Working in Luxembourg

[GOODASGOLD]

My dh could do this easily, and seems to think that there is a special tax break for people with three or more children (like us).

We both work here full time at the moment, but if it gave me the chance to spend more time with the children, this is something that I would be happy to consider.

Anybody know anything about this I would really appreciate your views and experiences.

For time with my babies before they are too big to want me.

[Weta]

We moved to Luxembourg last year, but I work for the EU so don't really know anything about local taxes. Do you speak French? If so, have a look at www.impotsdirects.public.lu/ and www.guichet.lu

I'm happy to answer any other questions about Luxembourg... it's a bit of an unusual place in some ways, but we like it so far!

[Weta]

PS Depends where you are living now, but housing in Luxembourg is very expensive (on a par with Paris I think, not sure how it compares to London), so that's something to bear in mind. But everything is on a very human scale and most people don't have much of a commute, and the quality of life is amazing.

[GOODASGOLD]

Thanks for the link, I will check it out (dusts off schoolgirl French).

I'v never been but dh goes a lot, his company has a busy office there. He likes it, but says a lot of people commute from other countries.

Are you renting? Are your children in local schools, learning to speak one language and write anothe I think? How long will you stay?

On principle I like the idea, the quality of life argument is very strong. Maybe I could get out of banking, strengthen my language skills, spend more time with my little children...

[Weta]

Let me know if you have trouble finding what you're looking for and I'll have a look myself. There's a bit of that tax site (I think) where you can put in your income and find out how much tax you would pay (this is separate to the tax breaks for children though). For a couple you put in half the income and then multiply the resulting tax by 2 (much more advantageous than the rate for a single person).

You would also be entitled to family allowances, which amount to 800 euros a month for 3 children - look at www.cnpf.lu/Pages/BAREMES2008-01-EUR.htm

That page also mentions the boni pour enfant, which I think used to be a tax rebate but now they just give it to you, of 900 euros a year per child. These two things may be what your husband is thinking of, but check out the pages to be sure. My DH has just started working here so we are gradually finding out for ourselves too.

If you are a banker you might well have some good job opportunities for yourself here if you wanted to go back to it in the future...

We are renting at the moment - took a 2-year lease and the conditions are quite restrictive if you want to leave earlier. After that we're planning to buy somewhere. We plan to stay permanently.

We thought long and hard about the school issue but in the end decided to put them in the European school (for EU officials), where we have chosen English as their main language and French as the second (which they start at 6 and do to a high level). DH is French and we were in FRance before this so it seemed like a good way for them to get a really good level in both their languages.
That was a really big reason, but the other big one was that my son was already 6, which meant he would have been starting primary in the local system and having to be taught in Luxembourgish and then to learn German from Luxembourgish, with his two existing languages being a hindrance rather than a help for some time to come. He's also pretty shy and was extremely anxious about changing country, and it just didn't seem like the right option for him. Now that we've come I think it was definitely the right decision - he's settled in ok at his school but is still quite anxious and hasn't found it easy moving to a new place.

But there are lots of advantages of a local school - mainly integration and local friends. With younger children (or a different kind of child) I might well have made different decisions.

You might want to post again after Easter - there are one or two others here but they may be away.

[Weta]

Also I should have mentioned that I have found it very easy to make friends here, admittedly with expats rather than locals. There are so many expats and everyone is in a similar position without family etc. The British Ladies Club (www.blc.lu) runs loads of activities and groups for mums at home with young children.

[skihorse]

I've looked in to working there, local income tax comes in at around 10% IIRC (last looked 4 years ago). A Canadian friend moved there for work and ended up buying an apartment at the "bottom" of Luxembourg City (it's kind of built on top of a cliff, her place is at the bottom) - it cost her 300k which I think is quite a lot for a 3-bed apartment, but that's LU for you. She's so happy there that as a family they're trying to learn enough Luxembourgish to take citizenship.

I haven't been in years but I really must give it a whirl again because their Bengalese food is the best! Beautiful, unpopulated countryside which is much cheaper than the city to live in... but - as Weta has pointed out, a lot of people commute so traffic is horrendous.

I love the language, it's like a mish-mash of French, English, German & Dutch.

[GOODASGOLD]

Weta, many thanks, I think this is what he was talking about in relation to taxes, it sounds very generous in comparison to here. Probably enough for us to get by on one income.

European school sounds like a good option for your bilingual dc. I suppose that everybody takes the IB anyway.

I will post after Easter, or when I have been out to see the city for myself.

Skihorse that sounds fantastic.

I think I will join dh next time he goes for work and have a look for myself.

I'm really starting to resent having to work and missing my childrens' fleeting childhoods. Or maybe I'm getting a bit lazy.

Thank you both for your replies.

[Weta]

I definitely think it's a good idea to come and have a look around, that will give you a better picture.
The things most people complain about are the weather (rains a lot and winter is cold) and the fact that it is rather quiet (though very central for Paris, Strasbourg, Netherlands, Brussels etc). But very clean, very safe and has lots of lovely parks for children... basically it's great for young children but teenagers could get bored

[DoubleEspresso]

Hi there,

I have lived in Luxembourg for most of my life and, after having gone to university in the UK, vowed never to come back....only to return for lack of job opportunities in the UK in ?94. I can now safely say that I have never looked back and regretted moving back here, particularly now that we have 2 littlies.

I did go to the European School here, but did not take it into consideration for our kids for two reasons, namely that I wanted them to have their friends close-by and because the European School is about €4000+ per calendar year for non-EU institution employees, whilst seemingly not even getting the same rights in terms of access to extra-curricular activities.
Our 6-year old DD does go to the local school but I have to admit that it is helped by the fact that she has grown up with German (from me), English (from my DW) and Luxemburgish (Creche).

Benefits- and Tax-wise I think Luxembourg is quite good as, on top of what Weta has already outlined, you can get interest relief per child irrespective of your communal income, which amounts to about €105 per child.
There also certain fixed amounts that are tax-deductible such as travel costs (even if taking a car), house maintenance (for property owners), creche costs up to €3600 pa, personal contribution pension plans (€1500 per adult pa), third-party insurances, life insurances and savings plans, interest paid on a mortgage, interest on other loans (all at €672 * number of people in the household), etc etc. Depending on your employer you can also have €3000 of one?s bonus (if they still exitst) per adult in the household tax-free fro property owners if it is declared as interest subsidy.
In addition to all this €4500 is always deemed tax-free regardless of your income.
Apologies for getting carried away here but I have just finished our tax-declaration

The job situation in the banking sector unfortunately is not so great at the moment as lots of banks have been laying of staff, but if you want to take a break anyway then that might not really be an issue. As far as I am aware you might even be entitled to a monthly SAHP allowance.

Otherwise I think, in terms of work-life balance, I don?t think there is a better place in Europe.

[MrFibble]

Don't know if anyone else has mentioned the Cheque Service which basically subsidises creche and school canteen costs yet? It has made a difference of some 400€ a month to us.

Luxembourg is great but if you are a real big city person you might find it a bit restrictive. That said I've been here for 15 years and love it.

[Debinach]

Hi Mums,
We are movingq

[Debinach]

Hi Mums,
We are moving to Luxembourg and was looking for some creches for my 10 month old. How can can it take to get a vacancy in a creche? Can anyone pls let me know. Thanks

[MrsWilkinsonAthome]

There are 2 types - council run and private ones. You should simply call up crèches and see who has places. Look into the Chèque services childcare vouchers - once your child is over 12 months (I think that is the age) you can get means tested vouchers to help with the cost. Worth checking your crèche will accept these before you commit to a place.

[MrsWilkinsonAthome]

Wanted to add - there are lots of crèches so getting a place is not usually hard.