Moving from UK to USA

[fabian]

Hi everyone,
My wife and I are planning on moving to the US in 2 - 3 years time. We would like to go to Vegas as I have relatives there (American),I also have relatives in Colorado and Los Angeles.


We haven't made any steps to doing this yet as we don't know how to go about it.
Can anyone offer us advice on how we can start the ball rolling? Or has anyone done this and can offer advice or point us in the right direction please.

Thank you

 

[raul]

Hello Fabian,
I live in the UK and love it but will be going back to retire at summer's end. I was born in LA and grew up in southern California. You would probably enjoy the warm LA climate but the size and sprawl of the city might be overwhelming at first. You will need to drive there or Vegas or Colorado.

The climate might be best for you in Colorado where you have snow for skiing and nice summers. Vegas is unbelievably hot. What is 110 degrees in centigrade ? It was like that in Palm Springs where I lived. That kind of heat is killer and to this day, I loathe any temperature over about 75 degrees.

On the plus side, Nevada has no state income tax, and running a business of your own is probably easier there than in any other state. California has a huge state income tax for you to pay. Once they have you on their books, it is a real task to get out of their hands. We have not lived in or owned property in California for 15 years, work for a Nevada based company and own a home in Oregon. California still trys it on every year and sends a a demand for income tax.

A long break ahead of a permanent move would be such a good idea if you can pull it off. Moving where you have family is a good idea so maybe you could spend time with your family in each location. You never really get into a country till you step off the tourist path and do things like shop for groceries, speak to locals and so on.

Good luck!