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Also fitting in to the fear issue in the States is the tying of healthcare to employers (yes a constant topic here on C-D). Many people become tied to larger corporations due to their need for a decent healthcare plan - a plan costing $600 a month via an employer would be $1400 a month privately. It tilts the balance towards bigger companies over small ones that don't have the same buying power and limits peoples mobility.
Not anymore. The health care benefits at large US companies are usually just as crappy as those at smaller companies.
Where the disposable income of Americans starts to take off is in the upper middle and particularly in the upper classes, because the UK tax system is quite progressive. (i.e. Wealthier people in the UK pay relatively more tax than their American equivalents.)
Eoin
If I understand correctly, the high income taxes in England start around a salary of $80,000 per year. Or I was told that is the approximate salary range where English income taxes really start to take a bite. I would not call $80,000 a year being wealthy.
I would like to know why so many British engineers work in the US. By this I mean the engineers moved to the US to work for a US company as opposed to being on a temporary overseas assignment for a British company.
Do your Belgian friends realise that if they moved to Texas into a McMansion, they would probably (or definitely) have to:
1) Spend much more time and money commuting by car, even though petrol is less expensive state side
2) Pay extortionate healthcare costs if they get sick and monthly premiums for health insurance
3) Forgoe employee and consumer rights that most Belgians, British people and EU citizens in general take for granted when starry eyed about America.
4) Pay much more to put their kids through university
5) Accept that construction in the US is generally of a lower standard (build big & cheap is the order of the day, whereas homes in Europe are generally older)
6) Work longer hours with less annual leave
It's all swings and roundabouts at the end of the day, but the notion that America is superior irritates me as it all depends what your priorities in life are and what you enjoy doing. I would not swap my cozy little flat here and my lifestyle that I enjoy for a huge McMansion in a bland American suburb. I would be bored ****less, no offence.
Personal preference.
I really like how you guys aren't really chasing after things most Americans are after. Granted there are some things I wouldn't give up here in the US, but I'm all for a much easier lifestyle than what most Americans here are after.
US business (in New York / California area): Very formal dress code.
However, when I did business in Florida it was more relaxed with less formal clothing (Probably because of hot weather)
You make more money in the US and pay less taxes than in the UK.
I would like to know why so many British engineers work in the US. By this I mean the engineers moved to the US to work for a US company as opposed to being on a temporary overseas assignment for a British company.
Pay is a lot more, engineers aren't paid particularly well in the UK. You don't get anywhere near as much time off though, plus there are a lot more out of pocket expenses like healthcare, so it isn't directly comparable. If you just see the salary rates then the difference looks much worse than it really is.
Quote:
If I understand correctly, the high income taxes in England start around a salary of $80,000 per year. Or I was told that is the approximate salary range where English income taxes really start to take a bite. I would not call $80,000 a year being wealthy.
Only the amount over that is taxed at the higher rate (40% rather than 20%) so you would only really notice the extra bite if you earned quite a bit more. And it is the individual rate, there is no combined tax rate for married couples like in the US.
Overall, that's not "normal". Its not even close in California. I've been to Minnesota quite a lot and its not typical of Twin Cities residents either. Maybe in some upper income suburbs (Edina, Minnetonka), but not the entire metro area.
It is in Northern Minnesota. Probably at least 20-25% of middle-aged adults (can) live that way. Possibly even more, since cabins are often in the family.
First off, the point that I am trying to make is not that there are not tremendous differences between rich and poor in the U.S., or that poor people in the U.S., on the whole, live better in the U.S. All that I am trying to say is the "standard of living" (in terms of material possessions) is greater in the U.S. than the U.K.
If all you're trying to say is that on the whole, US citizens have a greater disposable income, then I don't think we have much to debate about! I completely agree that above a certain income bracket (I'll do some maths in a future post to find out exactly where that point kicks in), American people have greater disposable income than their British counterparts.
The only point I'm endeavoring to make is that while this fact is indisputably true for Americans as a whole, it does not necessarily hold true for poorer Americans. I'll attempt in a later post to find out at what income level it starts to make a difference.
Thank you for the well researched post from the Duluth area, I always find it interesting to see how others live and enjoyed looking through it!
Eoin
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