HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Hi All,

I know the same question has been asked hundreds of times but I have read through other forums and still don't know the answer. We live in Scotland and my Hubby has been offered a job with a 90k per year salary and myself and two boys aged 10 & 8 will be joining him. I won't be able to work initially and want to get a rough idea of what his take home pay will be based on this salary. Also he will be working at George Bush Airport is The Woodlands a good place to look to stay with good schooling? Many thanks for any help.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

I think $90k is on the low side to move here with a family.
The Woodlands is a big place but on the whole is generally pretty nice. Can't speak as to the schools there.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

This worries me now! I have just accepted a $106k base salary and have a family to support. I was moving for an uptick in lifestyle, not to struggle!

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Thanks Bink for your reply. Do you know how I would work out an approx monthly take home pay on my husbands salary of $90K?

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Hi Canveydave, when do you move and what areas have you been looking at. Having looked at previous posts I am sure $106 will work but what I find the most confusing is how much will be witheld at the end of each month and trying to get a rough figure of your take home pay, have you managed to work it out?

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Hi Pauline, we move in January, I am working just off the I-10 so have been looking at Katy Spring and Cypress. I downloaded an app called Snap Payroll which is actually an app for companies helping them with payroll. You put in some details and it gives you a figure, but I don't know how accurate it is. Could give a rough idea though

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Try using something like this:
Salary Paycheck Calculator |Take Home Pay Calculator |ADP

$90k is perfectly liveable in Houston. It's above the average income for the city, even if it may be below the usual expat Houston salary, which is mostly set by the major oil companies and oil service companies.

That said, while I would look at The Woodlands to live on that salary, you may be better off looking at somewhere a bit cheaper that's still OK. Spring, just south of the The Woodlands would be an obvious choice, and maybe Kingwood, to the NE. Don't look at Greenspoint, immediately to the west. I don't know what Humble or Atascocita are like, to the east of the airport.

Is he working at the airport, or at one of the oil service company facilities near there, possibly on the beltway? That may make a difference to your options.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Thank you Owen, my husband will be working for one of the airlines and i will hopefully get a part time job when the kids have settled. Will take a look at the areas you mentioned. Just a couple of questions if you dont mind when doing the calculator its ask for Voluntary deduction section its looking for names am I right in saying that would be the kids and they wouldn't need to pay any taxes? also when looking at rental properties on craigslist does tax need to be added to the monthly rates?

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Do you know what visa he will be coming to the US on? That will govern whether or not you are allowed to work.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Hi, he is coming to the US on a L1 visa which I have been advised will allow me to work after approx 3-6 months.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Excellent -- when you said he had been offered a job, I was concerned that it might be with a new company, rather than a transfer! Yes, you can apply for an EAD which will allow you to work. Good luck!

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

The kids come under "number of federal allowances", which for a family of 4 with one income is likely to be 5.

The deductions shown are about deductions you and your husband choose to make from your pay. This could include 401k (the pension for most people on a US payroll), health insurance, health insurance account, charitable donations and others. 401k contributions are free of tax up to $17500 per year per wage-earner. On a $90k salary between four though, you might choose not to contribute that much. It will be up to you.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Property tax is included in the rent.

You might also want to use this tax calculator to get a rough estimate of the total tax owed by the end of the year. Enter the "filing status" and "exemptions". Texas doesn't have a state income tax so there shouldn't be any additional state income taxes.

1040 Tax Calculator

Ten Facts about the Child Tax Credit

If you are filing as a resident, the W-4 (withholdings form) can be changed to meet expected taxes that will be owed during the full year. For example if it appears that too much will be withheld, additional allowances can be added to the W-4 to reduce the withholdings.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

Other than possible 401K or HSA contributions, I normally wouldn't be concerned about other deductions unless you have home mortgage interest and/or property taxes since you have to exceed the standard deduction before those will be beneficial.

Re: HELP!! MOVING TO HOUSTON
 

The calculator in post #13 doesn't include FICA tax (social security and Medicare tax) which is 7.65% up to $117,000 income per wage earner. I believe that L-1 visa holders from treaty countries where the employee is considered temporary can opt out of FICA taxes for up to 5 years and instead make home country pension contributions. Talk to the HR department.