In a viral LinkedIn post, Anish Sengupta, a tech professional based in Bengaluru, broke down the unseen economics of salaried work, revealing how taxes and corporate profit margins quietly claim a major share of every paycheck before the employee even sees it.
Sengupta’s analysis spans global examples, comparing the financial breakdowns faced by workers in the US, Europe, the Middle East, and India. His message? Your salary might say $100,000, but you’re not the only one benefiting from it.
The government’s share
Depending on geography, tax burdens vary dramatically. In the US, a professional like Alex might lose 22-24% of his $100K salary to taxes. In Europe, Sophie could part with as much as 38-45% of her €100K income. By contrast, Omar in the Middle East pays zero taxes on his AED 80K. Indian workers, like Arjun earning ₹24 lakh per year, face a 15-20% tax burden.
“In most regions, the government gets paid before you do,” Sengupta writes, underscoring the central role of taxation in income distribution.
The employer’s return on your labour
Sengupta also outlines how much value employees generate relative to what they are paid. For example: A US factory worker like Joe might generate 3–5x his salary in value. Analysts like Emma in the UK deliver 5–8x.
Engineers in India, like Vikram, can produce 6–12x their pay in profit for their employers. Vice-presidents in the US may generate as much as 20x their compensation.
“The more specialised your skill, the higher the return for the company. For mass roles, it’s high scale but lower individual value,” Sengupta notes.
Who are you really working for?
When Sengupta breaks down the average working year, the picture becomes starker: In the US, about 90 days go to taxes, 140 to the employer, and only 130 are truly “for yourself.”
In India, just 130 days are for personal income after 75 go to taxes and 160 to employer value.
Even in tax-free Middle Eastern economies, 180 days might serve company profits.
The bigger picture
Sengupta’s core argument? Most workers are not earning for themselves for a significant portion of the year. “If half your year goes to taxes and profits for others, are you truly earning for yourself?”
He urges professionals to rethink their financial strategy: “The game changes when you learn to invest, optimize taxes, and build assets. Real wealth isn’t about how much you earn—it’s about how much you keep.”
When salaries are often perceived as synonymous with success, Sengupta’s post is a stark reminder: understanding your money is the first step to owning it.
