Friday, May 28, 2010

Taxes

A word or two about taxes.  Be sure to research the taxes you'll be required to pay when you live in the UK.  Here are a few of them.  I won't do more than name and briefly describe them because rules and amounts change, but at least you'll have an idea what you're in for:

Television License - Yes, you have to buy a license to watch tv.  Period.  Even if you have just one tv.

Council Tax - based  on value of the property that you live in.  So if you rent, you are NOT excluded.  You pay based on the value of the house you're renting.

Income Tax - Yes, they have it there too.

Road Tax - Based on the engine size and age of your car.  Paid on an annual, or 6-month basis.

VAT (value added tax) - ie sales tax

Capital Gains Tax - for investments

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Overseas Shipping

What we did: We packed things in boxes that made sense to pack.  We didn't pack things like laundry baskets, baby swing, large baby toys, etc.  Obviously we didn't pack furniture, part of our shipping service included them wrapping all the furniture. 

What happened: When the shippers got there, they said EVERYTHING had to be in a box.  I'm not sure that applies to all shippers, but here's why: They were going to take a palette, stack all our stuff on it, and wrap it all up with plastic wrap-type stuff. So things couldn't be oddly shaped or poking out or anything.  Then we were going to be charged based on weight and shipping space used.

What we should have done:  Let the shippers come in and pack everything for us.  They know how to pack to get more things in less space and save you money.  We couldn't do this because half of our belongings were going to another state for storage, but you can be darn sure that that is how I'm going to do it when we come back to the states.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Visas, part deux

Okay, plan getting your visa WAY in advance.  Make sure your employer has everything set on their end, and bug the snot out of them if you need to.  Then get your application in super early.  We are STILL waiting on an NI number, which we can't complete the visa application without.  We live about 30 minutes from the Atlanta UK Consulate, but since we won't have them ready by the time my son and I leave GA, we're going to have to make the 6-hour trek to NYC to get them.  Funniest (or saddest) part is that we fly into NYC to get our flight to the UK.  However, our layover isn't long enough to allow us to go get them then.  Talk about a nightmare.  Ugh.  I'm past starting to regret this decision to move to the UK...

Friday, May 14, 2010

Visas

We finally have plane tickets booked, but I'm still a little concerned about our Visas.  My son and I leave the state a week from tomorrow, and we still don't have Visas.  In order to get them, you need to have an address, and your NI (national insurance) number.  We have neither yet. 

Monday, May 3, 2010

Boxes, boxes, and more boxes

The big packing frenzy has begun.  My son and I leave GA in less than 3 weeks.  We still don't know who is shipping our stuff, how it should be packed, how to label the boxes, what to do with our furniture.  We also don't know what, if any, furniture we'll have when we get there.  So far, it looks like we will be sleeping on the floor in our things haven't arrived by the time we do.  At least I'm bringing the pack & play for our son to sleep in.  Now, most of this lack of information is because my husband isn't asking the questions.  The rest is because of a slight delay due to personal issues on his boss's end.   I really dislike that all men are involved with this move.  I can't get any answers I need cause the guys are all so laid back about it.  Ugh.  So I just pack away, hoping that I'm doing something right and hoping I don't have to redo a lot once we know these details for certain.