India’s high-income salaried class is expanding rapidly, with the percentage of salaried taxpayers earning over Rs 30 lakh a year rising from 18.49% in 2024 to 23.34% in 2025, according to a recent report. Data from ClearTax’s annual report, ‘How India Filed in 2025,’ analyzed millions of income tax returns to track how Indians are earning, investing, and accumulating wealth.
The report highlights a noticeable concentration of peak earnings among salaried taxpayers aged 40–50, where nearly 38% earn more than Rs 30 lakh annually, making this group a significant contributor to the country’s tax revenue. This trend underscores how experience and job stability lead to higher incomes during the middle years of one’s career.
Furthermore, there has been a significant shift in the sources of income for Indians, as revealed by a surge in ITR-3 and ITR-2 filings. This suggests a growing number of individuals are diversifying their income sources beyond traditional salaries to include business profits, trading gains, and investments.
The report also indicates a changing financial landscape, with investing becoming a mainstream practice rather than a niche activity. A large proportion of taxpayers filing ITR-3 reported capital gains, indicating a rising interest in equity markets and trading as integral parts of financial planning for many Indians.
Younger Indians are embracing an investor mindset early in their careers, with a notable increase in tax filings among individuals under 25, many of whom are already reporting capital gains. Millennials aged 25 to 35 are at the forefront of this shift, with a significant portion engaging in complex tax filings due to active investing, trading, and multiple income streams.
Moreover, the report highlights that while crypto assets are gaining attention, they are still considered a high-risk addition rather than a mainstream investment choice.
