Salary & Negotiation

The number on your offer letter is your CTC — cost to company — and it is not what reaches your bank account. Employer PF, gratuity, variable pay and insurance are counted inside CTC, and then employee PF, professional tax and income tax come out of what is left. That is why two offers with the same CTC can pay very different amounts each month.

Start with the in-hand salary guides, one for every common package from 3 LPA to 1 crore, each with a month-by-month breakdown under both tax regimes. Or put your own numbers into the free in-hand salary calculator. The rest of this section covers negotiation — what to say when asked for your expected CTC, how much of a hike to ask for when switching, and how to write a negotiation email. Deductions themselves are explained in PF, Tax & CTC.