scrubbedexpat141

Afternoon / Morning all,

As you can see, I post a lot (mainly shite) in the Middle East forum. I'm based in Dubai and have been for the last three years.

I've just been pulled aside and asked if I fancy New York (or NJ or Atlanta or somewhere else). Moving with the company, they'll sort visa and help me out.

Few simple questions:

- If they sort a visa for my partner, can she work on it?
- Is there much demand for British Curriculum PE teachers (that's what she does)?
- Tax rate - what's the general %age lost (yes, I will google this too, but if anyone can help it's appreciated)?
- What sort of cost of living can I expect in New York - IE: I currently pay $26,960 a year for a 1500sq.ft. 1bed in Dubai. (2,246 monthly, but it has to be paid up front in one cheque).

Lots to consider and haven't even asked the mrs yet, she might just say no.... but want to understand more about a few things to have a better discussion internally tomorrow.

Thanks in advance,

Scamp

Pulaski

Depends on the visa, if an L1 for a manager/ specialist transfer, then "yes" a spouse on a trailing L2 can work.

Mandatory or effectively mandatory deductions from payroll include federal, state, and city income tax, and also health insurance. The impact is notoriously hard to predict, but expect to lose about 25% of your first $100k in taxes and deductions, i.e. roughly $6k/mth net on $100k pa gross, and about 35% above that.

Apartments start in NYC at about $2,000 and are very small. If you want choices in size and location you could easily pay $2,500-$3,000.

scrubbedexpat141

Thanks pal.

Just had 'the call' with the mrs, she's pretty anti it all and work was one reason why.

I'm assuming being a UK curriculum teacher she'd have to find a UK school.

Interesting on the money front, they've not mentioned figures and that might be the only thing worth considering. Tax free cash here means I'm not cheap. New York also doesn't appear any cheaper but more expensive than Dubai (in some areas).

We'll see. THanks for the info again.

Mr Weeze

Just get hitched Scamp, they've been telling you to do that for ages.

MarylandNed

I don't think she's his spouse.

Pulaski

Ah, oops, I missed that. Yes, if your "partner" is not Mrs Scamp there'll be no working visa for her under any circumstances.

rpjs

For your partner to be able to work, and if your employer is proposing to sponsor an L-1 (intra-company transfer) visa for you, then you have to marry for her to get an L-2 visa. That allows work, with authorisation, which would take about 60-90 days.

If you don't marry, then the best she can get is a B-2 co-habiting partner visa which does not allow work.

In terms of accomodation costs, $2,250 will get you a studio in a decent part of Manhattan, maybe a 1-bed, but you can get much more bang for your buck further afield in the outer boros or sububia: we rented a 2/3-bed, 1 1/2 bath 1,200 sq ft apartment in Tarrytown, Westchester County, for $2,100 a month between 2011 and 2013.

In terms of tax take, I'm making in the low six figures and after all deductions, including all taxes but also including health insurance premiums, pension contributions etc, I take home about 60% of my paycheck. We do over-withhold a bit to ensure we don't have an extra tax bill to pay - getting it right is tricky, it's not like PAYE where it's all figured out for you. Bear in mind there's also a city income tax if you live in NYC (or Yonkers, but trust me, you wouldn't want to live there) and I found that the extra commuting costs from Westchester are less than what I would be paying in city income tax if we'd stayed in the five boros.

Pulaski

Your health insurance and pension contribution must be pretty hefty, to lose 40%. Still I'm glad to know that you're one of the many US tax payers who like to make interest free loans to the federal government.

MarylandNed

I'm losing 43%. I max out my 401k contributions. I have health insurance premiums and I contribute to a healthcare FSA. I only get a tax refund because of the mortgage tax deduction. I'd rather overpay a bit than be hit with a tax bill.

Sally Redux

I would imagine it will come down to the amount they are offering. Cost of living in New York is high.

I am not sure how it works with certifying teachers, it can certainly be done but she would need to get her qualifications approved as equivalent (I can't think of the word for this) and might need to take some classes/tests.

MarylandNed

Accreditation

Sally Redux

Thanks!

Bob

The missus needs to be married to get the L2 and with that, can apply for EAD which allows work.

To teach over here, would need to be state certified and that can be anything from relatively simple to starting from scratch....which leaves teaching in a private school.

Tax would be on par for the UK...your first year of taxes will be fun as you'll have all that tax free money to play around with, so figuring out your US taxes will be a bit more fiddly I'd guess. Factor in any cost of medical insurance that you might have to pay, but that might be similar to what you're used to in the DXB.

Housing, all depends on what kind of commute you're willing to put up with I guess.

Things in the wiki that's worth a poke would be the healthcare stuff and credit stuff as they'll be probably the most alien to you.

Pulaski

I would contend that is far from typical. In any case "maxing out" your 401k is not a mandatory deduction, no matter how prudent/ sensible/ conservative it is.

I have withholding for federal and state income taxes, pay for HD health ins (me plus little Miss P) through my employer, max out my Health Savings Account, contribute 6% to my 401k for the employer match, and accounting for all those lose only 20% (actually slightly less) to tax, health ins, HSA, and 401k.

Per the OP's question, I consider that losing 25% of the first $100k to taxes and deductions is pretty conservative prediction. My taxes each year are (deliberately) finely balanced, with my net state and federal taxes netting off to less than $1,000 liability (usually I get about $500-$700 back from the state and owe the Federal Govt around $1,000).

Vimto

Scamp,
I relocated from Dubai to Atlanta (before you moved there) 8 years ago, after living there for 10 plus years.
its nice to more 'normal' weather year round, New York or NJ have lots of snow in the winter compared to down here.
Yes paying taxes again are a pain, my taxes (state and federal), healthcare and pensions are approx. 30% deduction
Paying rent monthly rather than single cheque is different, but then again it isn't company subsidized, I am paying in the $1200 a month range for a 2 bed 2 bath apartment all in, which is about what I was paying in Dubai in 2006 for a 1 bed 1 bath.
As others have said only if your married can your partner be guaranteed a visa, and an L1 visa would enable her to work maybe not as a PE teacher but as a fitness instructor perhaps.
Try and get something about green card (permanent residency) written into your contract which means you will be able to possibly cut your ties with your visa sponsor some time in the future.
Feel fee to ask more questions, this side of the board has lots of answers