Marmalade

Thanks. This is very helpful. Didn't know the American Embassy/Consulate part, so that is an added bonus. Thank you.
M.

jasper123

aes1
When you get you social security deposited to you bank account in UK by direct deposit, ------- #1 dollars are being converted to pounds when it hits your british bank and I am sure my bank would charge a conversion fee, should not be too much,
#2 the rate of exchange right now for dollars to pounds is the best ive ever seen it in over 30 years, lets just say $1.50 gets you a pound, so for every $150 you get 100 pounds, i think thats pretty close could be $1.60 to pound, but I remember about 25 years ago for instance the rate of exchange was $2.60 to the pound,
So you see converting dollars to pounds is great for us now at this time, ----- but for the Brits coming over here for holidays the rate sucks for them cause they loose so much converting pounds to dollars,
Rodney.

jasper123

Oh I forgot what you asked about taxes from your social security, whatever you make from your job in UK IF YOU ARE STILL WORKING YOU HAVE TO REPORT ALL INCOME BUT you are able to make around $14,600 before any of your social security is reduced, and anything over that amount $1 for every $2 earned is deducted from your social security,
And you only are taxed on your SS if you make a over a combined $25,000 i think SS AND wages,
Rodney.

jasper123

aes1 no did not buy a lap top yet, waiting till I get closer to my date of departure,

Mrs Sully

After 34 years we are thinking of do exactly the same thing. Keeping our house here and renting in the UK for a while. Both our children and their families live close by but we hardly see them because they have their careers and the two little girls have already started school. Remember if we don't try this we won't know. Does anyone know if we can backpay the NHS contributions for that length of time? I'm also going to renew our British passports. There is so much to think about it seems overwhelming, the annual holiday just seems so easy. At least we have the exchange rate in our favour, please let it stay that way until next year ILT we are going through the same emotional rollercoaster and it isn't at all easy for any of us Could be worse we could live in Darwin and not have a choice at all

Beedubya

Well I got my ticket sorted out finally on Friday night.

I had to be back in Australia by April 3rd to meet the terms of my ticket (1 year return) or I would lose it, and seeing as it cost me AUD$2800.00 return, it's not an amount I can afford to throw away.

However no seats on the day I wanted, so am having to return on March 30th arrive into Sydney on April 1st (an apt day for a fool? )

The good news that it is on a British Airways flight not Qantas so I can have my last bit of Britishness even when I am on Aussie ground, well on the runway at least.

My grand-kids are SOOO excited about me going back that I know I could never leave again for good. It was bad enough at the airport last year, imagine how bad it would be if I was to have gone through with my original plan?

Who knows one day I might meet and marry a nice kind millionaire who will whisk me off in his private plane to his penthouse in the UK and return to his pad in Sydney - I live in hope

Until then it's Australia bound for me............anybody want to buy some furniture???

Mrs Sully

Have a safe flight and enjoy the BA inflight service All our very best wishes for reuniting with your family here in Aust. There is always a positive side. Someone once said to me that we are lucky to have known two countries and to be able to travel to both. I suppose that is true. Anyway B when those grandchildren give you a big cuddle nothing else will matter and remember you can have a little holiday sometime again - just look at Quoll kicking her heels up You never know who will be sitting on the plane next to you...maybe that nice kind... well you know

dunroving

Do you mean NI payments? You don't have to backpay anything to be eligible for NHS treatment.

Beedubya

Yes we are lucky I suppose, at least in my mother's time anybody who emigrated didn't come back for trips like we are able to. She was telling me yesterday about some Brit TV show she had seen about war brides (her generation) and how many of them married US servicemen and got stuck in the US and were terribly homesick but in those days of little divorce and less opportunity, they just had to put up with it.

So thanks Mrs Sully, you are right, we are VERY lucky

Will look out for you know who on my flight back

magistrate

Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you know after bemoaning the fact that my house in the US which I have reduced 5 times since last May has at last an offer ,not a great deal but with our financial circumstances here in the UK sorely needed funds to make life a little better.Please send lots of positive thoughts that everything goes ok.
Walked down town yesterday and the sun was warm and daffodils flowering at last .The farmers market had lovely cheeses .proper big pork sausages and juicy bacon rashes and very reasonable prices .
I have no regrets about being back in the UK ,my health is better ,my test result and xrays came back good,phew!! so although hubby and I have downsized our lives big style we both feel glad for everything and never take anything for granted.

dgjamison

Hi I love Devon, do you rent there? are the rents very expensive?When we get home we might take a trip to the sw of england and have a look
cheers Denise

Relocateme

Fabulous news on your offer for the US house Magistrate...and the lovely description. Wishes are coming yourway for it all to go through without a hitch..I enjoyed reading that ..Health is of course the main thing and any de-stressing can only help I feel. Well, it looks like you will settle happily in Devon and things are coming together for you..did you end up renting or what...cant recall..

Only 4 more days of work for me left feeling kind of odd about that. sold everything on Sat..one couple even gave me a bottle of wine and their emails to keep in touch they were so happy! Just the couch etc being collected Tuesday then I can safely say the house is then empty

We still have zero celcius over this side and all is covered in snow except the roads so longing for that wonderful sight of the daffodils ( and lambs)..I just had a thought if they will still be in bloom in April when I get back or will they be finished? Not long now anyway

Marmalade

I got so excited for you just reading your post. 4 days will fly by. Congratulations on your move back to the UK

Beedubya

Great news Magistrate and Relocateme

Mrs Sully

Hi Denise, you will love the SW of England, Dorset is lovely as is Wiltshire. If you play golf (OH does not me) Rushmore at Tollard Royal is just beautiful.
When you go home will you be going to the North or South? I haven't been to the South since I was 16 (now58), I went to Bray on holidays. There I was on my very first independent holiday and I ran into one of the nuns from my former boarding school in England Sr Angela was not one bit impressed with the sight of me - the feeling was mutual. Probably your bedtime now