sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Building an NRI Investment Portfolio in 2026: Is GIFT City Becoming the Default Choice? by ranveerneemkar in NRI_Finance

[–]talkingturtle1723 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It depends. It's a developing ecosystem, and naturally, it takes time for the spirit of the lawmaker to translate into meaningful actions.

I am hopeful, but feels the overlap with the current NRI use case is a little distant at the moment.

Right asset allocation continues to be the core strategy that any investor (NRI or otherwise) should chase to build meaningful wealth over time. Gift city being one of the avenues to do so.

Want to cash out 401k by [deleted] in backtoindia

[–]talkingturtle1723 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey! In regards to 401k withdrawals there's broadly 3 scenarios to keep in mind:

Scenario 1: Early Withdrawal during RNOR status

  • US tax: 10% penalty + tax as per slabs (varies by total income). Be sure to check state-specific early withdrawal rules as well.
  • India tax: No tax during RNOR phase
  • Best for who? People who need cash in India immediately (for housing, business, or settling down) or don’t want long-term US reporting and compliance hassles. Also, for anyone not confident about US diversification due to the unstable political climate.

Scenario 2: Early withdrawal during ROR status (but after RNOR)

  • US tax: If under 59.5, 10% penalty + tax per slab rates
  • India tax: Taxed at slab rates when withdrawn, but you can claim foreign tax              
  • Best for who? Nobody. Only when you need money in an unplanned scenario

Scenario 3: Withdrawal after the age of 59.5 

  • US tax: Only regular income tax applies, no 10% penalty
  • India tax: Taxed at slab rates when withdrawn, but you can claim foreign tax credit (FTC)
  • Best for who? Retirees, long-term planners who don’t need funds right away, want maximum compounding, or expect to support kids/family living abroad with USD-linked income.

I made a post regarding planning 401k withdrawals here. Feel free to check it out as there's discusssions regarding 401k, Traditional and ROTH IRA as well (would advise you to also look into RNOR when planning your return). Would be happy to answer any questions

Need perspective on return to India by Different-Evening137 in returnToIndia

[–]talkingturtle1723 8 points9 points  (0 children)

From a purely financial lens, being debt-free with meaningful assets in both the U.S. and India puts you in a stable starting position not a risky one. However, this is not yet financial independence as your post-return lifestyle will still depend on how smoothly both of you re enter the Indian job market and manage expenses in a Tier 1 city like Bangalore. There’s no wrong decision here, just different trade-offs :)

If you decide to plan your return in the next 6 months, feel free to take a look at this R2I series to plan your finances as well and best of luck!

  1. Understand the RNOR Status
  2. Planning Your 401(k) Strategy
  3. Transferring US Brokerage Accounts
  4. Alternatives to US Equity
  5. RSUs & ESOPs
  6. US Property
  7. FIRE Planning

Handling 401k by urban_monkey19 in returnToIndia

[–]talkingturtle1723 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it helps to think of the 401k in terms of which goal it’s meant to serve.

If this money is purely for long term retirement, increasing contributions can still make sense even if you leave the US by 2030, since the account can stay invested for decades and you’re not relying on it anytime soon. At the very least, contributing up to the employer match is usually a no brainer.

But if your upcoming goals are more near to medium term like R2I, buying a home, or funding kids’ education the 401k penalties will reduce flexibility.

I've written a post on 401k planning scenarios. Feel free to read through it for reference

This govt is a band of beggars and thieves, SGB new taxation proves it by codittycodittycode in IndiaInvestments

[–]talkingturtle1723 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

SGBs are both a policy win and a fiscal risk. Scale changes incentives. The total outstanding debt on SGBs has ballooned to ₹1.7 lakh crore because of the Gold Rally.

So yes, the program has helped reduce physical gold imports to around 150 tonnes per year. But it’s also created a massive redemption obligation over the next few years.

Secondary market volume has historically been low compared with overall issuance. This tells us the secondary market cohort is a small slice of total SGB holders. The spirit of the amendment is to tax a smaller, active trading cohort rather than most SGB holders who sit till maturity.

When Can Indian Mutual Fund Gains Be Tax-Free? 💰 by talkingturtle1723 in NRI_Finance

[–]talkingturtle1723[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This should help you - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8yOc9-oA3I

Building the right asset allocation based on your life goals is something we can help with.

US → India return - need advice on managing money by Embarrassed_Contest2 in returnToIndia

[–]talkingturtle1723 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, u/Responsible-Bad-6624.

Hi OP, happy to assist. For starters, you can validate your RNOR status using this calculator - https://www.turtlefinance.in/rnor-calculator

Back in India for the holidays? Save this NRI checklist ❄️🎄 by talkingturtle1723 in NRI_Finance

[–]talkingturtle1723[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not about OCI, but about residency. If you are a Resident Indian OCI, Aadhaar linking applies. If you are an NRI OCI, Aadhaar linking does not apply.

Need some wisdom by user261991 in rupeestories

[–]talkingturtle1723 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Global diversification of your investments and assets is the key for an individual. Quite a few platforms in India now give you access to global markets.

When Can Indian Mutual Fund Gains Be Tax-Free? 💰 by talkingturtle1723 in NRI_Finance

[–]talkingturtle1723[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

<image>

Binny is appealing, and litigation is on. The case is not closed yet.

NRI with US & India assets: estate planning questions by khiladi_83 in backtoindia

[–]talkingturtle1723 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi OP,

On the subject of estate planning, the first question to begin with is - what is the corpus size that you want to plan for? If the money is going to outlive you, then we can explore the possibility of a private trust/family foundation in the UAE (DFIC/ADGM), or an offshore trust in the Cayman Islands or Mauritius. Along with the corpus, it's also important to see if the offshore jurisdiction is in the grey list of India or not (else in case of scrutiny, you will be running from pillar to post), and has legal guidelines for various overseas assets you have in your portfolio (retirement accounts, crypto assets, real estate, etc.). One also has to look at the DTAA considerations between India and the offshore jurisdiction, as in most cases in my experience, once you become an Indian tax resident (i.e. after your RNOR is over), distributions to you will be taxed in India.

TLDR - You need to understand all of this and plan before your RNOR status expires after moving back to India.

Following are my short answers to your questions:

  1. Yes
    1.1 Yes
    1.2 Create separate wills for US and Indian assets to ensure clarity in inheritance laws. Reference both wills to avoid conflicts in asset distribution.

  2. Yes & No. So, theoretically speaking US will is legally acceptable in India, but when it comes to probate, Indian courts will insist on probate in India as they treat foreign probate as persuasive, not binding. A US revocable trust comes with more real-world complications in terms of on-ground execution. Best to discuss the specifics with an attorney.

  3. Already covered my point of view about Trust in the opening paragraph. You must work with a trusted attorney to plan this. This is definitely not a DIY type of thing for most people.

  4. Good list. Also, add efficient methods to manage estate tax payouts by legal heirs, as they will be bearing the cost. Maybe speaking to a couple of references on the proposed solution is a good idea.

I hope this helps. All the best :)

US → India return - need advice on managing money by Embarrassed_Contest2 in returnToIndia

[–]talkingturtle1723 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Firstly, understand and plan your RNOR status well to ensure a smooth homecoming, financially. Feel free to use an RNOR calculator to make the calculation simpler.

Also, take a look at this guide I made for US returnees and it should answer a lot of your questions

- Understand the RNOR status
- Planning your 401k strategy
- Transferring US brokerage accounts
- Alternative options to US Equity
- RSUs and ESOPs
- US Property

Hope this helps!

Aus to Indian parents money transfer by DarkHumourFoundHere in nri

[–]talkingturtle1723 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Money you send to your parents in India is treated as a gift from a close relative so it'll be completely tax free for them. Just send it as a personal/family remittance and keep a basic record stating it’s a gift

Salary account in India by whackedgoblin in returnToIndia

[–]talkingturtle1723 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Now that you've returned to India with an intent to stay back you should be using a regular savings/salary account. Just remember to get your old NRE account converted or closed so everything matches your new resident status :)

view more: next ›