[MagpiesMagpiesMagpies]

One final piece I forgot: federal taxes. Owning a home is tax advantageous in the States. You can deduct your mortgage interest from your taxable income. So it can save you quite a chunk of change come tax time.

Having kids is tax advantageous as well. There are deductions from taxable income plus a $1000 tax credit on top for each child.


Magpies

[mattpark19]

Thanks!
How about education for the kids?
By the time we get over there our eldest will be 5 or 6 and the youngest around 2-3. Is elementary and high school education free as it is in UK or is there a fee?

[mattpark19]

Sorry Magpies, I didn't quite understand your last post - are you saying that intrest charged on my mortgage can be deducted from my income tax?!?!?!?!

[MagpiesMagpiesMagpies]

Originally Posted by mattpark19

Sorry Magpies, I didn't quite understand your last post - are you saying that intrest charged on my mortgage can be deducted from my income tax?!?!?!?!

Mortgage interest is deducted from taxable income. So let's say you paid $10,000 in a year in interest and made $50,000 in salary. The income you pay tax on is $50,000 - $10,000 = $40,000.

The child tax credit, however, is directly subracted from tax. So if you have two kids, you get to take $2000 off your tax. Sweet.

Public schools (what you call State School) are free. That's what your property taxes pay for.

Magpies

[mattpark19]

Originally Posted by MagpiesMagpiesMagpies

Mortgage interest is deducted from taxable income. So let's say you paid $10,000 in a year in interest and made $50,000 in salary. The income you pay tax on is $50,000 - $10,000 = $40,000.

The child tax credit, however, is directly subracted from tax. So if you have two kids, you get to take $2000 off your tax. Sweet.

Public schools (what you call State School) are free. That's what your property taxes pay for.

Magpies

Thanks Magpies!
There is light at the end of the tunnel after all!!!

[MagpiesMagpiesMagpies]

Originally Posted by mattpark19

Thanks Magpies!
There is light at the end of the tunnel after all!!!

Glad to help.

Magpies

[winnie]

If you are a nurse, check out Western MA - Springfield. MA is only 40 miles thick, so you would be really close to VT.

5 good sized hospitals in MA, then there is UCONN in CT, Baystate (springfield) has really awesome salary (you could expect to clear 60K there to start - that is the minimum I would demand...) They have a very structured pay scale, so your experience would count greatly in your pay. Good benefits too, and you can earn bonuses. They were the ONLY hospital in MA operating "in the black" (with a profit) back when I worked there in 2003. They have 1000 beds, and are building a cancer center. They have a 32 bed (total) OR. Really busy, what we call a Level 1 Trauma Center, and they also have a well reputed NICU unit, and high risk OB if that is you thing. They also offer weekend only programs with a HUGE differential, and Flex teams - again with a huge pay incentive.

For good schools, look in Hadley, Amherst, Ware, Granby, Belchertown, Southwick and Agawam. Look up some of my posts in this forum to learn about all the wonderful things you can do up in Western MA. There is a Great Adventure right in Agawam BTW Kids will love that.

Good luck, let me know if I can help with more info - I would be glad to help.

[mattpark19]

Winnie, thats fantastic news and advice!
This is the kind of thing I was looking for!
My 7 yr background is mdical emergencies and my wife is a NICU nurse!
$60,000 salary is more like the salary I was hoping for, maybe MA is the place I should be researching!

[Dragondog]

Vermont is a wonderful state- but coming from the mild martime climate of Britain, the cold might be overwelming in Vermont.

You might be better off looking into eastern Connecticut. East of Hartford (state capital) metro population 1.2 million, with at least 5 major hospitals locally.
In the towns of Manchester and Vernon (next to each other-east of Hartford) There is Manchester Memorial Hospital and Rockville General- with nearly 700 beds between them- also in Hartford, Hartford Hospital, and St. Frances- both very large hospitals.
In eastern Connectocut there are also hospitals in Norwich and New London.
Connecticut, while not as mild as Britain in the winter, is much milder then Vermont- the southeastern coast near New London Groton has a marine climate. Housing is relatively affordable in eastern Connecticut- in the towns of Willington and Coventry- a nice 3 bedromm home on a wooded lot can be had for 225K- while new homes 290-325K and up.

[MagpiesMagpiesMagpies]

In Burlington you have Fletcher Allen Med Center...a quality hospital & teaching institution.

Brady