opportunity overseas

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am now based in SG, I received a call and completed 2 rounds phone interview with a retail company with its HQ in Syd. After calculations, the annual salary I expect may hit the 35 to 40% tax. Does this mean I effectively shave off 30+% off my net income because of tax?
Means paycut of 30+% for this job in Syd?

Currently in SG I dont pay much tax because of the many relief I can apply for. My annual is pre CPF 120k per annum, with very little tax paid. Post CPF I am drawing est 130k.

If I move to SYD on a similiar salary scale, I can expect to pay
approx 30+% on tax
$2500 monthly on rental for a decent 3 rm apartment in a suburb where my office will be
travel/ transport, - negligible as cars are cheap. I expect to buy a $20k small sedan.
Au Pair expenses and pay is approx $1k a mth. I will bring my helper and apply her as au pair if possible as my youngest is close to her and I rely on her a lot.

I am prepared for a pay cut, maybe what is acceptable will be $100k net income after taking away all these expenses. Is this wishful thinking?

Very interesting situation you have here.

Just to share my experience... I took up a job offer in the middle east a few years back (not your cushy Dubai kind of middle east). The package was awesome (US$270k, tax free! when SGD1 = USD1.6x) and the idea of living an expat life appealed to me. However my sojourn ended a year later and my life in shambles as I quit without a job to return to Singapore to save my marriage. My wife entered depression, cheated on me (and I on her) and it took us another 2 years to get things back together. My career is back on track and we are proud parents of a 4 month old today, by God's grace...

If your marriage are on the rocks then why not, it's a fresh start. Otherwise if you treasure your family then do carefully consider living apart as there are many unforeseen situations. You can commit to calling each other every day and telling yourselves the separation will only last 1 month or so, but it will easily turn into 3 months, 6 months, then before you know it you learn to function independently, then you start to wonder, why bother with all this commitment........?

Given the overall situation, you will probably suffer a pay cut, deal with increased costs but may enjoy a better standard of living, better environment bring up a child, etc... I would do it IF my spouse finds a job concurrently or decides to be a stay at home mum/dad.

Choose wisely.

I have ever dropped an opportunity to work overseas a few yrs ago because I was not ready. Back then the package was for myself alone with housing allowance for an apartment enough for both of us.
It was in a city where I do not particularly favor and will only work a few years for experience.

Now this opportunity is for a country I forsee a long term commitment and retirement, I hope to persuade my family for a better life in AU. I am positive retirement will be more peaceful in AU

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Very interesting situation you have here.

Just to share my experience... I took up a job offer in the middle east a few years back (not your cushy Dubai kind of middle east). The package was awesome (US$270k, tax free! when SGD1 = USD1.6x) and the idea of living an expat life appealed to me. However my sojourn ended a year later and my life in shambles as I quit without a job to return to Singapore to save my marriage. My wife entered depression, cheated on me (and I on her) and it took us another 2 years to get things back together. My career is back on track and we are proud parents of a 4 month old today, by God's grace...

If your marriage are on the rocks then why not, it's a fresh start. Otherwise if you treasure your family then do carefully consider living apart as there are many unforeseen situations. You can commit to calling each other every day and telling yourselves the separation will only last 1 month or so, but it will easily turn into 3 months, 6 months, then before you know it you learn to function independently, then you start to wonder, why bother with all this commitment........?

Given the overall situation, you will probably suffer a pay cut, deal with increased costs but may enjoy a better standard of living, better environment bring up a child, etc... I would do it IF my spouse finds a job concurrently or decides to be a stay at home mum/dad.

Choose wisely.

Thanks for the feedback. I have ever considered to sponsor his jobhunt in syd. But I think with my spouse's ego, it will not go well. I was prepared to come up with a sum of $$ which will be capital for the move. This includes $ enough to cover living expenses in both countries while we move over and he deals with job hunt. Esle I cannot think my spouse will be motivated enough to move. My spouse have ever worked overseas before when he was younger and he liked it. Now I think he is just comfy here and dont want to deal with the change

Originally Posted by Unregistered

when SGD1 = USD1.6x)

Oops, typo!

*USD1 = SGD1.6x

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am now based in SG, I received a call and completed 2 rounds phone interview with a retail company with its HQ in Syd. After calculations, the annual salary I expect may hit the 35 to 40% tax. Does this mean I effectively shave off 30+% off my net income because of tax?
Means paycut of 30+% for this job in Syd?

Currently in SG I dont pay much tax because of the many relief I can apply for. My annual is pre CPF 120k per annum, with very little tax paid. Post CPF I am drawing est 130k.

If I move to SYD on a similiar salary scale, I can expect to pay
approx 30+% on tax
$2500 monthly on rental for a decent 3 rm apartment in a suburb where my office will be
travel/ transport, - negligible as cars are cheap. I expect to buy a $20k small sedan.
Au Pair expenses and pay is approx $1k a mth. I will bring my helper and apply her as au pair if possible as my youngest is close to her and I rely on her a lot.

I am prepared for a pay cut, maybe what is acceptable will be $100k net income after taking away all these expenses. Is this wishful thinking?

What you are alluding to is tax equalized and COLA adjusted pay package. Unfortunately I think such considerations are usually not given to entry level manager's local package.

What you can do is to try and negotiate some sort of one-off payment to cover relocating expenses. My personal take is this offer doesn't really make sense for you - too much personal risk, effective pay cut, lots of hassle and does not seem to really help in building up your CV for future career progression.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks for the feedback. I have ever considered to sponsor his jobhunt in syd. But I think with my spouse's ego, it will not go well. I was prepared to come up with a sum of $$ which will be capital for the move. This includes $ enough to cover living expenses in both countries while we move over and he deals with job hunt. Esle I cannot think my spouse will be motivated enough to move. My spouse have ever worked overseas before when he was younger and he liked it. Now I think he is just comfy here and dont want to deal with the change

I understand your situation because I was in a similar position and pushed through my overseas job offer even though my wife was not really agreeable. The difference was that my wife and I were newly married with no kids (about 6 months although we had dated for nearly 10 years) whereas you have 2 kids to consider. If I were in your shoes I will give this up since it is a very ordinary package.

Since you want to retire in Syd, then you should just sell your condo, take the money and buy a house in Syd suburbs. Your hubby can quit his job and follow you. With the money in hand, he can take his time to get a job in Syd. Let's say you sell your condo for $1.5m and pay off the remaining loan of $500k. Then you have $1m cash in hand. Buy a house in Syd suburbs for AUD400k. You still have a balance of $600k as standby. Your family can get by with just your salary for the moment while your hubby finds a new job. If he can't, he can drive a taxi there as it pays quite well. Alternatively, he can invest the $600k and retire. What do you think?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks for the feedback. I have ever considered to sponsor his jobhunt in syd. But I think with my spouse's ego, it will not go well. I was prepared to come up with a sum of $$ which will be capital for the move. This includes $ enough to cover living expenses in both countries while we move over and he deals with job hunt. Esle I cannot think my spouse will be motivated enough to move. My spouse have ever worked overseas before when he was younger and he liked it. Now I think he is just comfy here and dont want to deal with the change

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What you are alluding to is tax equalized and COLA adjusted pay package. Unfortunately I think such considerations are usually not given to entry level manager's local package.

What you can do is to try and negotiate some sort of one-off payment to cover relocating expenses. My personal take is this offer doesn't really make sense for you - too much personal risk, effective pay cut, lots of hassle and does not seem to really help in building up your CV for future career progression.

But I am not building CV for career progression. I want to consider au as a plce for retirement and I feel work and life is less stressful in AU for me and family.
I am not doing this to look good on CV. But as a long term plan to finally bring my entire family to AU.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What you are alluding to is tax equalized and COLA adjusted pay package. Unfortunately I think such considerations are usually not given to entry level manager's local package.

What you can do is to try and negotiate some sort of one-off payment to cover relocating expenses. My personal take is this offer doesn't really make sense for you - too much personal risk, effective pay cut, lots of hassle and does not seem to really help in building up your CV for future career progression.

You are right about the tax equalization but just what is an entry level manager??? How do you enter fresh from school to be a manager that earns S$120k/yr in supply chain? We all know you mean it's not a top management/expat pay package but don't be so condescending lah...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Since you want to retire in Syd, then you should just sell your condo, take the money and buy a house in Syd suburbs. Your hubby can quit his job and follow you. With the money in hand, he can take his time to get a job in Syd. Let's say you sell your condo for $1.5m and pay off the remaining loan of $500k. Then you have $1m cash in hand. Buy a house in Syd suburbs for AUD400k. You still have a balance of $600k as standby. Your family can get by with just your salary for the moment while your hubby finds a new job. If he can't, he can drive a taxi there as it pays quite well. Alternatively, he can invest the $600k and retire. What do you think?

I have considered this angle before. The house in the suburb I am considering is similiar priced to my current. I will not have $ left over if I sell SG hse to buy Au hse.
Also its a huge commitment and untill we are sure for the family to move permanently to AU. we should hold on to our current house/condo.
I am prepared to rent for the period I am there untill we have stablise and consider buying.
small 3 bedroom aprtm is close to 1m in the suburb I am looking at.

My spouse will not be contend to drive a taxi, he is happy working in MNC with the few challenges he has. Driving a taxi, maybe only upon retirement 2 or 3 decades later