Moving to America -how feasible?

[poppins]

The Brits I've met in the US seem to be wealthy, although I assume they were wealthy before they left, with exception the English nannies of course who some stay long after their visas expired, thats fine but if they have to go home for an emergency say, they can't get back to their jobs in the US and thats a damned shame as Brits don't come to the US looking for handouts they want to work.

[Poptech]

NYC rents are out of control and not representative of the rest of the country. The reason they are out of control is because it is one of the few cities left that still has rent controlled apartments, implemented by economic illiterates. Some of the most reasonable places to live with the fewest taxes are Florida and Texas.

[JFKvsNixon]

I guess the comment was a little harsh, but in all commutable areas to Manhattan you've either got a choice of ghetto or paying at least 5 times more than you would anywhere else in the world.

 

New Jersey is only across the Hudsen river.

[Snook]

sounds good but what i really want to do is teach in primary school, so bit of a different career path!

 

In that case, ditch the boyfriend, get on Match.com or something, and find yourself a nice American bloke to marry... even then you'll have to jump through hoops to get your green card, but you'll get it in the end.

[poppins]

In that case, ditch the boyfriend, get on Match.com or something, and find yourself a nice American bloke to marry... even then you'll have to jump through hoops to get your green card, but you'll get it in the end.

 

Nope Snook, not that easy anymore even being pregnant as well dosen't change things, which is a shame.

 

Best way is to go to Mexico and get through the fence before those laws change too .

[elenab]

That's not a great salary is it. It might look good due to the poor exchange rate, but you really need to compare the costs of living as well.

 

There's no easy 'Sheffield -> NYC' comparisons, but NYC is supposedly about 15% cheaper than London, and UK comparisons say that London is about 40% more expensive than Sheffield...

 

http://www.npower.com/At_home/forms/COL/COLcalculator.aspx?nodeId=37&siteId=web&siteRelativeUrl=%2FAt_home%2Fforms%2FCOL%2Findex.htm&ssUrlType=2&MainRegion=WCMS_005325

 

Which gives you NYC being 20% more expensive than Sheffield.

 

So take that into account when comparing salaries.

 

We are looking at moving to boston, and it depends what wage your on now, but to me $50,000 is a good salary! especially when NQT's are starting on roughly £20,000.

[Poptech]

New Jersey is only across the Hudsen river.

The problem is NJ (I live there) is one of the most heavily taxed states in the country (NJ property taxes are out of control and the highest in the country). Most people moving to the US and many living in the US don't understand how much various taxes can differ depending on the state you live in,

 

State-Local Tax Burdens Dip As Income Growth Outpaces Tax Growth (PDF) (Tax Foundation)

 

State Individual Income Tax Rates, 2000-2010 (Tax Foundation)

Sales Tax: Combined State and Average Local Rates (Tax Foundation)

State Sales, Gasoline, Cigarette, and Alcohol Tax Rates by State, 2000-2010 (Tax Foundation)

State Business Tax Climate Index Rankings, 2006 - 2010 (Tax Foundation)

 

Some notes:

 

Seven states have no state (everyone pays federal) income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Two others, New Hampshire and Tennessee, tax only dividend and interest income.

 

Five states have no sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.

[Paul2412]

We are looking at moving to boston, and it depends what wage your on now, but to me $50,000 is a good salary! especially when NQT's are starting on roughly £20,000.

 

Boston isn't cheap, especially if you are living there. Is the $50,000 salary each? If so, you'll have a decent way of life there but if its combined you won't. You can get nice houses in a nice community, but if you work in Boston it would be an hours commute time or so.

 

Saying that, the Boston rush hour is the most relaxed and chilled out I've ever experienced!

[poppins]

The problem is NJ (I live there) is one of the most heavily taxed states in the country (NJ property taxes are out of control and the highest in the country). Most people moving to the US and many living in the US don't understand how much various taxes can differ depending on the state you live in,

 

State-Local Tax Burdens Dip As Income Growth Outpaces Tax Growth (PDF) (Tax Foundation)

 

State Individual Income Tax Rates, 2000-2010 (Tax Foundation)

Sales Tax: Combined State and Average Local Rates (Tax Foundation)

State Sales, Gasoline, Cigarette, and Alcohol Tax Rates by State, 2000-2010 (Tax Foundation)

State Business Tax Climate Index Rankings, 2006 - 2010 (Tax Foundation)

 

Some notes:

 

Seven states have no state (everyone pays federal) income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Two others, New Hampshire and Tennessee, tax only dividend and interest income.

 

Five states have no sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.

 

I think the taxes are much higher in the UK because most of their taxes go towards health care and people on benefits, nothings free in England for the working class.

[poppins]

Boston isn't cheap, especially if you are living there. Is the $50,000 salary each? If so, you'll have a decent way of life there but if its combined you won't. You can get nice houses in a nice community, but if you work in Boston it would be an hours commute time or so.

 

Saying that, the Boston rush hour is the most relaxed and chilled out I've ever experienced!

 

I've never been to Boston but would love to go for a week, I think I'm only about 3 hours away..not sure ,but it's always been on my "To do list".