Lanyu

I thought that I liked hot weather aswell but like has been mentioned you really need to be up early to do anything when its cooler as it just gets unbearable.
We tried the other day to play some Frisbee golf as a family probably lasted about 30mins before it just got to much. Went cycling with daughter Monday left as early as we could to be out of midday sun as the UV is extremely high.

Tanja87

Hmmm... I suppose I didn't consider the humidity (and the mozzies...!) Guess we're more used to a drier heat when going on holiday... We hope to visit Dallas soon, joining my husband on a business trip, so we should get an idea of what summer is like there... I'll be sure to pack plenty of mosquito repellent and indoor activities for the kids

cautiousjon

In the UK, if you're a PAYE employee, you'll typically see two major deductions from your paycheck; income tax (~25 - 40%) and national insurance (~ 9% something).

In the USA, the rough equivalent of a PAYE employee is called a "W2 employee". I won't get into specifics but it relates to the fact that your employer issues you a form at the end of the tax year called a W2. It's similar to a P60. As a W2 employee, your employer will typically make deductions from your taxable pay based on various assumptions (or elections/instructions if you file a W4 form). However, it is your responsibility to settle your tax affairs at the end of the year. There are various tax breaks that you can apply for, but they are settled when you file your tax return. I would guess that most people always get a refund of some kind, but I do know of some who always have tax to pay.

As someone who lives in California, I have more income removed from my taxable pay than you would if you were living in Texas. As a W2 employee, these are the typical (tax) deductions from my pay.

Federal - 25% (this is like income tax in the UK)
Social Security - 6.20% (this is like National Insurance in the UK)
Medicare - this is a Federal deduction, like paying for the NHS in the UK
CA - State income tax - 10.23% (we have no equivalent in the UK, but it's another income tax deduction)
CA - VPDI (Voluntary Plan for Disability Insurance) - 0.70% (we have no equivalent in the UK, but it's like a California state-funded "disability" insurance program)

Total deductions: 42.13% (although state income tax is deductible from my Federal tax return so I won't pay exactly 42.13% at the end of the tax year)

As a Texas resident, you won't be liable for state income tax. I am not sure if Texas has an equivalent of VPDI, so you may or may not have to pay something equivalent to that.

I worked out that I am paying around the same amount of tax in the USA than I was when I was living in the UK. However, I am earning 30%+ more (I pretty-much hit a glass ceiling in the UK) with scope for even greater pay with promotions, and I have similar outgoings right now, so it's a total win for me.

Something that hasn't been mentioned is that the tax system in the US favors home owners in that mortgage interest is tax deductible. This is a provision that does not exist anywhere else in the world, if I recall correctly.

I am not aware of any tax in the UK that is equivalent to the (annual) US property taxes. Council tax in the UK is similar to HOA fees in the US. When you purchase a condominium, townhouse or other type of property in a planned development such as a leased land property, a gated community, or even an ordinary subdivision, you are obligated to join that community's homeowners' association (HOA) and pay monthly or annual HOA fees for the upkeep of common areas and buildings. Most of my friends in California that have a house have to pay HOA fees. Some HOA fees are incredibly steep; to the tune of $800+ per month (albeit that's in an area with $1 million+ houses), but most seem to be a few hundred per month. My older brother's HOA fees for his area in Houston are much less at just $500 per year (and the HOA has a really big surplus of cash).

Whilst it's expensive at first, it should become cheaper with more experience and age. I saved about 10% just by having 1 year of no claims. I am paying about $200 per month right now, but for kicks and giggles, I got a quote as though I had ten years more experience. The quote was about 1/3 to 1/4 of what I pay right now, so that's something.

I don't have any experience with this but I know that many of my married friends (who pay for full time childcare) end up paying a small fortune, to the tune of $30,000+ per year. That's the equivalent post-tax earnings of some (lower paid) full time jobs! It'll potentially be (much) cheaper in Texas. I don't live in a cheap area of the country (or state).

MidAtlantic

In your summary of deductions you say nothing about health insurance which for most of us is a substantial additional cost.

I would say that US property taxes are comparable with UK Council tax. HOA fees may be common for you but, at least for many, are avoidable.

cautiousjon

That is true. I am in a fortunate position where my employer covers all of my premiums, and contributes enough into my HSA to cover most of my deductible, so my financial exposure to health issues/bills is limited.

I am not sure what you specifically mean by "avoidable". If you mean that you can move to an area with no HOA fees, sure... but that's different from being able to avoid paying them if they are indeed levied. Another thing that I haven't mentioned is Mello-Roos, which can be a significant bill (much more than HOA sometimes), but that is something that is (even) more area-specific.

Pulaski

WTF? .... I had to Google that one as I had never heard of it. I assume it is CA specific.

Tanja87

Sheesh! All these expenses got my head spinning! Thank you all for your detailed responses though - Definitely a lot more stuff to research there.... Hopefully hubby's colleagues could help as and when/if the time comes as well.
What would you all say is your most/least favourite thing about living over there? I'm hearing a lot of bad things (too hot, one expense after the other - not that I'm complaining! I do want/need to know these things!) but you're all still there so it can't be all bad

cautiousjon

Ah, so it is!

Right now, my biggest irritation is the (idiotic) drivers on the roads. I put it down to the super lax driving tests that the states pretend are sufficient. Drivers here are far worse than I experienced in the UK, and are definitely not a CA-specific phenomenon.

My friend joked that when he got his Audi S50, it, like all Audis and BMWs, came with an ****hole card in the glove compartment. My experience tells me that he wasn't wrong.

Pulaski

Possibly, but unless they have also been through the corporate relo/ immigration route they might be of limited help, .... except for tips on commuting and good neighborhoods, and the company medical insurance. (You might want to start a separate thread on that closer to the time of your move, because it is a huge topic all of its own.) Favourite - not living in a shoebox on a postage stamp of land. Nice, affordable cars. Affordable restaurants for every occasion, and I'm not talking fast food, but there are many affordable restaurants providing sit-down meals.

Least favourite? .... Not much really, I have almost totally "gone native". There isn't much likelihood of me returning to live in the UK.

The weather where we live is fairly benign - very low risk of hurricanes and tornadoes (the "tornadoes" here do things like remove a few roof shingles or your guttering, not demolish half the houses on your street), and pretty much no risk of floods - even storms of 8"-10" of rain overnight didn't impact us at all. Occasionally wind or ice/snow brings down a tree or two, which can pull down the powerlines, and cable TV/internet cables.

Oh, cell phone service is relatively expensive, and the coverage is patchy - but that is to be expected when you spread (in most states) 5-10 million people over an area the size of England.

Pulaski

Yeah, the standard of driving is pretty atrocious - a bizarre mix of reckless, inattentive idiots and the extremely over-cautious who think that you need to do 5mph over level crossings, slow to 20mph below the speed limit in moderate rain, and don't know how to turn left at traffic lights - they won't pull into the junction and wait, consequently it can take several turns of the lights to make a left turn in traffic!

petitefrancaise

My absolute most favourite thing about living here in Austin is the initial friendliness of people. It may not go deep but after all those years in France , it makes life so pleasant when the first response from people is to be nice and kind and SMILEY!!

My least favourite thing has to be the poor quality of driving. Every day I see people weaving around the cars like they're in a video game and Texans do not know how to drive in the rain.

SanDiegogirl

Must disagree on the property taxes being comparable with UK council tax.

My sister, who lives in Norwich, was astounded by the amount of property tax I paid on my home in California compared to hers in Norwich - mine was 4 times what hers was comparing size to size.

Property tax is different state to state. Maybe Texas would be cheaper.

Jerseygirl

I agree...property taxes for our house in NJ were many, many times more than a similar house in Cheshire.

Pulaski

We got four times the house and fifty times the land for the same property tax as our house in London.

Owen778

Texas property taxes are more expensive, because Texas has no state income tax.