A Handbook for a relocation package

 In order to gain an impression of why businesses opt to go the direct billing path, we met Marisa Keegan, HR Consultant. She adds that businesses with domestic movers may directly choose to organize and account for the whole relocation.

"From the employee's point of view, the good thing is that they have nothing to do with a moving firm - the business just pays for that," explains Keegan. We also stated the same to other experts: Direct Billing protects information from the incoming employer with the additional advantage of cost management and supervision.

Mover Beware: read the small print of the relocation policy

Both you and the business have a lot at stake, which is cost-based. If it is done properly, it should be your winning move, but there are several potential situations that signal relocation problems. So many businesses (or their attorneys) include safeguards in their policies that you should be aware of before moving:

Clauses for payback

Your new business makes considerable investments in the recruitment and transfer of you, so it is natural that they would want some guarantee that you don't simply leave a rival following the move. According to Worldwide ERC®, 86% of companies require new employers to sign a payback agreement in which the employee is responsible for paying back all or part of the costs of their relocation if he leaves the company within a predetermined time period, i.e., within one year or 18 months from the date of commencement.

Payback schedule

One major issue if you receive a lump sum payment is when the business will send you the money. Now? Following the move? Six months from now? In the best situation, businesses will instantly cut a check following your acceptance of the offer. Most of them enter the payroll after the conclusion of a probationary term, while others may pay it out. The disadvantage of a delayed payment is that for a certain time you may lose a large amount of your money or be in debt of thousands of dollars until you are paid back by the business. Make sure that you are properly managing your financial flow.

Expenditures not authorized

Dolly cart and box moving

Before you start contracting and spending money, you hope that the business will later repay you know precisely what the authorized cost is and what it is not. While you may assume that special packaging and relocation for your collection of antique pinball machines should be included, this may not be the case. Some items may not be covered by the business, although they fit within the budget. It is usually advisable to examine the authorized spending policy and try to negotiate any additional services so as to prevent unintended costs.

Taxes: The IRS wants your cash

When negotiating your relocation package, remember that lump-sum payments are fully taxed as income, meaning that you will pay the entire wage at the end of the year for income tax. Most businesses will provide the lump amount before tax but may be prepared to give it after tax – but only if you request it. Some will "sum up" – meaning that a greater gross amount will be paid such that after taxes the net benefit is about equal to moving costs. You may completely prevent this scenario by requesting the firm to directly charge for moving services. You do not have to pay taxes or disclose payments the business has made directly to the IRS. If the business does not get direct billing, you would want to deduct relocation costs in your tax return, so be careful to monitor what you spent and preserve your receipts. The regulations on taxes may vary and not all expenditures can be deducted. Contact a tax specialist to find out how the relocation may impact your fiscal position. Meanwhile, here is a short link to Moveline's fast and dirty advice on how to deduct moving costs after relocating for a job.

Coordinate your own movement

Smaller businesses typically have no time or personnel to organize on your behalf with a mover, so you may finally coordinate your relocation with their lump payment. The advantage is that you can keep whatever you don't spend. The disadvantage is that the expenses may be increased rapidly and that big check can start looking very tiny before you realize it. It is essential to search and pick a reputed mover to obtain the greatest pricing.

Bear in mind that the clock is a tickin after you accept the employment offer.' In four weeks, most businesses will want you to report to the job. It doesn't take long to arrange your relocation. The quicker a professional mover can be found and arranged, the better.

Manik, 24, worked for the President Obama campaign in 2012 as a web designer and developer when he accepted a job offer with Fluence, an early-stage software company based in San Francisco, which was to begin a month after the elections. The business gave him and his fiancé a lump amount to relocate to San Francisco from New Jersey. Manik was responsible for calculating and coordinating a realistic estimate while keeping the budget under control.

Go through the map and move items

"They offered to provide everything I needed, only asking me to spend it as my own," he said. "I was no stranger to the process of locating local movers, but the schedule and storage have to be more complicated and movers of our goods may have confidence for days, weeks or month at a time. I have put some tight constraints on drivers since I have done a ton of study and have known what's fair and based the budget on that."

When a 48-year-old advertising manager accepted a job offer from a start-up in New York City, he also received a lump payment and was expected to maintain expenses "by finding the most effective method."

The lesson here is that while some businesses pay for the relocation, it does not necessarily imply that they organize it or know the cost. When you receive a fixed quantity of money in a penny, you'll need to know how much the services you require cost, maintain budget tabs, and coordinate and handle related risks. Next, we'll discuss how and what to avoid to manage your relocation.

Avoid movements of scammers

Prevent frauds and stress

When you move with a lump amount or refund, take some time looking at your budget and changing the schedule. Be on the alert for frauds while searching for moving services. Call moving firms directly and make sure that their prices and availability are trustworthy, licensed and insured. For any relocation, but particularly those that transcend national borders, be careful of the costs given over the phone. Movers actually need to view your items to determine how much to charge; telephone surveys are often inexact and although the price of low balls seems attractive, these rates are usually never confirmed. You pay for how much you move, not how much it seems like you might be moving.

Keep in mind that it will take a lot of effort to locate reliable movers who meet your price and timetable. Manik spent a month actively looking for movers with many phone calls and a few personal steps to obtain estimates of his apartment and he still could not locate a firm that he had trusted enough to employ.

"They all ended up having been faked internet reviews or demanded an excessive amount of money when they came highly recommended - almost four times as much as I was anticipating," he adds. "It's been a really difficult scenario."

Computer CSR and ratings

Moveline, a business providing licensed and trustworthy drivers with several guaranteed rates and a "move captain" to supervise each process steps, is one method to prevent frauds and the difficulty of organizing a long-distance move. All services are free for consumers since the revenues of Moveline are derived from the moving firms they contract on behalf of customers.

After a month long search of movers, Manik's buddy suggested that he use Moveline and had booked storage in San Francisco within less than two weeks with movers.

"It worked outstandingly well. I filmed my apartment footage [with my mobile phone] and they got my complete stuff within one day. They sent me three movers the following day. I had seen all the reviews on Movelineapp] ['s straight away. I chose one and it was just where I wanted it to be, from a budgetary point of view.

"They accomplished precisely what I required in terms of maintaining my storage and storage up to date. Moveline has saved my whole move here. They performed an amazing job."

Big building with sign to rent

Temporary or rental housing

It may be a great difficulty to find temporary or rental houses from hundreds – or thousands – of km. If you intend to purchase a house in the new town or simply want time to find a rental locally, temporary housing may be your way forward. If your package includes help on location of a temp or rental property - utilize it. Some help covers the cost of interim accommodation until you locate and buy a new house or may cover rental costs such as deposits and utilities fees, saving yourself a lot of cash when you arrive in the city. In recent years, many services have come online to simplify the search for temporary accommodation. Airbnb.com, Sublet.com, and Homeaway.com are all listed daily, weekly or monthly accommodations available for rent.

When you move to a prominent city with a growing employment market, there are possibilities that many others are also, and you will compete for a declining number of rentals. Nothing is more true than New York City which, according to recent U.S. census data, reached a record 8.3 million. Fortunately, Moveline has compiled a few on-site reports from local residents in a few hottowns to offer insights into the real estate market.

Moveline's Temporary Housing Guides:

• Learn how to talk in New York, NY
• Find an Austin suburb, TX
• Search for a sublease in Washington, D.C.
• Search for a suburb in San Francisco, CA

House rented

When you go to cities like these, you can only access the internet resources (even big ones like ours). The rest depends on alertness, inventiveness and a little luck, according to Mark.

First, Mark searched his own residences and "hated every second." When he posted on the Facebook experience, a buddy noticed it and linked it with a rental that was available.

Don't forget to tap your network, particularly when it's heavy competition. Before it ever reaches the market, you may just grab a spot and be the first (and only) to scoop it up.

Go to an apartment

Set up and make new acquaintances

Just because you've relocated to work does not imply you're going to work your whole life. You're going to eventually want to get out, explore and meet new acquaintances. But if you're new in town with no ties, it may be a difficult to meet individuals you like spending time with. Fortunately, there are several proven methods to help you establish a new social network.

Start working

The greatest way to start developing your buddy network is to go to the workplace every day. At least you'll make a few friends who you can laugh with in the lunch room and at best meet individuals you want to spend time outside of work. Regardless of what the method you create good connections with your colleagues is a fantastic way to learn about the culture of the business and make work more enjoyable (if not actually fun). Lunchtime tip: Even if you like to remain alone at your desk during lunch, as a new child it is recommended to take a lunch away from the office or to join your coworkers for a happy hour. These are excellent ways to demonstrate that you are interested in establishing new acquaintances and getting to know individuals outside the workplace better.

World map with pushpins and insignia

Go up and greet

Meetup.com has grown into 196 countries across the globe, and during the last decade, more than 13 million participants have participated in no less than 125,000 meetings. Regardless of your hobby, there's a group for it. Manik believes it is an excellent opportunity for him to get to know other experts in his field at technology events and business open houses.

Do good Do good

Would you want to do more than socialize? Be a positive force in your new community and make friends through volunteering. Websites such as VolunteerMatch.org are great for matching you with the job you want to perform, the cause you want to support and the location where you can accomplish it conveniently.

Tools for gardening and garbage containers

Work is more than just work - this is a move that affects your life: where you call your home, what you do for your life, who's on your social network and what are your future possibilities. This is an enormous step which needs considerable preparation and thought to be successful. So let Moveline simplify the procedure for you before you plunge into a new city. We are here to remove the worry out of moving, so you can spend more time, money and energy in your new home. Life is brief, so please... and don't travel alone. Life is short...