'Our maid is richer than us now': Redditor on how blue-collar families earning lakhs without paying any tax

Time of India

9 hours ago

A viral Reddit post sparked debate about income disparity in India, revealing a domestic worker's family earning a substantial tax-free income, potentially exceeding that of some middle-class households. This situation raises questions about the true definition of middle class and the fairness of the current taxation system, highlighting the economic realities faced by many.
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A Reddit post has gone viral after a user claimed that their domestic help is earning more than their own household—without paying any income tax . The post highlights how many blue-collar families in India are making lakhs a month while still availing government subsidies and remaining outside the formal tax net.The Redditor, who lives in a tier-3 city, shared details about their longtime maid, who has become a close friend of their mother over the years. Despite having no formal education, the maid is described as sharp and street-smart, handling finances with ease and relying on the Redditor's mother only for major calculations.The user recounted a recent conversation where the maid mentioned her youngest son—a self-proclaimed dropout who convinced her to buy a Rs 50–60K OnePlus phone under the pretense of 'online studies.' In reality, he uses it for gaming and social media.During the same conversation, the maid casually revealed that her husband had inherited a large piece of land, which the family plans to rent out. This led to a breakdown of their current and projected household income:She works in three homes and earns Rs 30,000/month (9 am–5 pm schedule)Her husband, a daily wage laborer, makes Rs 35,000/month on averageHer eldest son works at a saree shop earning Rs 30,000/monthHer daughter, currently learning tailoring, earns Rs 3,000/month, soon to make Rs 15–20K/monthHer youngest son is learning plumbing and is expected to earn Rs 15–25K/month soonTheir current income is Rs 98,000/month, expected to increase to Rs 1.25–1.35 lakh in a few months—all completely tax-free.They live in a modest rented home (Rs 6,000/month) and receive most of their food rations for free under government schemes. They also own a rural home (under a PM Yojana) that they rent out and plan to earn an additional Rs 30–40K every quarter by leasing inherited land for farming.The Redditor acknowledged the maid's hard work and said they were genuinely happy for her. But the post ended with a pointed reflection:'It does make you wonder... who really belongs to the middle class now? If you purely go by income, many blue-collar families are earning Rs 1–1.5 lakh a month—tax-free. How many of us can say the same?'The post sparked a heated discussion. One user agreed, writing: 'The roadside panipuri seller easily earns as much as I do. But I'm in an AC office while he toils in the sun. I pay my taxes and daydream about owning a panipuri stall.'Others disagreed. One noted the unpredictability of such work: 'There's no job security. A chaiwala could be banned from selling at stations any day.'Another user pointed out a flawed comparison: 'You're adding up the income of five people and comparing it to one salaried person's pay. That's not apples to apples.'The post reflects a growing sentiment among India's salaried middle class—questioning income disparity, taxation fairness, and the definition of economic class in today's India.