Maybe moving to US (Cali) from Taiwan. Any big cost of life topics I missed?

[olm]

Thanks a lot for the lots of input everyone.

By the way: No kids for me, thank you.

[crusher]

@olm

Thanks a lot for the lots of input everyone.

By the way: No kids for me, thank you.

Condoms are good and cheap in the west.

[Tianmu]

@crusher

@Taiwan_Luthiers

I think the only real strategy to avoid the excessive taxes is to use the buy, borrow, die strategy that billionaires use.

Basically get your company to pay you in stock options, and borrow money with those and live on those money, so that you look like you have no real income.

That could backfire massively if the company you work for isn’t massive. Plus this hurts immigration applications, and if you are on H1B that option isn’t even open.

Think long and hard about immigrating to the US, as there are downsides, and if you have children, if you couldn’t stay there permanently (for whatever reason), your children will become pariahs in Taiwan. Being treated worse than even OFW’s.

What is an OFW?

Overseas Filipino Worker.

[crusher]

@Tianmu

@crusher

@Taiwan_Luthiers

I think the only real strategy to avoid the excessive taxes is to use the buy, borrow, die strategy that billionaires use.

Basically get your company to pay you in stock options, and borrow money with those and live on those money, so that you look like you have no real income.

That could backfire massively if the company you work for isn’t massive. Plus this hurts immigration applications, and if you are on H1B that option isn’t even open.

Think long and hard about immigrating to the US, as there are downsides, and if you have children, if you couldn’t stay there permanently (for whatever reason), your children will become pariahs in Taiwan. Being treated worse than even OFW’s.

What is an OFW?

Overseas Filipino Worker.

I think.the OFW’S get better treatment than OIW. Overseas Indonesian Workers. The Thai workers on the other hand tended to take less sh.te. I remember them many years ago protesting and spraying F Taiwan in Thai on the sidewalks , roads etc.

[Taiwan_Luthiers]

Well basically Taiwanese coming back from the states gets the same shit wage without overtime (which OFW gets), AND they often don’t have family structure that enables them to survive on such low wage.

My dad said Taiwanese hates Taiwanese who returned from the states because it means they messed up or were losers.

[jdsmith]

@Poundsand

If you have good health insurance in the US (and, uh, don’t just end up screwed), it’s MUCH better than NHI, in my experience.

Yeah, my health insurance is great. Ten dollar copay and in the years I’ve been with the district, I’ve paid out 600 bucks for replacement crowns.

[jdsmith]

@Taiwan_Luthiers

My dad said Taiwanese hates Taiwanese who returned from the states because it means they messed up or were losers.

Your dad is kind of a jackass though, isn’t he?

[crusher]

@Taiwan_Luthiers

Well basically Taiwanese coming back from the states gets the same shit wage without overtime (which OFW gets), AND they often don’t have family structure that enables them to survive on such low wage.

My dad said Taiwanese hates Taiwanese who returned from the states because it means they messed up or were losers.

Yes, I have always hated that sentiment some have here , “Oh couldn’t make it in your own country so came here.” Shouldnt it be “Great , you like Taiwan more than your own country , so want to live here. Welcome.”

[crusher]

@jdsmith

@Taiwan_Luthiers

My dad said Taiwanese hates Taiwanese who returned from the states because it means they messed up or were losers.

Your dad is kind of a jackass though, isn’t he?

Geez JD, still his dad

[olm]

@crusher

Condoms are good and cheap in the west.

I know there are solutions. Thank you very much

[jdsmith]

@crusher

Geez JD, still his dad

Just a perspective thing. It’s why I phrased it as a question, Alec.

And you liked my post, ya big hypocritisizer!

[olm]

@Poundsand

If he’s married and that’s household income, if he puts away decent savings in a 401k, I’d expect his estimated 30+% tax rate to be actually in the teens.

I guess I have to start googling this weird 401 thingy. I read you guys often talk about that here on the flob, but hoped would never have to join in those discussions. Oh well…

[Tianmu]

@crusher

@Tianmu

@crusher

@Taiwan_Luthiers

I think the only real strategy to avoid the excessive taxes is to use the buy, borrow, die strategy that billionaires use.

Basically get your company to pay you in stock options, and borrow money with those and live on those money, so that you look like you have no real income.

That could backfire massively if the company you work for isn’t massive. Plus this hurts immigration applications, and if you are on H1B that option isn’t even open.

Think long and hard about immigrating to the US, as there are downsides, and if you have children, if you couldn’t stay there permanently (for whatever reason), your children will become pariahs in Taiwan. Being treated worse than even OFW’s.

What is an OFW?

Overseas Filipino Worker.

I think.the OFW’S get better treatment than OIW. Overseas Indonesian Workers. The Thai workers on the other hand tended to take less sh.te. I remember them many years ago protesting and spraying F Taiwan in Thai on the sidewalks , roads etc.

SE Asians in general are treated horribly in Taiwan. I’m definitely not on board with the other poster’s assertion that anyone Taiwanese or American has it as bad.

[crusher]

@Tianmu

@crusher

@Tianmu

@crusher

@Taiwan_Luthiers

I think the only real strategy to avoid the excessive taxes is to use the buy, borrow, die strategy that billionaires use.

Basically get your company to pay you in stock options, and borrow money with those and live on those money, so that you look like you have no real income.

That could backfire massively if the company you work for isn’t massive. Plus this hurts immigration applications, and if you are on H1B that option isn’t even open.

Think long and hard about immigrating to the US, as there are downsides, and if you have children, if you couldn’t stay there permanently (for whatever reason), your children will become pariahs in Taiwan. Being treated worse than even OFW’s.

What is an OFW?

Overseas Filipino Worker.

I think.the OFW’S get better treatment than OIW. Overseas Indonesian Workers. The Thai workers on the other hand tended to take less sh.te. I remember them many years ago protesting and spraying F Taiwan in Thai on the sidewalks , roads etc.

SE Asians in general are treated horribly in Taiwan. I’m definitely not on board with the other poster’s assertion that anyone Taiwanese or American has it as bad.

TL had it bad, but agree with you in general. Some of my kids had it tough , but yeah not as bad , but pretty tough, as they went to local schools.

[jdsmith]

Straight outta Toucheng?

[olm]

@DonR

If you want to move to the US, you need about twice your Taiwan salary for the same standard of living in my experience. YMMV

Interesting. Is that more referring to someone making 40K NTD per month in Taiwan, or more like 400K?

[crusher]

@jdsmith LMFAO ^^^^^^^

[jdsmith]

I’m coming down off the covid. I’ll literally be here all day.

[crusher]

@jdsmith

I’m coming down off the covid. I’ll literally be here all day.

It got you ? Finally ?

[Tianmu]

@olm

@DonR

If you want to move to the US, you need about twice your Taiwan salary for the same standard of living in my experience. YMMV

Interesting. Is that more referring to someone making 40K NTD per month in Taiwan, or more like 400K?

40k NTD per month would make you homeless in California, possibly even if you doubled it. You’re in a relatively inexpensive part of California and moving from a relatively expensive part of Taiwan, though.