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Possible move to Virginia

Possible move to Virginia

Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:02 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

We live in a terraced 3 bed house now so looking at 3 bed townhouses over there, he is senior engineer and will be basically leading a team to create what they have created here in the UK. will do some more research on it, but most jobs advertised dont have salary on them and when i google it the pay is from 80-130k with 98k being the average which is why i choose 100k as the starting point. I will show him this thread and see how he feels about it
We are also used to used cars, we have never owned a new car, will just have to accept american ways
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:03 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Doesn't sound to bad, i think we will have 1 cheap run around and 1 better family car for the long trips when we go exploring the states
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:07 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Originally Posted by Pulaski

I would suggest that $90k in Ohio should be $135k in the DC area.

And BTW used cars are stooopid expensive in the US - a $5k vehicle is probably only marginally road-worthy, even at $10k you're likely looking at vehicles with 80,000-100,000 miles on them, which isn't that high be US standards - it isn't uncommon for vehicles to reach 200,000 miles or more!
I was going to mention this too--do a comparison between Ohio on that money and then the DC area, not just coming in cold from a UK salary. Several salary calculators will let you do this so you'll get an idea what is realistic.

As mentioned, two cars are essential. If you live close enough into DC though there are 'on the spot' rental cars if you need one (pay by the mile). They are parked all over from companies like Car2Go. Can help you in the short term, but only if you are close in to the city or inner suburbs.

One thing you might do well to ask for as part of the negotiations is a temporary apartment for 30-60 days (paid for by the company). They put you in a serviced apartment so you can get over here, relax and then start looking for houses on the ground rather than having to guesstimate stuff online. It's actually quite a common benefit with executive expat moves.

Also worth noting that pretty much every benefit you get, from moving expenses or airline tickets home will be considered "income" for the purposes of taxation.
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:19 pm
  #19  
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Okay that's something i will do, didnt know that kind of salary calculator exsisted!
Yes we couldnt live without 2 cars, we are close to everything were we live now and still need 2 cars.
Temporary accommodation is something i have listed as a must as well as, paying for packing our house, moving costs, any costs incurred to sell our house, healthcare and retaining UK holiday allowance (i have heard USA holiday time is awful) my husband gets 25 days so we want to keep that
When you say they will be taxable expenses how do we pay tax on them? will it come out of my husbands wage?
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:28 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Originally Posted by Georgette
….. When you say they will be taxable expenses how do we pay tax on them? will it come out of my husbands wage?
They'll be part of your annual tax return, which is a whole barrel of fun that awaits you.

For every $100 they "give" you for expenses, or pay on your behalf, hold back $33 to meet your tax bill. It is apparently common for moving expenses to be "grossed up" by around 50% to meet the tax bill.
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:31 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Here is an example of what your budget might look like, updated from a post I made several years ago.

Net pay of $5,500/mth might go something like this: you might get lucky and find somewhere that is acceptable for $2,000, but you won't get much for that. Then vehicles: finance on a couple of vehicles say $1,000/mth in loans, but insurance is pricy to start with, so could be $300/mth, then tax, serving, inspection and registration another $25/mth (average), petrol is cheap, but you'll find you use a lot more, so a tank full per vehicle every two weeks would be $300/mth. Food and household consumables cost more, for three of you probably around $750/mth. Utilities: tend to be more than in the UK, in northern Virginia you're probably looking at heating for five months of the year at a minimum $75/mth (assuming an apartment), and AC for six months of the year for around the same, (these would be a good bit more in a house, around twice as much). Health insurance isn’t quite what it seems, so allow $300/month for copays and deductibles (your share of the premiums comes straight out of your pay, which is probably why I am showing “net pay” of around $5.5k, compared to $6k others are estimating).

If my mental arithmetic is correct we have got a total of $4,750/mth, leaving $750/mth for clothing, meals out/ entertainment, holidays/ traveling home to the UK, and everything else, including cell phones, and cable TV!

Honestly rent on an acceptable home is the biggest issue you may face - you can "go cheap" but might not like it, or pay more and risk a budget crisis.

Last edited by Pulaski; Apr 3rd 2019 at 1:35 pm.
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:41 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Thank you for taking so much time so that!
They are quite similar to what i have put down but we have a few more things like a loan we took our here that we would still have to pay which would be another $150 a month so yes definitely think he needs to be on more than 100k

With the tax return, would his company pay for that as technically they should 'cover the costs of what it would take for us to move' if they don't then somewhere down the line its actually going to cost us money?
So if it cost them say $5000 to move us (flights, packing, shipping container, temp accommodation ect) it would end up costing us $1666?
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:51 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

This is an estimate. Most of the US companies pay their employees bi-weekly. Hence, there will be 26 pay periods. 100k divided by 26 is $3,847 every two weeks. The amount of taxes paid may vary. If you do not work, than your husband can claim two dependents, otherwise only one can be claimed for your child. Either way tax will be somewhere between 20% - 25% which makes $700 - $1,000 deduction. Net payment should be close to $2,900 bi-weekly.
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:55 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Yes and health insurance is likely to be another $200+ per pay period too, which reduces it further to $2,700.
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 1:56 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Originally Posted by talkto_menow
This is an estimate. Most of the US companies pay their employees bi-weekly. Hence, there will be 26 pay periods. 100k divided by 26 is $3,847 every two weeks. The amount of taxes paid may vary. If you do not work, than your husband can claim two dependents, otherwise only one can be claimed for your child. Either way tax will be somewhere between 20% - 25% which makes $700 - $1,000 deduction. Net payment should be close to $2,900 bi-weekly.
Does that calculation allow for 5.492% VA state income tax on $100,000?

That said, your number is very close to my $5,500/mth because I assumed that health insurance is deducted in reaching "net pay".
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 2:11 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Thank you, this is all so baffling, just really don't want to make the wrong decision, move my daughter away from all her other family and get over there and be tight for money!
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 2:13 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Originally Posted by Georgette
Thank you, this is all so baffling, just really don't want to make the wrong decision, move my daughter away from all her other family and get over there and be tight for money!
The trouble is that from the sounds of things, you're going in to this a bit blind at the mo as the company haven't given you any pertinent info i.e. you don't know what salary they're offering, and they haven't discussed visas with you. Are they preparing a proper job offer for him? Have they transferred employees before?
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 2:15 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

I'd suggest, given you say the mean pay is a smidge under $100k, that your husband should be seeking more towards the top end anyway. As you explain it, the responsibility is not just to do the job, but to drive a new function in the USA. Is he in a Management role, or a Technical expert?

I don't know the area well enough to comment on those aspects, but if he were to end-up around the $130k mark, you'd be looking at at $3.4k ish per two week pay period take home, after Healthcare and other benefits are removed on top of tax. That gives you a little more to play with. The biggest question is how it compares to what you live like today I guess? If you end-up swapping like for like, is the experience going to be worth it? are you seeing this as a short term 3 year approach, or a path to something longer?
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 2:21 pm
  #29  
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

Yes they have transferred employees before, they are currently putting together a relocation package and new contract to go over with my husband but they are currently in appraisal month so its slowing things down, I'm just trying to gather as much info as possible so he doesn't go into the meeting blind if that makes sense
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Old Apr 3rd 2019, 2:23 pm
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Default Re: Possible move to Virginia

I'm unclear.
Have they actually made an offer yet?
Or had a meaningful conversation? You say they want him to move...but is that the only statement so far. Nothing more from HR?
I can see you're doing good research but what's coming from the employers side?

Last edited by Hotscot; Apr 3rd 2019 at 2:30 pm.
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