ShaggyRS6

So its become very real now. I have also negotiated a house planning trip paid for by the firm, so flights and accommodation for a week. Would appreciate any comments on the package:

Visa/Immigration Cost of obtaining and maintaining a valid work permit, passports,
visas, or inoculations incurred due to the transfer for you and
your family.


Lease Break Reimbursement of the fee to cancel your rental apartment in the
UK, as needed, up to the equivalent of two months' rent


HomeFind/Settling-in Settling-in and home finding services will be provided.


School Search Services Services for selecting and applying to schools for your child will
be provided to you by a designated school search provider.


Sea Shipment of Household Goods Reasonable packing, shipping, and insurance cost of household
effects up to 14,000lbs/40ft. container from London to the US by sea.


Air Shipment of Household Goods Up to 1,000 lbs for air shipment for items needed upon arrival.


Temporary Living - Home Location Reimbursement of up to 5 days of hotel and other living expenses up to the per diem rate for London if you need
temporary accommodations before relocating.


Loss on Sale of Car/Lease Break Reimbursement of the loss on the sale of your car up to $2,500
per car with a two car maximum.


Broker Fees Cost of fees associated with securing your permanent housing in
New York (up to 2 months' rent).


Final Relocation Airfare One-way business class airfare from London to the US for you
and your family upon transfer.


Temporary living - Host Location Cost of up to 30 days of temporary accommodations in corporate
housing as needed as you wait to enter permanent housing after arrival in New York (daily per diem provided for meals &
incidentals).


One-Time Misc Relocation Allowance Lump sum of $5,000 provided at start of transfer process to
cover miscellaneous costs of moving.


Tax Preparation & Consultation US and UK tax consultations with PwC, preparation of returns for
Year 1.

lisa67

Repatriation costs for when it's time for you and your stuff to go home?

Bink

Okay, it's a good start.
Do you have medical? That's not mentioned here although I appreciate it's probably part of your salary package. Super important to have medical though...

How much stuff are you shipping? I had a $10,000 shipping allowance and a $10,000 lump sum. I didn't ship too much (13 boxes) and certainly nowhere near a full container. If you're shipping a lot (furniture etc) then the $5k lump sum is probably okay, if you're not, you'll need more than $5k.
Since the company is paying for shipping, makes sense to ship as much as possible.

Ensure that the $5k lump sum is 'grossed up', so that YOU receive $5k (after tax) and not $5k minus appropriate tax etc...

Is your move intended to be long term? Worth asking for first and last years tax returns and also repatriation costs if you may move back to the UK in say 2 years.

Is there any chance of you getting something towards a car whether it's a hire car for a period or a lump sum to help with buying a car. You'll have no credit when you come over so either sort out a car beforehand with someone like international autosource or be prepared to pay cash.

Hope that helps a little!

SanDiegogirl

- Should the job fold up within, say, 2 years (these things unfortunately do happen) the company will pay all repatriation costs.

- rental car costs for first month or two.

Sally Redux

It looks like the $5k is additional to shipping.

Bink

That's how I read it too - I'll clarify what I was trying to say as it wasn't clear from my post.

$5k is fine if you have a whole house worths of stuff (sofa's, beds, art, kitchen crockery etc etc) but it's absolutely **** all if you're starting from scratch and trying to furnish a house, it would be spent on a single room in all liklihood.
So, if the OP has everything to ship and is only going to be purchasing a few electronic items such as TV, white good etc, $5k works. If they don't have much to ship (despite the fact the company will pay for a whole container), then that $5k isn't enough and I would recommend they push for more.

Sally Redux

Ah OK, sorry for jumping in, I see what you mean now.

ShaggyRS6

Ok, thanks for the guidance so far guys. I need to digest what you have all said and come back with some questions/answers.

The Horticulturalist

Don't know if this falls under "maintaining appropriate visas, etc," but will they pay for the cost of pursuing Greencards for you and your family?
I don't know what visa you are on or how long you intend to stay, so that may not be an issue.

Giantaxe

A lot of this will end up as taxable income. As I've said before, one of the most important items in a relocation package, imo, is having the employer "grossing up" what is taxable so that you don't end up with a nice tax bill come the following April.

Bob

Visa costs are a given, it's the law as is repatriation flights home, but the fact they're paying for passport renewals and EADs is good.

The home finding and school service, well that's just using a realtor, nothing special there, pretty standard.

Shipping sounds standard.

5 days hotel is a joke, unless they stick you in a corporate apartment for a few weeks and move your stuff around from one to the other and then to final abode.

$5K is a bit weedy....tax prep for first and last year are great.

It all boils down to what visa you're getting, how senior you are etc, etc.

Thing you haven't mentioned is if they are grossing any of this up in your pay packet, because you'll be massively in the hole if they don't, because this will be taxed.

md95065

That's what I thought at first, but on reading it more carefully I think that it is up to 5 days in a hotel in the UK before you leave followed by 30 days temporary accommodation in the US ...

Englishmum

It sounds like a bog-standard expat package to me.

What I would add though, is that the company pays the air-fare (at economy rate, don't push it for biz class) if you have to urgently return to the UK in the event of serious illness or death of a close family member back home. Last minute airfares cost a fortune....

Bink

We have a clause that says that company will pay for one return flight a year for employee, spouse and dependents for the first three years after moving over. It's a fairly standard clause to add in as far as I'm aware.

Bob

Yes, but on top of the standard once a year return flight.

Last minute flight because someone got hit by a bus and might not make it can easily cost several thousand bucks and if it isn't in the contract for emergency use they'll not be obliged to get it, especially if you've already used a flight within the last 12 months.

It's a benefit that will hardly have to be used, but a real nice one to have in the event you need it.