Relocation to Singapore Questions

[patories]

Greetings,

I have recently been asked to consider a 2 year rotation to Singapore for work. While I am not slated to get the wild and crazy expat package I do have an idea of what is going to be offered and I want to make sure that I am getting treated fairly.

Background - I will be moving from Chicago, IL, USA with my wife and 2 children, and 2 cats.
My current Salary is about $140K SGD/yr
My Singapore Salary would be about $72K SGD/YR
Work will provide Housing Allowance about $5-6K/month
Work will also cover tuition for children school.
I will get 3 flights back over those 2 years, (1yr, 18 months, 2 year return)
I get emergency flights as needed.

I will be an Information Security consultant helping to build out a new offering with target market initially Singapore and than marketed to the Asian countries.

[Strong Eagle]

You're taking a 50 percent cut in salary to come to Singapore? With housing and school allowances you'll do OK but how do you intend to recapture your current rate of pay when you return to the USA after 2 years?

At the very least, skip the allowances (it's all regarded as income anyway) and make sure that you salary is higher for when you return.

[x9200]

$X72K SGD/YR?
where X=1,2..?

[Barnsley]

You're taking a 50 percent cut in salary to come to Singapore? With housing and school allowances you'll do OK but how do you intend to recapture your current rate of pay when you return to the USA after 2 years?

At the very least, skip the allowances (it's all regarded as income anyway) and make sure that you salary is higher for when you return.

Maybe there are more things to his life than money?

[zzm9980]

Based on what you make in Chicago, I will guess you have 5-7 yrs experience at least. Given that experience, your current US Salary in Singapore would be "about right" unless you worked for a Singaporean local company. So let me guess. Your company just got acquired by Singtel?

As SE said, The rent and school payment is sufficient. I'd say it sounds like a break-even total-comp wise. Your income tax in Singapore is going to be well under 10% with those numbers. You'll owe US Income tax only on earned income over somewhere about $98k USD per year. (But check with an accountant as that is actually pretty complicated)

But as SE said, you should be asking for more money for any kind of move like this that the company initiates. Not a break even.

[Addadude]

Nope. Nope. Nope. You should never take a pay cut to be transferred to SG. If your skills and experience are needed they should pay you your US salary plus whatever housing/schooling is required. HR might argue that, with the extra allowances, it is 'break even' but it still represents a pay cut. And presumably you still have to pay for things like the mortgage on your home in the US etc. Nope. Nope. Nope.