Jambodj

Hi All,

Newbie here

I have read loads and loads of threads so i wasnt going to bore the regulars, which i hope to be one on here. I am moving to Austin (TX) next year with the wife and 9 month old daughter. I am going for work and the company i currently work for are setting an office up which they want me to run. A great opportunity so i am very excited.

I was writing a check list and wanted to see if i was missing everything as i want to make sure no stone is unturned and work can take as much off our hands as possible.

So far i have (and sorry its a long list, as i mentioned i want to be thorough!)

Things to consider
Visas (restriction on internal travel)
Relocation allowance, will this be a taxable benefit?
Will my wife be able to work if she has to?
How many flights per year?
How much to spend on rent and will the company help initially
Renting out current place would there be assistance?
What would we do with the company car and also Laura getting a car
Shipping over belongings, paid for or allowance?
Furnished/unfurnished place
All UK electronic equipment
Transfer mortgage
Transfer Savings
Healthcare
Dental
How much annual leave
Salary surveys
Financial Advisor (Mortgage, rent, pension and bank to choose)
Pension
Insurances
Tax rates compared to UK
Register with a doctors


Any help or things i have missed then please let me know

Nice to be here!

Sally Redux

It sounds like you are coming on an L1 visa? My understanding is that your wife will be able to work once she gets authorization. Not sure what you're asking about internal travel. You cannot change employer on this visa.

Many of your other points seem to be prompts for you to negotiate with your employer as your relocation package eg healthcare, pension, shipping, cars and so on.

Google federal tax rates, those for your state and FICA.

'Transfer mortgage' not sure what your asking.

Transfer savings, you will need an account in the US and can transfer money between banks or using a foreign exchange company.

Jambodj

Hi Sally

Exactly right, i am meeting with the HR department and these are prompts for me to speak to them.

"transfer mortgage" should have been taken out.

It will be a L1 visa, my wife is looking after our daughter full time but it was more just if she wanted to find work. What is the process like for her to get authorization?

The internal travel was more related to the visa and if there would be any restrictions on where we/i could travel in the USA for vacations or for business.

I am sure there are plenty of people who have done the same but i wanted to see if there was anything i could realistically expect or if i was asking for anything unreasonable.

Sally Redux

We came on a different visa but I'm sure someone will come along soon with exact info on yours.

Relocation, again others who came on L1 will have more specific info. One thing that's often recommended is to get a written undertaking for the employer to sponsor you for a green card. Without that, you have no ability to stay in the US if they terminate your employment.

No restrictions on travel, but you can't work for anyone else.

Uncle_Bob

I would take with you your immunization records, immunizations were a required part of my visa and I didn't bring mine so i had to have them all done again. Lots of pricks.

kodokan

Depending on your daughter's age, check the vaccination requirements for the state you're moving to. If she is going to school whilst you're there, or any kind of group daycare (for toddler socialisation, maybe), then she'll probably need additional vacs over the UK ones. Hep B and varicella (if no proof of chicken pox) are almost always required and not routinely given in the UK.

Owen778

Immunisations are not required for non-immigrant visas, including L visas. However, they would be required for adjustment of status (for a green card), and they may be required for children to go to a public (i.e. state) school.

Bob

No restrictions on internal travel.
Yes
Once EAD has been received
Ask for as many as you want, hope to settle for emergency flights
As much or as little as you want and company would be a bonus
No idea
Buy a car
Shipping, whatever you fancy
Furnished will be more expensive, depends if you only plan on staying a year
Flog the UK electronics except computer stuff
Mortgage, ask them, might or not be able to
Yes
Yes all depends on what they offer
As much as you can get
glassdoor and salary.com
lol
As much as you can get
Go to a broker
Plan on it being similar
Depends on your insurance.

Loads of this has been covered in the wiki though, a lot of the health/credit/car stuff.

Welcome to BE though and good luck.

HartleyHare

We came over to the US last year on a 2 year contract.

Hubby is here on an L-1A, so daughter and I have L2's. Should I want to, I would be able to apply for my EAD enabling me to take up employment.

I researched and organised everything to do with our relocation - we did not have any help from the company. In fairness, hubby is the first person they have moved to the US and it was easier and quicker for me to organise everything as I'm a SAHM (and a control freak).

We also rent out our UK home and there will be US tax payable on the income from this. There are various deductions that you can take to reduce the profit, but please note that you can only deduct mortgage interest NOT the full payment (e.g, capital payment). We will not have any UK tax due. It's worth looking into this aspect when assessing your finances.

Once we had an idea how much it would cost to rent plus the general cost of living, leasing a car etc., it put hubby in a better position to negotiate on salary/ relocation allowance. Although our allowance did not cover items such as CPA fees and flights back to the UK, the uplift in salary has covered these.

My other half works for a medium sized company based in Manhattan. We negotiated the following:

40% salary increase (calculated in £, but on US payroll and paid in $).
$20k relocation expense (we will be taxed on this, so it's been grossed up)
Initial flights to US x 3
Transport of our dog by pet courier
Accomodation for up to 3 months in corporate apartment if needed
5 weeks annual leave (same as UK)
Flights back to UK for us and dog at the end of the contract

Repatriation Package - For us, this would have been a deal breaker and something that I would suggest you also get in writing. If we decide to return home within the 2 years, we cover the return costs and reimburse the relocation allowance. However, should the company decide to make hubby redundant they pay return costs and pay redundancy equal to the remainder of the contract term.

As we are only here initially on a 2 year contract, we put all of our household goods into storage and came over with just 6 suitcases. Once we had found somewhere to live we kitted the place out courtesy of Ikea. Our allowance covered most of this expense. We probably ate into around $2k of our own money on electrical goods and sundries.

We did see a US/UK tax advisor before we came, but our finances are fairly straightforward and in all honestly the advice they gave pretty much confirmed information I had gleaned from these forums. That is not to say that you should not bother though!

We have a very good medical/dental policy, but still have spent around $1000 in co-pays, prescriptions and deductibles. Make sure that you go over the medical & dental coverage and understand fully what you could be on the hook for .

AFAIK there are not any travel restrictions within the US on an L1.

There's quite a few BE members that live in Texas that will probably be able to give you information specific to that area. We are on the East Coast in NJ.

Good luck with you meeting and feel free to ask for any information to do with your move.

kodokan

Another one I've just thought of - paying for someone to do your US taxes the first year.

penguinsix

This is our moving checklist from the WIKI:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/List_o...n_about_Moving

yellowroom

and your last if you're on an L1 and "internationally mobile".

kodokan

Usually depends if you're on a fixed contract, or local hire. We've so far moved countries based on being local hire, so at the hiring point of the contract, it's just the initial year that's covered. Then, next time we move, we get the last year of where we're moving from, and the first year of the new place. So it all ends up being covered, but wouldn't be included from the outset as at the time everyone's pretending it's 'for ever'. It might be tricky, for example, to argue for both a Green Card application AND last year taxes!

Bob

Not really. You are either staying and they don't pay last year taxes, or you don't for whatever reason like failing to get GC or they lay you off, then they pay for last year taxes.

Jambodj

Wow, thank you everyone for the great information!

I was interested to see what would happen if the company i am being sponsored by stopped trading or fired me (worst case!) and if i would be able to gain employment anywhere else or i would have to leave the country?