sisterscott | ExpatWoman.com
 

sisterscott

sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 April 2015 - 00:02
Are there any interesting mom blogs you guys follow? Or Dubai Fashion blogs?
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 April 2015 - 19:00
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion is currently at 97K. The way it works is that if you make 150K, you deduct 97K from your taxable income. However, you still pay taxes on the remaining 53K at the 150K tax bracket, not the 53K tax bracket. You can also deduct a percentage of your housing expenses on top of the exclusion. But be aware that if you have income generating investments in the US, property and so forth, it becomes complicated. You still have to pay full income tax on those incomes and you lose most of your standard deductibles once you elect to use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. That's where a proper tax expert steps in. Someone told me that the first 97K you make overseas isn't taxed and is considered you made $0. Ahhhh! Okay - I gotcha. Thank you for that! I've got to find a CPA that is versed in Foreign Income.
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 April 2015 - 18:27
Sisterescott - the voltage is different here. 90% of US electronics will need to go on a transformer to work here and I shudder to think the size transformer a washer and dryer will take! Your computers (but maybe not your printer) will be dual-voltage so will just need a plug adapter...brand new TVs are generally dual voltage but that's about it. Kitchen appliances (toasters, coffee makers, Keurigs, crock pots etc), hairdryers, DVD players, surround sound systems...will all need to be on a transformer which will drive up your electric bill. AND if your TVs don't work on PAL (vs the US NTSC system) you won't be able to have cable tv here without a converter box. You can bring lights as they just need a local lightbulb and plug adapter but I would seriously limit all other things you plug into the wall. Thank you girl! So helpful!
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 21:43
Maybe the lack of a dryer option is the make or break... Lol... People in Texas have outdoor clothes lines, believe me. I was told all kinds of crazy things before I came like people ride donkeys to school and you can't shower everyday due to water shortages... I was also told Dubai has gold covered hotel lobbies and indoor water parks.... So truths can be stranger than fiction! LOL! Oh I remember the days as a kid with a clothes line. I remember it sucking really bad! haha. I just imagine sandy, sun faded clothes. I mean, doesn't everyone there wear Armani and Gucci ;).
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 21:42
OP, before you start panicking, of course there are dryers here. You don't need one and in the warmer months clothes dry quicker outside than in a dryer but plenty of people still have them. I dry clothes outside but bed linen and towels in our dryer. We plan on bringing our washer and dryer with us. I have 3 kids and a husband! No way in the world I'm hang drying clothes. You should see how crazy dirty my house is WITH a HIGH CAPACITY washer and dryer - much less NO dryer! lol. I loathe laundry. A maid is sounding better every day!
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 21:40
you'll feel worse off compared to staying in the US and your tax savings is wiped out. Unless you have a very special situation you will have to pay US taxes. Take it from another American, you will be taxed on everything you get in cash. Unless the company pays the fees directly you will even be taxed on school fees but there are ways to get around that. Just be very careful here because it looks like a big pile of money until you have to start using it, ALL of it. Dubai is a great place to live for many reasons but coming here with any plan of really saving is in the past I fear. It can be done but one needs to be careful and plan wisely. Someone told me that the first 97K you make overseas isn't taxed and is considered you made $0.
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 21:37
We are planning on taking our dryer here with us to the UAE. Has anyone else done that?
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 19:25
Reading this post make me feel hopeful that there could be employers who could offer such salaries to people to REALLY FIT THE DUBAI lifestyle but I also feel sad that if you are not a western expat, you just have a mediocre salary, crappy flat and neighborhood and a low end car. Thinking that in terms of talent and delivery of work many could have the same level of excellence, irregardless of race or passport nationality. Anyway, for the OP, i hope that you could settle here smoothly with your family. Dubai is a nice place, a little crazy on rents etc..but overall, you can enjoy here :) I am pretty excited to move! We are awaiting receipt of a passport in the mail and then we have to send copies to the employer and we wait for the contract! I'm scared about the heat but I'm from Texas so hopefully it's not TOO big of an adjustment to the heat.
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 19:23
I wasn't aware appliances are included in villas - we've never viewed any that included them..our previous villa had cooker and fridge left behind by the previous tenant (along with a hideous dining table that we asked the landlord to take away !! ) but I didn't think it was the norm.. I have read that they don't use DRYERS in the UAE? WHAT IN THE WORLD? How do you dry your clothes?
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 19:07
There's a brand called Harmony here in the US that makes a slim booster seat. I have one because I also have three kiddos. So I have a booster, an infant seat, and a convertible seat and they all fit across the back of my car.
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 April 2015 - 00:05
Ok..as someone who is having to return home because school fres and housing taje up virtually entire salary I will give the following advice. 1.check exactly how much they will give in tuition. You said they will pay housing but AED100kndoesnt really pay housing. You need to know that they will pay entire school fees and subsequent increase. [b'>[/b'> I will DEFINITELY be getting clarification on this! You say that two will stay at home..you need to check what happens ehen they get older..will company pay. Some companies only pay for two kids. [b'>[/b'> This too! 2.car -what is the allowance? For a decent family saloon lease you looking atvapprox AED2700 a month. Basic cars can be leased for about AED1700. [b'>[/b'> They provide the car - we don't even have to go look for one. It's a "company" so to speak car. 3.check the medical cover they offer. My DH gave medical cover but it was basic to say the least and close to AED3k a month to get semi adequate cover. [b'>[/b'> It will be internationally accepted health coverage for our entire family. ensure things are in writing before agreeing.. on plus side 16k us dollars is AED57k a month so plenty wriggle room. we have a lot less and pay school fees and housing. it just depend how much of this you want to use on housing and school fees. if it were me, I would take lower salary but housing and schooling guaranteed. both those are increasing drastically every year so if you can get company to agree to cover them
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 23:59
Also each time we express concern of getting into school they say "don't worry about school, we'll get that taken care of".
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 23:58
I'll get more info FOR SURE now! Thank y'all so much! Would a government entity hold a "corporate seat"? I know nothing about Dubai - my husband has been 6 or 7 times and I haven't been once!
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 23:41
His contract (although we don't have it yet) is supposed to cover: Housing, tuition, utilities, flights, a vehicle, a phone, project bonuses, yearly bonuses - and a few other things. I only have one school aged child - the other two will stay home with me. His salary is 16K USD per month. We're down to negotiations on housing and tuition still hasn't been laid out for me but I have been under the impression that they'll pay for it wherever we choose for our kiddo to go. And I have repeatedly brought up concern about the ASD waitlist. I was basically told by admissions that unless my husband's employer held a "corporate seat" (which I am unsure as to what they mean by this) that we are out of luck until next year. I am going to have my husband push back for more housing.
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 23:34
@Tally THANK YOU for saying that! I am glad to know this sounds too little because I thought it was too! I have a 3BR 2BA house with a yard here in Texas and I would like to have a lateral move at least! I mean we'll be making really good money with almost everything but groceries paid for but I do not think that is enough for housing! I thought I was being greedy!
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 21:32
Maybe we should ask for more housing allowance! Holy moly! I've looked on Dubizzle until my eyes burn! Without having actually BEEN to Dubai it's hard to know what's legit and what's not. And the photos are so awful - they make me laugh. I live in Texas and Real Estate agents take their jobs and their MLS postings very serious! haha.
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 21:15
You're an angel.
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 April 2015 - 21:06
Yes! That would be wonderful!
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 April 2015 - 23:30
I was wondering about those as well! I really like the JVC area so I was curious to know if there were any good schools there. We aren't moving until August so we won't have VISAs until then so what do I do about applications? What happens if I can't get her in anywhere before school starts? Here we have public schools and you HAVE to go to school so I'm worried!
sisterscott
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 April 2015 - 21:34
ASD has been repeatedly suggested to me but it seems extremely difficult to get accepted. Does anyone have any other suggestions of a similar school with American-based curriculum? <em>edited by sisterscott on 06/04/2015</em>
 
 
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