|
tinman0
18,231 posts
109 months
|
Dr JonboyG said: It's a serious problem - I can't start my own business with a couple of friends because that will mean leaving my work insurance (covers me and my wife as she's a freelancer) and entering the personal market, or trying to negotiate a group policy for 3 people that will then exclude everything any of us have ever had as preexisting conditions, assuming I could find a company that would say yes in the first place (people get refused coverage for things as measly as an ingrown toenail). It might get better in 2014 when PPACA kicks in and recission is outlawed, but I'm not optimistic. So you don't want to pay $300pm towards your healthcare? We've been accepted even with my wife's rather severe preexisting back condition. It reduced our choice of insurance company at the end of the day, and we're paying a bit more for it, but at least we have some sort of cover.
|
|
|
mph1977
4,798 posts
37 months
|
texan said: Or perhaps the US system is better where she received excellent care at little expense to herself, as opposed to free at the point of delivery NHS admitted to a ward within 4 hours of arriving in the Emergency Department , 24 hour on site domestic staff just a phone call away to clean up-hospital, getting 11 hours a day rest and working no more than 48 hours / week-houseman care?
. EFA prolonged ED holds are a US phenomena now , as are Junior Doctors working ridiculous on calls
|
|
|
Dr JonboyG
1,972 posts
108 months
|
tinman0 said: So you don't want to pay $300pm towards your healthcare? We've been accepted even with my wife's rather severe preexisting back condition. It reduced our choice of insurance company at the end of the day, and we're paying a bit more for it, but at least we have some sort of cover. I already pay nearly that much a month, on top of what my employer pays, for a high deductible plan for both of us.
|
|
|
tinman0
18,231 posts
109 months
|
Dr JonboyG said: tinman0 said: So you don't want to pay $300pm towards your healthcare? We've been accepted even with my wife's rather severe preexisting back condition. It reduced our choice of insurance company at the end of the day, and we're paying a bit more for it, but at least we have some sort of cover. I already pay nearly that much a month, on top of what my employer pays, for a high deductible plan for both of us. Time to search around then.
|
|
|
Tucsontom
1 posts
16 months
|
My American girlfriend and I are thinking of buying a house here in the USA in Arizona but I gather that there is some sort of witholding tax ( 10% I think) when we come to sell....does anybody know anything about that ?
I have a B2 snowbirs visa.
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
kilty2
120 posts
40 months
|
Sounds like some form of property tax.
In Illinois "property tax" or rates as I used to know it :-) is always paid in arrears. When we bought our first property here the seller gave us a cheque for the last years property tax (bonus) but when we come to sell - we will need to provide the buyer with a pro-rated cheque for the property tax during the time that we lived in the property. (ETA Damn you American spell checker "or should that be chequer"?)
|
|
|
Nickyboy
3,389 posts
103 months
|
Zumbruk said: Mitch, to give you a handle on the health costs, my mother, who lives in a retirement community in Pennsylvania, recently collapsed and was ambulanced away to the local hospital where she spent some time in the ER and was then transferred to Intensive Care, where she spent 3 days (IIRC - nice way to spend Thanksgiving), then transferred to Observation & finally discharged. Here's the bill;
Intensive Care Unit $12,861.00
Cardiac Care Unit $2,305.00
Pharmacy $370.00
Med/Surgical Supplies $316.00
Laboratory $1,835.00
Emergency Room $689.00
Pulmonary Function $91.00
Cardiology Services $1,569.00
EKG $140.00
Observation Room $384.00
TOTAL $20,560.00
The physician's bills have yet to come (I think the $1500 for the ambulance ride is missing, too). Fortunately, she is covered by Medicare and my late father's insurance, so all she will have to pay is a few hundred dollars. Perhaps the NHS isn't so bad?
Just to top that, my Dad was taken ill in July 2010, he lost feeling in his feet and eventually lost movement, it was eventually diagnosed after 2 minor strokes, many trips to ER, numerous visits to specialists, dozens of tests, bioposys etc etc. He is now up and about although still hasn't regained full use of his feet, total cost to his insurer is between $250-$270,000 He exceeded his yearly claim limit by $50k at one point but as it was on going they paid up. He retires next year and has to pay the health insurance himself. Once they realised how serious it was he was admitted directly to the Medical University where they found the cause within a few hours. I have no doubt he wouldnt have faired so well under the NHS
|
|
|
mph1977
4,798 posts
37 months
|
Nickyboy said: Once they realised how serious it was he was admitted directly to the Medical University where they found the cause within a few hours. I have no doubt he wouldnt have faired so well under the NHS
On what basis do you make that statement ? the vast majority of DGHs have timely access to emergency CT 24/7/365 precisely because of the time fact in dealing with CVAs as well as for head trauma.
|
|
|
jeff m2
958 posts
20 months
|
Tucsontom said: My American girlfriend and I are thinking of buying a house here in the USA in Arizona but I gather that there is some sort of witholding tax ( 10% I think) when we come to sell....does anybody know anything about that ?
I have a B2 snowbirs visa. Primary residence no Fed CGT if the gain is below 250K, I think you have to own it for a term too, 2 years I think. Note that is gain of 250k, not value, so that would have to be some sort of muulti million mansion before it kicks in. Can't help you with the the State Tax though.
|
|
|
JDRoest
994 posts
19 months
|
Tucsontom said: My American girlfriend and I are thinking of buying a house here in the USA in Arizona but I gather that there is some sort of withholding tax ( 10% I think) when we come to sell....does anybody know anything about that ? Yes. If you don't have a SSN or TIN then you will get slapped with a 10% with-holding tax. If this happens, sign a power of attorney with your closing lawyers and they'll sign off the IRS forms on dispersement. In the case you do get slapped with the 10% with-holding tax, you need to fill in a 1040NR once you get an SSN or TIN for the year that the sale incurred. Best thing is to get a HR Block tax person to write your 1040NR for you. The 1040NR is just a tax return for non residents iirc. Once you have filed the 1040NR you then need to chase it about 6-10 weeks later to see if it's been processed. This is important as the IRS might assume that you are filing a subsequent year, and if you aren't (or don't), then you'll want to inform them that you want to be cashed out immediately. Refunds for 1040NRs are running at 16 weeks. Spot the person who did all this late last year 
|
|
|
vetteheadracer
8,123 posts
122 months
|
I moved from the UK to the US on an L-1A Visa last year and we are buying a house at the moment. Compared with the UK it is very simple and quick but you definitely need to look into the property taxes as these can be a killer in some states.
For example we live in Illinois and they are very high compared with somewhere like Kentucky.
You also need to understand without a valid visa you can only occupy your property in the US for 6 months a year.
|
|
|
jamescharls123
1 posts
14 months
|
It totally depends on the purpose for which you want to buy property in USA. If you are buying property for permanent residential, than you can get it very easily but if you are buying property for business purpose or for rental than you have to pass through some legal conditions.
|
|
|
JDRoest
994 posts
19 months
|
jamescharls123 said: It totally depends on the purpose for which you want to buy property in USA. If you are buying property for permanent residential, than you can get it very easily but if you are buying property for business purpose or for rental than you have to pass through some legal conditions. Total bulls  t. The only legal definition you need to pass is that you have a pulse. You can buy any property in the US without being a legal resident and do what you please with it. The only thing you'll need is a TIN if you are non resident, and that is primarily for a bank account rather than anything else.
|
|
|
Matt Harper
2,759 posts
70 months
|
He may have been referring to short-term (vacation) rental, of course.
In FL the property must be in an area that is zoned for this kind of business use. You cannot establish a vacation let in a residential neighborhood.
|
|
|
JDRoest
994 posts
19 months
|
Matt Harper said: He may have been referring to short-term (vacation) rental, of course.
In FL the property must be in an area that is zoned for this kind of business use. You cannot establish a vacation let in a residential neighborhood. I've no idea why a holiday rental cannot be owned by a non resident though. As far as I can see, vacation lets and zoning are down to individual planning departments - for instance, where we live in Florida I'm not seeing any no restrictions on vacation rentals, let alone who can own one. I could be wrong though and I'll certainly look it up again. The only issue I can see is that you'd have to collect a local transient tax, but again, that won't be based on residency status. However, on the subject of a non resident buying US property, I've never been asked for anything in the process that confirms the residency status of the buyer. The only thing that anyone is remotely interested in is cash.
|
|
|
Matt Harper
2,759 posts
70 months
|
JDRoest said: I've no idea why a holiday rental cannot be owned by a non resident though.
As far as I can see, vacation lets and zoning are down to individual planning departments - for instance, where we live in Florida I'm not seeing any no restrictions on vacation rentals, let alone who can own one. I could be wrong though and I'll certainly look it up again. The only issue I can see is that you'd have to collect a local transient tax, but again, that won't be based on residency status.
However, on the subject of a non resident buying US property, I've never been asked for anything in the process that confirms the residency status of the buyer. The only thing that anyone is remotely interested in is cash. Just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting that a non-resident can't own a property that is then used as a vacation let. Thousands do in Central FL. My point was that in the city where I live (SE of downtown Orlando - near the airport) short-term (i.e. vacation) letting is not permitted - and I'm quite pleased about that. The thought of endless hoards of sunburned 'smashin's' living amongst us is terrifying in every respect.
|
|
|
JDRoest
994 posts
19 months
|
Matt Harper said: Just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting that a non-resident can't own a property that is then used as a vacation let. Thousands do in Central FL. My point was that in the city where I live (SE of downtown Orlando - near the airport) short-term (i.e. vacation) letting is not permitted - and I'm quite pleased about that. The thought of endless hoards of sunburned 'smashin's' living amongst us is terrifying in every respect. Double edged sword. Tourism is good for business at the end of the day. I know everyone b hes about snow birds here, but they bring in cash at the end of the day, and make a lot of seasonal businesses break even at least whilst they are out of season. The RV places make a huge amount of cash when people drag the RV down and instantly trade it in!
|
|
|
mph1977
4,798 posts
37 months
|
JDRoest said: Matt Harper said: Just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting that a non-resident can't own a property that is then used as a vacation let. Thousands do in Central FL. My point was that in the city where I live (SE of downtown Orlando - near the airport) short-term (i.e. vacation) letting is not permitted - and I'm quite pleased about that. The thought of endless hoards of sunburned 'smashin's' living amongst us is terrifying in every respect. Double edged sword. Tourism is good for business at the end of the day. I know everyone b hes about snow birds here, but they bring in cash at the end of the day, and make a lot of seasonal businesses break even at least whilst they are out of season. The RV places make a huge amount of cash when people drag the RV down and instantly trade it in! same argument as you find in University towns and cities then ...
|
|
|
Polarbert
16,884 posts
100 months
|
Is it possible to have your own health insurance when you retire? How much would the monthly/yearly premiums for this be?
|
|
|
JDRoest
994 posts
19 months
|
Polarbert said: Is it possible to have your own health insurance when you retire? How much would the monthly/yearly premiums for this be? Medicare already covers 65+ and is free but there is a supplemental part that you can pay for (which I don't think is that expensive). I'll double check for you in 25 years.
|
|
