moved to the US in 2007 for a master’s degree, taking a loan of Rs 5 lakh at the time. He said that his family was burdened with a debt of about Rs 40 lakh. Instead of pursuing a conventional job after graduation, he set up a small software company while still studying, taking on projects from clients across different countries.

The business did well over the next 13 years, enabling him to pay off family loans early and purchase a home in the US. Alongside his business growth, he started building wealth through real estate investments.

Moving back to India

In 2016, after his father’s passing, he decided to return to India. Although his work was entirely remote and could have allowed him to live in a smaller city, he chose Pune, prioritising his children’s education and better opportunities.

Over the years, he diversified his wealth across real estate, stocks, gold, and cash reserves. His portfolio today includes:

• Agricultural land worth Rs 2 crore (ancestral, non-income generating).
• Residential flats worth Rs 2 crore, generating Rs 34,000 monthly rent.
• Two offices valued at Rs 3 crore, generating Rs 1 lakh monthly rent.
• A self-occupied flat worth Rs 2 crore.
• Stocks worth Rs 2 crore, with annual dividends of about Rs 2 lakh.
• Gold worth Rs 1 crore (ancestral and purchased).
• Around Rs 50 lakh in cash reserves.

In addition to these assets, his software business continues to earn about Rs 80 lakh annually, which remains his main source of active income.

Investment strategy and financial independence

He has shifted focus towards investments, allocating more savings into small-cap mutual funds, acknowledging the higher risk but also the growth potential. To balance his portfolio, he has begun adding international mutual funds as a hedge against any slowdown in Indian markets.

According to him, financial freedom comes from building a strong foundation that generates income without daily work. His passive income from real estate rentals and dividends alone adds up to around Rs 1.5 lakh per month.

"My conclusion is simple: live where you can save the most and build financial independence. Once you cross 40, you should be working only if you want to — not because you have to. That freedom is worth more than anything else," he said.

Choosing India over the US

Reflecting on his decision to leave the US, he said he does not regret moving back. While he appreciated the clean systems and infrastructure abroad, he values living close to family in India, the ability to care for his mother, and the convenience of domestic help — something harder to afford in the US.

“Live where you can save the most and build financial independence,” he concluded, adding that after 40, one should work only out of choice, not compulsion.