I'm considering immigrating to New Zealand

Skipperlipicus said:
a serious thing to consider which you might not have because you didn't mention it is that anything you earn in NZ will be taxed twice... you'll pay NZ taxes, and then you'll also have to pay US taxes. it's annoying but there's no way to get around it other than expatriating (renouncing US citizenship), but you didn't say that was part of the plan.
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$74,000 per year is exempt.

I've also been considering doing at least a couple year stint in NZ, maybe longer.
 
Jes sayin .............. da USA has the largest gold stockpile in da werld.

Think about it.

Go to work vacation foist.

Watch out fer Earthquakes though. :p:
 
My sister and her husband lived in NZ a few years - great if you have some money moving there, decent used vehicles are pretty cheap and the country and people in general are super friendly and easy to get along with.

Downsides, food and housing is ridiculously expensive.

Also, I'm not sure what sort of taxes you are used to, but going from Canada they felt like they were getting raped on income tax.
 
Lol. You have to be an absolute moron to leave the USA.

Our legal system is by far the best legal system in the world.
 
Ender said:
Lol. You have to be an absolute moron to leave the USA.

Our legal system is by far the best legal system in the world.
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I'm sure the 7,225,800 inmates as of 2009 would agree with you, many of which are incarcerated for victim-less crime, and with 5% of the world population we have 25% of the worlds prisoners.

best ever
 
Skipperlipicus said:
a serious thing to consider which you might not have because you didn't mention it is that anything you earn in NZ will be taxed twice... you'll pay NZ taxes, and then you'll also have to pay US taxes. it's annoying but there's no way to get around it other than expatriating (renouncing US citizenship), but you didn't say that was part of the plan.
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I'm pretty certain that by US law you have to continue paying taxes for 10 years after renouncing citizenship. Of course they wouldn't really be able to enforce it (short of an unlikely extradition), but you'd have to consider that you might not even be able to visit the US as a NZ citizen afterwards.
 
P Masta Flex said:
I'm sure the 7,225,800 inmates as of 2009 would agree with you, many of which are incarcerated for victim-less crime, and with 5% of the world population we have 25% of the worlds prisoners.

best ever
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so why don't you quit complaining and get the fuck out of here already. pretty sure we don't need you here.
 
Skipperlipicus said:
I have a hard time buying that.
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P Masta Flex said:
per person or per house hold?
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Foreign Earned Income Exclusion - IRS Form 2555

You will be eligible to exclude up to $91,500 annually in foreign wages. The amount of the foreign earned income exclusion changes each year, and here's the maximum allowable exclusions for various tax years.

You may also be able to exclude an additional amount for housing using the foreign housing exclusion or deduction. Self-employed taxpayers have additional tax considerations. The foreign earned income exclusion will reduce your regular tax liability, but not your self employment tax. Also, you'll have to take the foreign housing deduction instead of the housing exclusion.
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I think if you are filing jointly, its greater than that.
 
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fartiusstinkius said:
I'm pretty certain that by US law you have to continue paying taxes for 10 years after renouncing citizenship. Of course they wouldn't really be able to enforce it (short of an unlikely extradition), but you'd have to consider that you might not even be able to visit the US as a NZ citizen afterwards.
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Expatriation Tax

If a person pays less than $124,000 in taxes a year or has less than $2 million in the bank, and as long as the IRS' reporting requirements are followed, one would be safe from taxes starting for the first year that citizenship is not held.

so unless you making a $300k/year or something, you dont have to pay after you renounce (other than taxes already owed).
 
Why would they want accept us?
I'm a first generation American, my family is British, dont know if this counts for anything but I'm of their people so to speak. I have some extended family there. Medic and a Teacher, honorable professions in their eyes from what I read. I'll probably be 29 by the time this comes to fruition so we're in the right age range. Essentially in a country of only 4.x million we'd be useful. this helps.

my medical career
I'm going to shift my school plans to suit, incase I go through with it. I wanted to get my Paramedic Critical Care cert anyways (to go flight), but by doing this I'll put myself in a good position to receive paramedic reciprocity in NZ. Their EMS system is a big step above ours and seems to be everything I want out of my working life. Their paramedics are almost completely autonomous, are permitted to utilize many more of the skills that I actually have, and essentially it raises my glass ceiling as it were. They have 2 levels above our version of a critical care paramedic the last being a Emergency Care Practitioner. the ECP is the dream job I never knew I wanted. I've been debating medical school all year as I want to be "where the buck stops" so to speak, but I love EMS. This fits my desires perfectly, and if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.

If I get my NREMT-P/CC I'll be able to transfer my skills to their system with minimal retraining, and the best thing about it over there is it's not about what class you sat through, its about what you are capable of. Outstanding for me because my abilities far surpass my credentials. It's an experience and skill based progression. And they pay fairly and have a strong appropriate union. This is fucking fantastic.

Wife's teaching career
Our educational system is fucked up and seems continually headed in the wrong direction. she makes a shit salary for her level of education. The schools push all the wrong things (testing testing testing), and dont let teachers actually teach. NZ seems to be a much better place to be a public employee, their schools seem better, the (and she wouldn't say this) kids will be better, the culture seems to care more. I think she'd be much happier there.

Lifestyle
the work / life balance over there by all accounts is better. People seem ridiculously friendly, even the people I've been talking to online. The general society seems more enjoyable, healthier, and it just seems to be a better place. It's the kind of place I'd like my future children to grow up in. A place where you can ski in the morning and surf in the evening. it's beautiful, and it's a very outdoorsy culture. That's all me. There's little to no pollution, the life expectancy is longer. People seem far more social, life is less stressful by all accounts. There is SPACE there.

Politics/Laws
There system seems to work well, I've been looking into the political situation and it seems acceptable to me. They seem to follow to common sense more than most. It's not a big brother nanny state, not a winner takes all libertarian ideal, it seems to be a good compromise.
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Why would they want accept us?
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Queenstown is populated by 60% other cultures or some ludicrous number like that, so you would have no problem fitting in.

my medical career
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Wife's teaching career
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Their dollar is weaker than the US and aus dollar, they job market is small and you get paid less in NZ than you do in aus.

Lifestyle
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Politics/Laws
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Awesome lifestyle on the south island, North island is full of gangs and coconut head mouris, so choose your house planing wisely. Best place in NZ by far is Queenstown.
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