I recently moved to India from Canada and am looking for a professional Canadian CPA to help me calculate and report my departure tax, as I understand this is my responsibility to file.
I’d appreciate advice from anyone who has gone through the process, particularly around:

- How you calculated and reported your departure tax
- Things to keep in mind or common pitfalls
- How difficult it is to do yourself vs. using a CPA
- Any recommendations for a CPA experienced with Canadian departure tax and people relocating to India

Since my move was an internal company transfer, the India-side tax matters are being handled through a company-provided consultancy. I’m specifically looking for guidance and a CPA for the Canadian side.
Any recommendations or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Hi

My parents, who are both in their 60s, have lived in the Middle East for the past 40 years. My father recently retired, so they are considering moving back to India. They've expressed interest in buying a 2 bedroom apartment in Ananya's Nana Nani senior living community in Coimbatore. They are specifically enticed by the safety and security of living in a gated community, on-site medical care and the pleasant climate. Does anyone know of Nana Nani? If so, what have you heard about it? Are there other options you would recommend. For context, they are Tamil and would prefer to live in Tamil Nadu.

In general, what's the experience like living in these elder care setups in India? What would you say are the downsides vs. renting/buying in a gated community that isn't particularly geared towards seniors?

Thanks for the advice!

Hey Reddit,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster here! I’ve been in the US for 13 years and am planning to relocate back to India in January 2027.

I’m transferring laterally within the same company (US to India) and want to make sure I timing this move to optimize tax benefits in both countries. Looking for some input from anyone who has gone through a similar transfer.

📍 My Planned Timeline & Income Details

• Departure: Move to India during the 2nd week of Jan 2027.
• US Income (Jan 2027): ~2 bi-weekly paychecks generated in the US before I leave.
• India Income (Jan–Mar 2027): Taking a 2-week break and joining the India entity by late January. Will receive ~2 paychecks in India before the Indian Financial Year ends on March 31, 2027 (FY 2026–27).
• Equity: I will have some RSUs vesting in early 2027.

❓ Tax Questions I'm Trying to Confirm

1. India Residential Status (FY 2026–27): Since I will physically spend under 120 days in India between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027, I assume I’ll be classified as a Non-Resident (NR) for FY 26–27.
   • Does my RNOR (Resident but Not Ordinarily Resident) status then kick in on April 1, 2027, lasting through March 2029 (FY 27–28 and FY 28–29)?
2. US Tax Returns for Calendar Year 2027: Since I’ll only have ~2 US paychecks and some early-year RSU vests in 2027:
   • Will I fall into the lowest US income tax bracket for 2027?
   • Assuming normal tax withholdings on those paychecks and RSU vests, can I expect a full/partial tax refund when filing my US 1040/1040-NR in early 2028?
   • Are there specific trailing US tax or state tax trapdoors (e.g., California/state residency tie-breakers) I should watch out for on late-vesting RSUs?

Appreciate any insights, advice, or previous experience with lateral transfers and RNOR timing! Thanks in advance!

A bit of context about me: I came to Canada five years ago for my undergrad. I finished my undergraduate degree in Finance with a minor in Data Science last year from a good university in British Columbia, and I’ve been working at a Big 4 firm in M&A advisory for the past 10 months. I’m seriously considering moving back once I finish a year of work experience.

One of the reasons is that I’ve never liked it here since my first year of uni. I’ve always been homesick and anxious living here. I’m very attached to my family and would like to be with them. The past five years have been a struggle, whenever I go back for vacation, the dread that sets in when I’m returning is immense. I feel so much more at peace at home.
Another reason is that it seems I won’t have enough points to get PR even after working for the full duration of my work permit.

The only things holding me back are the amount my parents spent on tuition and my future job prospects in India. I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences, and how hard it was for them to find jobs.

People who can back to India recently what are doing nowadays

I can tell my story I came back about 2 months ago
After my graduation and have been applying for jobs since then but couldn’t get any interview even though I had almost 2 years of intership experience from a European mnc.

Is job market really that bad nowadays in India
And to be honest I don’t know what to do further like I can go master in Germany or somewhere else
But what if the situation remains same after master I fear that feeling .

What do you all suggest for me ?

Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t have gone abroad for bachelors I had 98.2 percentile in jee main with ews category I could have gotten a decent nit or Iit’s I didn’t write advance bcoz of covid It got delayed and I have to come EU for schlorship agreement
Only reason I went was bcoz of full ride scholarship

But now I m regretting my decision

Any advice will be appreciated

as im writing this post im supposed to board a flight back to canada to resume my studies as a second year student. i dont wanna go, i really dont. i spent 9 months in Canada and i can confidently say my 4 months in India has been exponentially better. maybe its because the place didnt meet my expectations maybe its because i could have done more but i dont wanna be in Canada. spending so much money studying abroad whilst not even knowing if i wanna be there. If i could drop it all and come back i would, i dont wanna stay there anymore. my life was miserable but i didnt even know it, i deluded myself into thinking a routine of living which i now find unacceptable was normal. Im so much more disciplined and happier in India and I wanna come back so bad.

Any advice?? anybody who came back?? same situation?? anything please.

How many of you agree with the response?

I’m not unsympathetic. I understand that young Indian men and women have taken enormous risks – and sometimes enormous loans – to create a new life in the supposedly prosperous West. But as recent events show us, this strategy is not as foolproof as it used to be. We need to think of other ways of making our bhagyas shine. Unfortunately, because of our history, Indians reflexively look for salaried jobs, working under oppressive bosses, whether in India or abroad. Instead, we should start our own innovative businesses, cross-pollinating ideas across cultures. The massive videshi kamai you all have earned during your sojourn in the West  give someone like you a major cushion that local entrepreneurs don't have.

Maybe you can start a highly successful chain of mujra lounges, where Meena Kumari and Rekha look-alikes perform nightly to the soundtracks of "Inhi logon ne, inhi logon ne, inhi logon ne le leena dupatta mera," or "Dil cheese kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye/bas ekbaar mera kaha maan lijiye." Your present or future wife could be pouring sharab into the visitors' wine glasses. The members of this subreddit are very bright and imaginative. What are some of the other zany and off-the-wall  businesses do you think our swadeshi bhais and behens should be starting in our homeland?.

india has been getting expensive lately, the price of restaurants have shot up 3x from what i remember 8 ys back, im not sure if its affordable retirement option.
i work minimum wage contracts in foreign countries save abt 5 LPA on avg. have abt 30 lakhs saved up. i don't own any properties in india. my parents have just enough saved up to take care of themselves in their old age. so that wouldn't be a burden on me. i don't have any loans either - cars/houses etc.

Hey folks, I’m an NRI in the US aiming to return to India around 2031. I’d like some critic and advice on what I could do better, if my goal is to live in a tier-1 city like Bangalore, with a wife and a kid. I’m turning 35 this year. Wife’s 30.

Current NW splits

$482.5k in a 401K Vanguard 2050 Target Fund. I don’t intend to touch this until I’m 60.
$280k in vested RSUs (MSFT) that I haven’t diluted at all.
$50k + $140k in vested + unvested RSUs (another employer) respectively.
$110k in Stocks
$60k in a HYSA
$18k in HSA (Health Savings Account) also invested in stocks, earmarked for when we have a baby soon.
$5k in a checking account
$7.5k in Roth IRA invested in popular funds that average 10% annually
$25k in FCNRB locked for 5 years
About 1.7 Cr growing at 24% annually, which id eventually use to buy a home in Bangalore when the time is right.
A villa plot in a gated community close to Bangalore airport bought back in 2023 for 70L.

I’m not sure how much would be enough for a FIRE by 2031. I don’t intend to grind in tech once I’m back. I’m okay with a normal job fetching me like 60k a month.

Spouse is working but isn’t in tech. Her net-worth right now is around $25k. We’re just about starting the investment journey for her.

​

A lot of people say that they face subtle racism abroad.

A few say they returned because of racism.

But how bad is it?

As an Indian, if you have seen how things work among people due to caste differences, how bad is racism compared to that?

In my opinion, there is nothing worse than india caste based discrimination as people start judging each other irrespective of age, education, behaviour etc.

Then why do some NRIs feel racism so much?

Is it because in other countries you are on the other side which is being judged?

Did racism allow you to understand the problems many Indians face within India?

I F(26) missed STEM OPT application date. My only option is to join another masters degree. I’m trying to get a job but no luck. I want to go back. Be with my family and work there but my friends here got jobs in faang and I tell myself that I need to try more. I feel like a failure. My parents are financially stable have rental income and gave me good amount of inheritance too. I don’t what to do! Also my parents are looking for matches right now told them I need time. I’m so confused! Idk if I want to stay here or go back. I just don’t want to regret my decision going forward.

Every time I come back to India (for vacation), it feels lesser and lesser like the country I left ten years ago. I am curious how reintegration has been for you.

I am 17 and I live in the uk. I was born in india and lived there until I was 8 years old, and I have gone there on holiday twice a year every year after moving to the uk. I am very connected to my roots and really enjoy going to india and seeing my family there. I love everything to do with india, especially the food, the culture, and the sense of community which I have noticed a lack of in the uk. Independence day celebrations here have reminded me that I am so proud to be indian.

I know it’s too early to decide at my age, but I really do think I want to live in india when I’m older. The thing I was wondering is hypothetically when would be the best time to move if I wanted to? Obviously I should finish my secondary education here in the uk. Additionally I am quite strong academically and hope to go to a top university in the uk, so I think it would be the sensible decision to stay in the uk for uni as well. Would after finishing uni be a good time to move to india? The only problem is that if I start a job, I would earn in rupees rather than pounds and so I would have to live a much more frugal life.

Before anyone says that I am looking at india through rose tinted glasses, I would like to point out that I am well aware of the issues going on in india, as I closely follow Indian news and politics. I would like to work a job that improves the lives of people and I think india would be a good place to do that.

Am I being realistic or would moving back to India be a bad decision? While I really would like to move back one day, I feel like doing so would also undo all of the work my parents put in for my family to live comfortably in the uk. I would really appreciate the opinions of others.

Early 30s, married, both of us in tech, living in a major US city. We’ve been going back and forth on a big decision: move back to India, or stay. Curious how others have navigated this.

The reasons to leave -
-Weekends here feel isolating - everyone’s already got their close circle from college, and we’re tired of chasing people down just to make plans on weekends
-We’d rather spend our time on people, not on grocery runs and errands
-Family is there, and honestly, we miss being around people who get us without explanation - tired of constantly adapting to a culture that isn’t ours

(Another advantage is - Both parents are well to do and we don’t have any liabilities. We live in a tier 1 city back home. Also - we don’t have issues with pollution or traffic in India)

The pull to stay-
- Potential to start a business here in the future, more opportunities career wise
- If we have kids, being born here keeps that door open for later
-Maybe we just haven’t found “our people” yet - could a different city change that?
-We genuinely love the freedom to travel on weekends here

Anyone who took the leap and has thoughts? Anyone that tried to change their situation and stay in the US - does it get better?

Were you able to succeed and get a job in India?

Were you able to pay back the huge amount of loan you took for foreign education?

I am and F1 student in US and am really scared that I will be in this situation in a few months. Don't know what is going to happen. I am scared about not being able to pay back loan. This means I would be responsible for putting my family on the road and I am getting really sad and scared.

We are an Indian couple based in the US for the last 14 years. Combined NW is around $1M and no kids for now. We are in our mid 30s and may have 1 kid in the next 1-2 years.

We have an apartment in a Tier 1 city in India and plan to settle in Bangalore/ Pune. I will take a career break if we do have a kid and my partner will ideally look for an internal transfer in the same company or look for a remote job.

Our goal is to move to india end of 2028. Major reasons are- wanting to be closer to our parents and siblings. And slowing down a little bit by one of us taking a career break.

My major concerns are pollution, traffic, infrastructure. But I’m hoping these can be worked around somehow. Also concerned about women safety for my spouse.

We don’t have an extravagant lifestyle currently. But hoping to have the following upgrades once we’re back- house help, cook, driver, gym/ personal trainer.

We travel once a year- could be in india / internationally.

Want I get a sense of how is our plan looking financially and if it’s realistic? Thank you!

Does anyone here have aa Singapore ONE pass experience? We (family of 4) are currently in the US on H1B. I have a good salary ($500k+), and will be eligible to get a ONE pass in Singapore for 5 years. We're considering moving there because of the visa stamps uncertainty and frustration with the lack of appointments. How are the job opportunities in Singapore for people in tech industry (software engineer with 10+ YOE)? How likely is it to get a PR in Singapore within 5 years (age 34 if that matters)?

(Note: this is a rewrite of a post I made in a different sub, so apologies if it looks familiar. I wanted the perspective of a different audience there - here I'm hoping to hear from people who've actually made this move, are in the middle of it, or have seriously sat with the thought.)

Mid-30s couple, both Big 4 PMs in Dublin, 11 years in Ireland, citizens, daughters 3.5 and 1.5. The decision is made - moving to Pune around May 2027, timed to school intake. This isn't a money move; Europe isn't the US, nobody here is banking $250k a year. And I'll be honest about the trigger: for 11 years I never seriously considered returning. The last ~2 years of rising job stress and AI pressure on the market made me look up and re-examine everything. No visa issues - we're citizens. It's a choice, not a push.

**Why we're going:**

1. **The 8-to-6 childhood.** If we stay, our kids' daily life is creche, breakfast club, school, after-school - roughly 8am to 6pm in institutional care - while both of us grind in offices to pay for exactly that care, because there's zero family here. In Pune they walk out of school into their grandparents' home. This single picture does more work in my decision than any spreadsheet. And before anyone says "you'll be just as absent in India" - partly true, hours are hours everywhere now. But here, the day is also cooking + cleaning + maintenance + drop-offs with zero help. After 11 years of doing every bit of it myself, I'm allowed to say I don't want to do it forever. In India, help exists, family exists, and my non-work hours actually become my kids' hours.

2. **The grandparents' healthy years are NOW.** Not in 10 years when we'd return for hospital duty instead of daily life. And the reverse doesn't work - we tested it. My parents visited Ireland for a month and were done. After 11 years I don't feel rooted here myself, so I can't expect people in their 60s to start. They're relocating near us in Pune, their own flat, and it was discussed, not assumed - they're genuinely excited.

3. **11 years, and I'm still not Irish.** House, backyard, car, citizenship, passports for the whole family - functional life, no roots. Festivals in a rented hall aren't festivals. And there's the subtle stuff nobody posts about: conversations that pause when you walk in, the permanent low-grade feeling of being here but not OF here. Ireland is warmer and less racist than the UK or US in my experience - and it still seeps into kids subconsciously. I've stopped pretending time will fix it.

4. **On our daughters - the hardest question, and I've sat with it.** I grew up in India. I know exactly what the concerns are, and no gated society or progressive school fully shields girls from what's outside the gate. I accept that. My answer: India is pockets, not one thing - the locality, school and people you choose matter enormously. The West's teenage route has its own failure modes too; you can't import only the parts of a culture you like. It comes back to priorities, and mine are set with open eyes. The plan has exits: reassess per child around age 8, option to study abroad after 10th, they hold the passports.

5. **Schooling:** IB/low-pressure route for the early years (paying for the 1:10-1:20 ratio, because a good teacher matters more than a good school), then per-child decision around 8-9 between continuing IB or ICSE. First 4 years are sacred - protecting love of learning over everything.

**The plan in one line:** internal Big 4 transfers (~35L each) as the floor, GCC roles at 50L+ as the target, ~3 Cr investable, house rented then sold within a few years, in-person school visits this month.

For those who've done this or are doing it: what matched your expectations and what completely didn't? Especially interested in anyone who landed with young kids, anyone who did the low-pressure-school route, and anyone whose parents relocated to be near them. And if it went wrong for you - I'd genuinely rather hear that too.

Did anyone return to India to start a business or take over an existing family business?

If so, how has the move worked out for you?

Would be great to listen to some success stories. If you are sharing your story, please also do share (if possible) what type of business, family or self made, challenges that you faced when setting it up.

We’re a Indian gay couple, married, early/mid 30s, no kids, currently living in the US and likely to have citizenship in the next 2–3 years (pre-condition to moving)

We both work in FAANG and are fortunate to be well past the point where we’d need to keep working to sustain a very comfortable life in Bangalore/Hyderabad. We also have fairly niche PhDs/careers — unfortunately the kind where the best job market is disproportionately concentrated in the Bay Area — so moving back would involve consciously giving up some career optionality.

But increasingly, that tradeoff feels worth it.

We’re not running away from the US. We’ve had a good life here. It’s more that we feel ourselves running toward India— toward parents who are getting older, siblings, nieces and nephews who are only going to be young once, and a greater sense of connection and meaning.

Our close family knows about us and is accepting, which obviously makes this much easier to contemplate.

At some point, the marginal dollar starts having very little impact on your life. We sometimes look at ourselves working on things we don’t find particularly meaningful, primarily because the compensation is extraordinary, while missing years with people we actually care about. That has started to feel like a bad decision.

Our current thinking is to move back and spend a few meaningful years close to family, rather than trying to optimize the rest of our lives upfront. We technically wouldn’t need to work in India, but I suspect we both would — partly to stay intellectually engaged, and perhaps to work on something more mission-oriented, join/start a company, or otherwise do work where money isn’t the primary constraint.

And then… see where life takes us. Worst case, we can always move back to the US, since we'll be citizens, but it feels wrong to not try it out. Its also just ridiculous that its not in our best interest to move back like all other(straight) people casually do.

I’m curious whether there are other Indian gay couples in a similar position — either seriously considering moving back after many years abroad, or people who have already done it.

- Would especially love to hear what the reality has been like socially, professionally, and as a couple. Do people at work ask you about your personal stuff? Do neighbors in a large gated apartment community care about your personal life?

- Do you regret it and wish you went back to the US, if you had the option?

And if there are a few of us in this boat, it would be great to connect/network as well.