coopa_troopa

Pretty much. Although everyone and their circumstances are different, I can only comment on mine.

It took a couple of years for me to get here from the UK (visa issues etc) and at the time of preparing for the big move, I was 100% convinced I was doing the right thing, couldn't wait to get over here. But once I got here, I couldn't settle.

During the first 2 years (maybe a bit longer), I'd have gone back in a heartbeat. It's only really this past 18 months or so that I've settled. I've been here 4 years now.

Would I do it all again, if I'd have known then what I know now? Hell, no.

wilma 1

Think you're all missing the point; if my husband worked 60-80 hours per week it would be a huge improvement. Add to this he is away from home 3 to 4 nights a week and working well into the night and not spending much time with the family adds to our woes.

We have visited Florida several times (not on vacation), but researching the way of life, opportunities and other generic issues.

Comments on healthcare make me laugh; I don't mind paying for healthcare if it means getting treated on time with respect and courtesy; added to this our taxes come down from 50% to 20% - it all gets paid for somewhere - it is hidden and antiquated in the UK!

Sounds like we should do a swap - you should all apply for a UK visa and see how long you last with creaking infrastructure, atrocious customer service, drab and grey skies (and people), substandard healthcare and amazingly high taxes.

TimNiceBut

I don't think a lot of us *need* a UK visa...

I assume you have researched the health care situation and have factored in the much higher cost into your 50% vs 20% tax calculation.

Have you actually run your own business before? Not trying to rain on your parade but I have (and am currently winding down one) and there is a lot of truth in the "you don't own a business, a business owns you" quip. I'd still do it again - and I probably will, in the US, if some of the leads I'm pursuing work out.

Oh, and were the assumptions re the E2 correct or do you have another type of visa?

coopa_troopa

You can visit and research until the cows come home, but it still ain't the same as living here. Take it from one who knows, and many others on here who know also.

I visited 2 or 3 times a year for a number of years, owned a home 3 years before I made the permanent move, and thought I knew it all. Never have I been so wrong.

I'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying please don't think you know what it will be like to live here, just because your visits have been "research" visits and not a vacation. The only way you'll experience the true way of life is when you're actually here, earning dollars, spending dollars, and dealing with everything that is the US way of life.

Good luck with it though. Are you going into a business which is fairly recession-proof?

Bob

That's comical. Sorry.

Tax in the US isn't much different to the UK once you factored in all the hidden taxes here.

Healthcare for a family, especially if your running your own business can be much more expensive, just a quick search of the forums will show you that, $500-1500 a month for a healthy young couple. Also service isn't all that much quicker, just depends where you live...don't under estimate the cost of healthcare here, it's a massive burden on most peoples lives.

What are your plans when your kid age out of the visa? Will they go to uni in the UK? They'll be international students rate by then.

I'm not trying to put you off, if the work situation works for you, it's a great opportunity to go for it and experience something new. You just don't want to go into this with those naive preconceptions which you seem to have about way of life.

chrisfromusa

Oh, believe me, I know what those beautiful sunny skies can do to you if you're hometown is below the tropic of cancer

Well those amazingly high taxes, let's not deny it, pay for your healthcare. We have lower taxes here, yet your health care expedentures will be far higher than you paying tax over there most likely. The U.S. has creaking infrastructure everywhere, in fact, I was under the impression that the UK had far superior infrastructure to the U.S. Hell even Mexico's highways are better than ours!

On the tax subject again, you don't only pay state taxes in Florida, you pay local taxes as well. And with the absence of a state income tax in Florida, municipalities have to raise revenue somehow, so they seriously jack up tax rates, and since you are not American and not a permanent long-time Florida resident, you don't qualify for the Save Our Homes program or the homestead exemption. And certainly the sun does not shine 24/7 over there, it's a tropical state, there's gonna be cloudiness, and of course, big fat rainy downpours on occasion, I've gone to Orlando many times and I lost count of how many thunderstorms we've had during one month

But with all the bad stuff aside, Florida is a fine state but it's expensive, mostly for the reason that there's so many people living there (despite it being the size of England). It's my preferred climate, I grew up with it so obviously I'm going to react differently when it's summer time but it's nothing you can't get used to over time. I hope you visited in the summer and not winter, because visiting Florida in the winter is grossly misleading because summer lasts half the year in the Bradenton area where you're moving to.

Lastly as an American, would I move to Florida? Why, yes I would If you don't come here expecting a garden of roses then I think you'll do great, despite it's present troubles (aren't Bradenton-Sarasota transient communities? Someone double check?). Just another thought as well, if you want to live in a warm winter climate (which I suspect is the main reason to moving to Florida) I heard Texas has a better business climate than Florida. Have you looked into that? Lots of members here from Texas that can point you in the right direction.

Again, being from the UK, please please please do NOT let the sunshine and weather be the principal factor in moving here. You're setting up a business, not buying a vacation home

Jerseygirl

I think you're in for quite a shock.

anotherlimey

OK so let's rewind and get this back on track.

I do live in Florida, but didn't move with kids or a spouse, and had a job already. I can give you advice on some State related issues, but your question applies to moving anywhere in The States really.

Yes it could take years, or might never happen. But you can accelerate help by doing everything American and cutting yourself off from as much of your British lifestyle as possible.

Ozzidoc

You're kidding, right??

The attitude of the majority of US physicians I have met & worked with tell the patient what to do, with little-to-no concern for the patient's viewpoint or feelings. Furthermore, the actual time you see your doctor bears little relationship to your appointment time

dbj1000

I was feeling pretty sorry for the negative reaction that wilma got... until this comment!

Wilma, this is a disasterously, dangerously misguided view of healthcare in the US.

Rather than berate you about it, I am genuinely concerned (well, as much as I ever am on BE) for the effects of this naive viewpoint on the future finances and health of your family.

Have you got accurate quotes for how much health insurance is going to cost your family each month?

Clearly you haven't included it in your tax numbers above, and you could easily find that it takes your "effective tax load" from ~20% to well over the 50% that you are taxed directly in the UK.

I won't start on the quality of healthcare in the US - suffice to say I think it ranges from excellent and massively over priced to sub-third-world... and massively over priced.

meauxna

Source, please.
I won't believe it, but where did you get that idea?

scrubbedexpat099

I have never been to Florida, but there are pluses and minuses of living in the US.

Taxes is sort of a wash, YMMV.

Health care is a minus on cost, I have not had much dealings personally but the quality of care from the GP has been good, but it was in the UK.

Sunshine is a big plus for me, I have more family here (inherited), space, no traffic jams, completely different life style.

I still have not got a gun, this year!

chrisfromusa

Ask my aunt and her OH. Oh and, Google images is good too. I'm not gonna bother linking you to anything that you're not gonna read or see anyway

Bob

He drove through MA?

Duncan Roberts

The first time you go to the doctor here and realize they have stacked the appointments and charge you for the privilege of waiting an hour for 2 minutes of face time you may change your tune on that one. Like you said, it all gets paid for somewhere. That 20% tax will become 50%+ of expenses you didn't have in the UK quite quickly. 40% of my wife's pay gets taken out and she doesn't work a particularly high paying job, we only pay 17% of the $1600 monthly premium for healthcare, dental and vision is very cheap compared to the norm and she chooses to have very little federal tax taken out, as in when I took it to our accountant to do our taxes he commented about how little it was. Don't underestimate the American value of getting paid, everyone wants in on it. That was what surprised me the most, how all the little things and small taxes that I had never even considered added up.

The UK is actually years ahead of the US in most things, infrastructure and technology especially. The phrase "why change it if it's worked that way for years" is a commonly held belief for a lot of Americans (especially the ones who have power) and applies to everything.

It is good that your husband will be able to spend more time with you guys though, sounds like that part should work out well.