A Microsoft employee, who claims that he has accumulated a net worth of Rs 20 crore, is contemplating whether to accept the tech giant's voluntary exit offer or continue working at the firm to build his wealth further. He says in the post that his mind tells him to keep going since the market is bad but his heart tells him to take a short break and try something new as he has been working non-stop for over two decades.
The employee, who shared his dilemma on Reddit's r/FatFIREIndia forum, stated that he is the sole breadwinner for his family of four including his parents, wife and a school going kid. He shared in the post that the responsibility of supporting his family combined with the uncertainty in the technology sector has made his decision all the more difficult.
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The employee disclosed in the original post that his VEO payout would approximately be around Rs 50 lakh, which would not make a significant difference in his financial position, considering his existing net worth. He stated that he could potentially save around Rs 1 crore per year if he continued working at Microsoft.
He stated that while he did not believe that he faced an immediate threat of being laid off, the uncertainty surrounding the technology industry's future had put him in this dilemma. "I am critical to the project and don't see any risk of being laid off soon. The VEO package is ok and I have a NW of 20+ crore excluding my home which is paid up. My expenses are modest ~2 lacs/month," the employee said in the original post.
The employee also shared a personal exchange with his son, whom he had consulted about the decision. According to the post, his son told him, "Papa just do what makes you happy." The employee said that his wife was also supportive of whatever decision he made.
He explained that his family responsibilities had been a major reason for continuing to work over the years. However, he was now considering whether spending more time with his family and exploring new interests would be more meaningful than accumulating additional wealth.
The post attracted a range of responses and reactions from users discussing financial independence, retirement and the technology job market.
Several commenters suggested that the employee's reported wealth, paid-up home and relatively modest annual expenses put him in a strong position to consider stepping away from full-time employment. Others cautioned that retirement could bring its own challenges, including the loss of professional purpose and the need to plan for long-term expenses.
Some users suggested that he explore less demanding roles or advisory work instead of continuing in a high pressure corporate environment.
A commenter, who said that they had spend 25 years at Microsoft, also shared their experience of receiving voluntary exit offers, noting that even employees who believed that they were important to their teams, could eventually be affected by restructuring. Another user cautioned him, stating that, "Remember veo money is taxable. So it may look good on paper. In hand it will be far less."
Microsoft's Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO)
The discussion comes after Microsoft announced a voluntary exit programme on October 26, 2026. The programme, announced by Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer Amy Coleman, covers eligible employees at Level 70 and below in participating organisations across India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Microsoft said the offer was voluntary and time-limited, with eligibility depending on business priorities, customer commitments and workforce requirements.
Reuters reported that approximately 60,000 employees globally could be eligible for the programme, representing more than a quarter of Microsoft's workforce.The company has not said that employees who decline the offer will automatically face layoffs.
For the Microsoft employee discussing his situation on Reddit, the decision appears to go beyond the financial value of the exit package. After more than two decades of work, he is weighing the security of a regular salary against the possibility of spending more time with his family and pursuing a different life beyond corporate employment.
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