Get paid to move

I just moved my family from chicago to jacksonville for a new job at CIT for my wife. I did several, what i thought was a very good search as far as the differance cost between the 2 states. Here are a few if the things I didnt know until we already moved. Insurance. Our home and car rates doubled. There is no gas for heat or cooking, its all electric, and it is very costly. The water was the next item we were hit on. That also is expensive here. The last was the worst. Even though my wife had a job, I have now been able to find employment in the 1 1/2 years we have lived here. I knew the pay scale would be much lower, but I didnt know that there is really no market for a management position in distribution/transportation field. A better check would have shown me that while there is business here, it is on a very small scale. The sad news is that after only 16 months here, my wife was layed off her management position because the VP didnt like her style. Even thought she had turned around the entired dept to a point that everyone started to received bonus that they never before received. She was from a area of the country that employees did the job there were hired to perform, here, it is a very layed back with a “dont care” sense of work. She required her employees to do there job, and when questioned, they actually felt they didnt have to work! If you are thinking of uprooting your family to another state. It is wise to see if you can get a contract for 2-5 years. Also, look to see if there is other companies in your field in the area in case you lose your job. Nothing worst then being let go and then finding out that there is no other companies in your field.

I haven’t had the success of other posters. Twice in the past six months I have lost a job because the company doing the hiring wouldn’t pay for relocation. I know some of the nation’s biggest corporations will pay for relocation as the routine cost of doing business, but I don’t see this as a trend at all.

I recently graduated from a college that only offered degrees in Engineering and Science fields. As it stands I don’t know of a single one of my friends who wasn’t payed a moving expense. In most cases the company gave a lump sum payment on your first paycheck for the move, however you had to pay for the move out of pocket initially. That being said you have to be careful about the credit card, and read the print for the moving expense. In my case if I leave the company before 2 years have passed I have to pay them back a portion of the moving expense. So make sure you read the print on the expense they give you. But inside the sciences and engineering fields you really should hold out for such an expense.

My husband and I have relocated twice for a job and were compensated each time — the second time we were much more aware of the process and new the right questions to ask. In addition, I also have the following tips from Mayflower Transit about negotiating a job related move. Very helpful…

MAYFLOWER TRANSIT OFFERS TIPS FOR NEGOTIATING A JOB-RELATED MOVE

Know When to Ask
The best time to negotiate relocation expenses is before accepting the new job, so you can avoid surprises. During the interview process, ask your prospective employer about the company’s relocation policy, and check to see if the human resources department can provide a written copy.

Size Matters
Larger companies may offer a more standardized relocation package than smaller companies, so determine the flexibility of your prospective employer. Also, the cost of living and compensation varies by city and your industry. So, do your homework to make sure the dollars are comparable in your new market.

Ask Around
Get a sense of other relocation policies. Ask associates in similar firms about their experiences with moving benefits and policies.

Options to Cover Moving Costs
Companies usually handle direct moving expenses in three ways:
• A flat or lump-sum payment may be offered to cover expenses associated with relocating, including the moving company, hotels, meals, and mileage.
• All expenses paid up to a certain amount, provided you turn in all receipts.
• All expenses paid and coordinated through the company’s moving services provider.

What is Commonly Covered
The following expenses are typically covered in a corporate relocation:
• Temporary Lodging Costs – Make sure to negotiate these terms up front with as much flexibility as possible. Some circumstances are difficult to control, for instance you don’t know how long it will take to buy and move into a new home. It’s also a good idea to try to negotiate the option to extend temporary living arrangements after 30, 60, or 90 days, if needed.

-more-

Mayflower’s job-related moving tips – add one

• Travel Costs – If you relocate before your family does, find out if costs for traveling between your old and new residence are covered.
• Finding a Home – About 46 percent of companies pay for one house-hunting trip to the new location and 49 percent cover two or more trips. Check to see if this also includes your spouse’s trip.
• Packing and Moving Costs – Many businesses work with moving companies that specialize in corporate relocations. Ask about what is covered, including the cost of hiring a van line, packing and transporting your belongings.

Other Things to Consider
Depending on your new position and the company’s size and flexibility, it is not uncommon to ask for additional perks such as:
• Job placement for a spouse – About half of U.S. companies offer assistance for a spouse who has to find a new job — usually through a referral to a recruiter or job placement agency.
• Extra time off with pay for traveling and house hunting in your new city.
• Shipment of your car at the company’s expense.
• A one-time payment to cover incidentals such as utility hook-up deposits, appliance installation, auto registration and cleaning your old house to get it ready for the market.

Get It All in Writing
Make sure you get all the agreements in writing and examine the fine print to ensure that sure that everything is understood.

I have relocated 6 times with my company. Since our package includes real estate fees and many other perks, a couple of my moves were over $50,000. It’s a very comprehensive package that covers almost everything.

I don’t recommend that people negotiate a specific dollar amount. Rather, I would simply ask for the standard moving package that an existing employee would receive. You usually would not be able to get an offer better then what their employees would get anyway, but the standard package may include nice perks you would have not thought of asking for.

I have relocated due to a job a total of four times. It does pay to be organized.

I agree with the comment on getting a full service move. It is worth it. Sometimes companies have preferred movers they like to use. Keep in mind that they may let you go with another company. I certainly will ask the next time.

As far as taxes, most companies will ‘gross up’ your taxes to cover the additional taxes that will be due because of the move. You might want to negotiate how the ‘gross up’ is calculated while you are negotiating your package. I got burned on this with our last move. The relocation company told me that they calculated it the standard way. Well, they only considered my income with the new company (half year) which excluded my husband’s salary but calculated the tax with all of our deductions and the married filing joint tax table. This resulted in a skewed calculation that didn’t cover anywhere near the actual tax burden.

Wow Annie! You have a mind boggling amount of statistics there. But that apart, I couldn’t agree more– it pays off to be a little pushy about reimbursment of relocation expenses.

If you do manage to coax the money out of your employer’s pocket, don’t hesitate to order a full service move. Buy the best packing materials available. Be sceptical with the movers, don’t let them run the show.

Also, I agree that it makes sense to put some of your stuff in storage while you rent a place and get adjusted to the new city. Buying a property is a major decision, and should come only after careful thought.

Thanks,
Ben

We’ve reloacted twice due to my husband’s job - once within the company for his was working (in 2002)and once for a new company (in 2005). For both moves each company paid for the expenses of a moving company.

We have kids so for both I extensively researched the part of town we wanted to live in our new area. Each of the companies also paid for us to make a trip. We rented a house the first time and straight out bought a house the second.

The first company needed no negotiations - since he was already an employee they had a moving package they used for everyone that included using the moving company they contracted with, our trip to see the area, first month’s rent, and reimbursement for two plane trips (we had a split household for two months).

He was recruited to the second company, so the recruiting officer negotiated the moving expenses. I researched moving companies that would fit into the budget they had set. They paid for our trip to view the area, as well as a month’s living expenses and mileage reimbursement for him (again, a split household for a month).

We couldn’t have moved for either of his jobs if moving expenses from the companies were not included. We are very fortunate that our moves were paid for - especially since they got us where we want to be.

Larger companies work with relocation specialists such as Cendant Mobility (now called Cartus) which makes things easier. Find out if your new company works with these types of firms - be sure to find out how employers will support you logistically as well as financially.

Also, keep in mind, most of what is covered by relocation is taxable income which can put you in a higher tax bracket. Our relo pkg was fantastic, but we got hammered at tax time.

Lastly, in this market, find out if the relo pkg includes a buy-out for your current property and real estate fees. In a down market, that can be a huge blessing and allow you to walk away with equity you might not otherwise capture.

My employer was willing to pony up 5,000 which was plenty but what you want to make sure you do is NOT cut you a check for the amount. Instead ask if they’re willing to give you a spending account, that way you won’t have to pay the taxes on a check and you’ll be able to utilize the full amount. The company is spending the 5,000 either way so it shouldn’t matter.

I received a generous relocation package to move from NH to Austin TX. I hindsight, I would attempt to negotiate a signing bonus instead of having to go through the relocation vendor the company used: I could have managed the process better myself, saved the compnay probably 30% of what the total expense was, and pocketed more money in the end.