{"id":28591,"date":"2026-09-25T10:26:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T10:26:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=28591"},"modified":"2026-09-25T10:26:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T10:26:31","slug":"i-got-an-%e2%82%b985-lakh-annual-package-but-this-is-how-much-ill-actually-get-every-month-corporate-manager-breaks-down-his-shocking-in-hand-salary-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=28591","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI got an \u20b985-lakh annual package, but this is how much I\u2019ll actually get every month\u201d: Corporate manager breaks down his shocking in-hand salary reality"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134480576,imgsize-118986,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/untitled-design.jpg\" alt=\"\u201cI got an \u20b985-lakh annual package, but this is how much I\u2019ll actually get every month\u201d: Corporate manager breaks down his shocking in-hand salary reality\" title=\"Sidharth Maheshwari (@mr_nerdexy\/Instagram)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Sidharth Maheshwari (@mr_nerdexy\/Instagram)\">Sidharth Maheshwari (@mr_nerdexy\/Instagram)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>An \u20b985-lakh annual package sounds like the dream number a person worked and studied hard for. Let\u2019s agree that it\u2019s the kind of number that can make a job offer difficult to refuse. For a professional with more than a decade of experience, an IIT Roorkee degree, an ISB MBA and a senior corporate role, it might seem like the natural payoff.<!-- --> But what if the \u20b985 lakh mentioned on the offer letter does not mean \u20b985 lakh in your bank account?<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/>That is the exact question Sidharth Maheshwari, an AVP with 12-plus years of experience, IIT Roorkee and ISB credentials, has put before professionals through a detailed Instagram post. In his post, Maheshwari has shared the actual CTC-reality that has left people shocked. The 36-year old man describes himself as AVP at a private firm.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/>His post starts with a number many job seekers would immediately notice: \u20b985,00,000.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>But when he breaks it down, you\u2019ll be shocked:<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"11\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">According to the offer structure he shared, the \u20b985 lakh CTC consisted<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"cdatainfo modify_cdata_list_style id-r-component \" data-pos=\"14\">\n<ul>\n<li>\u20b952 lakh in fixed compensation<\/li>\n<li>\u20b913 lakh in variable pay<\/li>\n<li>\u20b915 lakh in ESOPs<\/li>\n<li>\u20b95 lakh joining bonus<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">The fixed component itself included:<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"cdatainfo modify_cdata_list_style id-r-component \" data-pos=\"17\">\n<ul>\n<li>\u20b920 lakh basic salary<\/li>\n<li>\u20b910 lakh HRA<\/li>\n<li>\u20b918.64 lakh special allowance<\/li>\n<li>\u20b92.4 lakh employer PF<\/li>\n<li>\u20b90.96 lakh gratuity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>On paper, all the abovementioned figures add up to an impressive \u20b985 lakh. But Maheshwari&#8217;s point is that CTC and take-home salary are two different things.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">The \u20b985 lakh that is not \u20b985 lakh, how?<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>The first major difference he points out is between money included in the company&#8217;s cost to employ someone and money that actually becomes part of the employee&#8217;s regular cash compensation.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>As per his calculation, \u20b92.4 lakh of employer PF and \u20b90.96 lakh of gratuity (\u20b93.36 lakh) are part of the stated CTC but are not money that actually he receives in his monthly bank account.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>Now this brings down his regular payroll figure to \u20b948.64 lakh.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Why such distinction?<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>Employees need to understand the reason behind this distinction.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/>Employer PF is a retirement benefit rather than monthly spendable income. EPFO&#8217;s official contribution framework also provides for employer and employee contributions to provident fund (subject to the applicable rules).<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Income tax, the main deduction<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>He further calculates \u20b92.4 lakh towards employee PF and around \u20b910.57 lakh in income tax under the new tax regime. It leaves approximately \u20b935.6 lakh as annual net salary which means only around \u20b92.97 lakh per month! Shocking, right?<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/>The number people noticed intentionally was 85 but after all the deductions, the value is now just 2.97. A huge drop. That\u2019s not even \u20b95 lakh a month.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Then there is variable pay<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>The \u20b913 lakh variable component is another important part.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>This is something which is not a part of a fixed salary as variable compensation can depend on company or individual performance (depends). Maheshwari illustrates this by assuming an 80% payout, which would mean \u20b910.4 lakh before tax rather than the full \u20b913 lakh.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/>He also points out that variable pay may arrive annually rather than being distributed equally across 12 months. For someone planning monthly expenses, EMIs, rent or investments, it matters.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"52\"\/>A salary of \u20b92.97 lakh every month is fundamentally different from receiving a potentially larger amount once a year, depending on performance.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"54\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\u20b915 lakh ESOPs but not \u20b915 lakh in cash<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"56\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Untitled design\" msid=\"134480754\" imgsize=\"118986\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"Sidharth Maheshwari (Instagram)\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-118986,msid-134480754\/untitled-design.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Sidharth Maheshwari (Instagram)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"58\"\/>Now comes the part of the package that can sound attractive on an offer letter: \u20b915 lakh in ESOPs.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"60\"\/>Maheshwari says the ESOP component in his example vests over four years, with a one-year cliff. That means the stated value should not automatically be treated as \u20b915 lakh of current income.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"63\"\/>An employee may have to remain with the company for the shares or options to vest according to the plan&#8217;s terms, and the eventual value can depend on the company&#8217;s valuation, liquidity and the terms governing the ESOPs.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"65\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">The joining bonus also has a catch<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"68\"\/>The \u20b95 lakh joining bonus is subject to tax cut. It reduces the amount actually received. He also notes a clawback condition in his example: leaving before 12 months could require the employee to return the bonus.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"71\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Why people can connect with his post<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"73\"\/>The larger element of Maheshwari&#8217;s post is not really about whether \u20b985 lakh is a good or bad package. It is about how people psychologically process salary numbers.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"75\"\/>For a 25 or 28 year old, this can feel transformative. But as responsibilities grow, the question may change from &#8220;What is the CTC?&#8221; to &#8220;How much of it is guaranteed, and how much will I actually receive?&#8221;<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"77\"\/>He writes that if he were 28, he might have accepted an \u20b985-lakh number immediately. At 36, however, he says his first question would be different: <span class=\"em\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">&#8220;Fixed kitna hai?&#8221;<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"80\"\/>Because sometimes, the most important number in a \u20b985-lakh offer letter is not \u20b985 lakh at all. It is the amount that lands in your account every month.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/life-style\/people\/i-got-an-85-lakh-annual-package-but-this-is-how-much-ill-actually-get-every-month-corporate-manager-breaks-down-his-shocking-in-hand-salary-reality\/articleshow\/134480433.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sidharth Maheshwari (@mr_nerdexy\/Instagram) An \u20b985-lakh annual package sounds like the dream number a person worked and studied hard for. Let\u2019s agree that it\u2019s the kind of number that can make a job offer difficult to refuse. For a professional with more than a decade of experience, an IIT Roorkee degree, an ISB MBA and a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28592,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Sidharth Maheshwari (@mr_nerdexy\/Instagram) An \u20b985-lakh annual package sounds like the dream number a person worked and studied hard for. Let\u2019s agree that it\u2019s the kind of number that can make a job offer difficult to refuse. For a professional with more than a decade of experience, an IIT Roorkee degree, an ISB MBA and a [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":2,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":4,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg",300,169,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/untitled-design.jpg",150,84,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28591\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}