If you think earning in USD makes you wealthier by default, think again. Chartered Accountant Nitin Kaushik dismantles that illusion with a brutal reality check—your income is only as strong as what’s left after inflation, taxes, and currency depreciation.
Let’s say you have $1,000 in hand. With US inflation averaging around 5% in recent years, that money is effectively worth $950 a year later. Now convert that into INR, and another problem hits: the Indian rupee loses 4–5% of its value annually against the dollar.
That means a double blow—your dollar loses purchasing power in the US, and your rupee loses value back home.
“But salaries in India rise faster,” some argue. Kaushik doesn’t disagree—but says the trend is no longer reliable. “How many of you are getting a 10% raise every year today?” he asks. Even if you are, rising taxes—both direct and indirect—chip away at real gains.
The result? A silent squeeze on savings. India’s savings-to-GDP ratio has plunged to a 50-year low, even as more people join the workforce. More income, less retention.
This widening gap has deeper economic roots. Over the past decade, the US dollar has lost about 35% of its value due to inflation. But the rupee’s fall has been even sharper—consistently depreciating 3–5% annually. The difference in interest rates, a stronger US dollar, India’s trade and current account deficits, and foreign investment outflows have all added pressure.
Consumers are already feeling the hit. From expensive imported goods to shrinking holiday budgets abroad, the real impact is showing up in everyday choices. For Indian investors, it also means higher returns are needed just to keep pace with inflation and currency erosion.
Kaushik’s takeaway is sobering: your income isn’t about how much you make—it’s about how much you keep. In a world of hidden leaks and silent deductions, he asks the only question that matters: “Are you really growing wealth, or just running on a treadmill?”
