A large number of India’s high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) are falling short of disciplined savings and financial planning, even as they aim for early retirement, entrepreneurship, and funding their children’s futures, according to the India Wealth Survey 2025 by Marcellus Investment Managers and Dun & Bradstreet.

The survey, which covered over 465 affluent households across 28 cities, found that 43% of HNIs save less than 20% of their post-tax income. This is despite most respondents harbouring long-term aspirations such as early retirement, home ownership, and wealth transfer. The lack of structured planning, emergency buffers, and diversification is hampering their ability to achieve these goals.

Focus on real estate

While 82% of HNIs believe professional financial planning is crucial to achieving their objectives, a significant share continue to rely heavily on real estate and under-allocate to equity markets. More than half of the surveyed individuals invest over 20% of their wealth in real estate, while just 17% allocate over 30% to equities. About 14% do not maintain an emergency fund, indicating vulnerability to unforeseen financial shocks.

The survey highlights a shift in mindset among India’s wealthy, with more individuals seeking professional guidance. About 51% want help with diversification, 38% seek customised asset allocation, and 32% are looking for structured goal planning. However, execution gaps persist—only 44% of ₹10 crore+ households report being “very comfortable” with equities, and many continue to favour physical assets like gold and real estate.

Notably, 76% of ultra-HNIs are aware of the investment corpus needed for a comfortable retirement, yet diversification remains inadequate.

Marcellus Co-Founders Saurabh Mukherjea, Pramod Gubbi, and Manish Hemnani emphasised the growing demand for tailored, trust-based financial planning. They noted that India’s wealthy are evolving from transactional investing to purpose-driven wealth management, underlining the need for disciplined saving, transparency, and personalised strategies.

As India’s economy expands and its affluent population grows, the report underlines the urgency for expert-led wealth advisory services. The rise of informed and aspirational HNIs marks a turning point for the wealth management industry—where relationships, not just returns, will define success.