Relocation to the USA - Washington DC - Need advice on what to ask for...

[spamm]

DH, DS (3) and I are probably moving to DC for my job, from the UK. I have been asked to put together a list of what I would like to see in my package and I am really nervous about forgetting something important.

So you wise Mners, please tell me what you have learnt from your relocation (to the USA or elsewhere) - what should be looking for?

Every package differs - this is what we got:

• housing based on position and family size.
• shipment of your stuff, one small lot by air, the balance by sea. The company rented furniture for us until sea shipment arrived. Make sure it also states return of stuff back to UK at end of contract!
• one return trip back to the UK per year plus a spending allowance while on that trip

The list can be endless, the general idea is that you should be no worse off than in your home country, plus a little extra for the "inconvenience". If you get a company car for example, this should be matched here.

A familiarisation trip is also good to choose accommodation. We also had the services of a relocation company, an estate agent and an education adviser. My husband works for a large multinational and we were relocating to their headquarters, so the support was pretty extensive and includes some extras not listed. Also don't forget hotel/apartment accommodation for one month when you arrive, in case you need to house hunt.

Not sure what child care your child is in at the moment. Preschools where we are are in the region of USD1500 per month. Nannies around USD15/hour. School only starts from 5 years here, not 4 like in the UK, so in theory they should pay for preschool from 4 to 5 years old - again based on the idea that you should not be worse off than in your home country.

A really useful website to give you an indication of housing costs is www.craigslist.org.

You'll need private school in dc. Very important that your dh has the ability to work so make sure they pay for a visa for him that includes that.

We have just done the same, only to the uae. We asked:
Housing allowence
schools allowence
Visa cost to be covered
health insurance
Pet cover if needed
Shipping and storage of things left in uk. Tip make sure they cover cost of it going back to uk if you decide to go home any time
How many flights a year home
Car
Tax, make sure you arent paying too much!
Living allowence until you are settled into new home
We also got £5,500 to decorate our new villa
Annual holidays, over here you only get a few days unless you are employed as an expat then you get nearly 8 weeks!
Mat leave if you are thinking of extending your family over there, again its only 45 days here compared to the 6 months at home
Good luck xx

No advice to offer on what you should ask for but just wanted to say that I lived in DC for many years (my DH is from there). 'Tis a wonderful, wonderful place and great for kids. You'll have a great time!

Thank you all for your input so far. I need to pull an e-mail together to my boss in DC about what I want, so will start pulling info from this. And will come back to you if I need more.

On our expat package we had (or what I remember)...

A look-see visit (basically a realtor/relocation agent spending a day with you looking at houses and neighbourhoods + their knowledge of the communities and suitability for an expat).

Full packing and moving of our house, including air shipment and sea container. Unpacking at the other end.

A week in a hotel at home and in the host country.

Car hire for 4 weeks either end.

Legal stuff re rentals and getting utilities hooked up and into our names.

Bank account set up with personal banker

20% of annual salary to cover the cost of the move (such as replacing small electricals, getting curtains etc.)

A housing allowance covering rent, taxes and utilities in our host country.

Reimbursement of lost rental when our house was not rented out, plus the services of a rental agent in the UK.

Annual home leave - a fund for the published air fares (although we could always get cheaper, so the rest was profit).

10% inconvenience premium on salary

The equivalent of my child benefit

$10000 per year spouse enhancement fund (to let me do a course, if I wanted, or gym membership etc.)

Pre-school fees

Interest free loan for car and large appliances

Guaranteed depreciation of car and appliances both at home and in the host country

Same holidays as UK

International health insurance (free choice of HCP).

Tax preparation for the years on either side of the assignment and throughout the assignment.

Visa stuff

Oh, and pet relocation - incl quarantine on return to UK.

I am so! I lived there as a kid and had the best time ever. Would LOVE to go back. Especially all expenses paid
What work do you do? Does your company by any chance need a very talented decorative artist to do beautiful things to their houses? I am free! (as in available)

Hello Spamm
Just spotted this thread - I am living in DC so if I can help in any way please let me know....