Think carefully when considering moving to US

Living and working in the US is a dream for many people across the Middle East. Along with the economic factors in some countries that play a role in the desire to find better job opportunities in the West, many people’s perception of a more comfortable life is a big driver.

Comfortable life comes at a price and a lot of responsibility, however. The mere presence in the US doesn’t guarantee you a better life. In fact, if you’re not prepared for the costs required for relocation, settling in, and building your new life, you may be in for a hard time. That is why if you’re thinking about relocating to the US and you have the proper immigration requirements, make sure also that you have the means that keep you and your family afloat.

Here are a few points to keep in mind.

Jobs

If you’re moving without a job in hand, you may be taking a lot of risk. But many people do take this risk anyhow since it is not easy to get a job until you’re in the country. Still even if you’ve the proper documentation that allows you to get a job — any job — immediately, that job will hardly help you. Easy-to-get unskilled jobs pay minimum wage that will hardly cover your monthly expenses. This job may be better than nothing, but you will need to get a proper full-time job as soon as possible.

Until then, you probably will be spending all your earnings and leaning heavily on your savings. Based on where you decide to live in the US, costs of living can be high and comparable to those in the UAE. That is why you must be realistic about how much money you need to have and be willing to spend during your first few months or until you get a job that covers your running expenses.

Taxes and insurance

US taxes are complex to understand, but you must do a thorough research on your destination’s state-tax requirements and get a good understanding of federal taxes. That is the only way you will be able to get a realistic idea of what kind of take-home income you will be able to make.

Remember taxes are calculated based on your marital status, income, and several other parameters. So make sure you’re not comparing yourself to someone who isn’t in the same boat. In addition, there are many deductions — the biggest one is health insurance that can be a big unknown based on who will pay it and what your share is. To determine this, you will need to see if your potential employers offer health insurance or not and if it is only for you or for your family as well. If not, you probably will be required to buy insurance either for yourself and/or your family, which can run up to hundreds of dollars every month.

Standard of living

Many people overestimate their ability to enforce austerity measures on themselves and their families. Despite all the good intentions, it is always difficult to downgrade your life drastically especially if you and your family are not used to monitoring your expenses. Couple this with the excitement of moving to a new place, the result can be problematic.

Some people resort to the use of credit cards and others deplete their savings within months. Either way you can find yourself in a very difficult situation quickly. Remember as a new immigrant, you will have a lot of expenses — from buying or renting a new home, buying or leasing cars, to having to pay for education if your children won’t be comfortable in a public-school environment. With all of this in mind, be realistic about the acceptable standard of living for you and your family before you go. Once you define this living standard, begin your planning accordingly. By doing so, you probably will be able to eliminate or at least limit financial surprises.

The writer, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is a Seattle-based editor.

Factbox: Want to move to the US?

* Be realistic about potential earnings

* Keep in mind taxes and insurance costs

* Living costs are high in many destinations

* Calculate based on acceptable standards

R.O.