Forty-three percent of Russians deliberately understate their income and try to appear less well-off than they actually are, according to a study by financial marketplace Vyberu.ru. The survey, which polled 3,000 people aged 18 to 65, was reported by VFokuse Mail.
The most common way of concealing income is to give friends or colleagues a lower earnings figure, cited by 41% of respondents who use such tactics. Another 27% avoid answering direct questions about their salary, while 19% withhold information about bonuses, side jobs, or other sources of income. The remaining 13% prefer not to mention major purchases or savings.
Among respondents who conceal their income, 31% said they do so out of modesty, while 26% worry that friends or relatives might ask to borrow money. Another 24% said they do not want to make lower-income acquaintances feel uncomfortable, while 19% fear that differences in income could strain relationships with people close to them. The average monthly income among respondents who try to appear less well-off was 135,000 rubles.