An overwhelming 43 per cent of the HNIs in the study were saving less than a fifth of their post-tax income
High Net worth Individuals (HNIs) in India are finding it difficult to make the right choices when it comes to investing and according to a recent survey, prefer to park their money in tried and tested asset classes such as real estate, followed by gold and silver.
Marcellus Investment Managers collaborated with Dun & Bradstreet to undertake a wealth survey, which showed that a significant proportion of Indian HNIs are not saving enough, even though they aspire to retire early, start their own business and fund their children’s future.
Though they are more financial aware, globally exposed and digitally empowered, “many continue to struggle with disciplined wealth creation,” said the report.
“They are seeking expert guidance, not just to manage their wealth, but to bring structure, discipline and purpose to their long-term financial aspirations. This signals a shift from transactional choices to intentional, goal-driven financial decisions,” said Saurabh Mukherjea, Co-Founder, Marcellus Investment Managers.
The survey covered 465 households across 28 cities, the people surveyed being above 30 years and with post-tax annual income of over ₹20 lakh.
Saving less
The survey showed that an overwhelming 43 per cent of the HNIs in the study were saving less than a fifth of their post-tax income. A small but significant 14 per cent did not maintain an emergency fund.
Half of those aged between 30 and 45 years saved 20 per cent or less of their post-tax income, according to the survey.
Some of the challenges the HNIs faced were low investment returns, lack of discipline in savings, poor understanding of investment options and a high burden of debt.
Real estate attraction
More than half of those surveyed had allocated over 20 per cent of their wealth to real estate.
The investment in real estate persisted, despite 44 per cent of the households saying they were “very comfortable” with equity investing.
The break-up showed that 65 per cent of the HNIs exclusively allocated 10-20 per cent of wealth to gold and silver, while 48 per cent allocated more than 30 per cent of their wealth to real estate.
Only one-third had more than 20 per cent allocated to equities, while more than half sought more guidance on diversification.
Published on June 4, 2025
