What to do when moving - Aus to US

[dentsflogged 352]

Get a checkup with your GP, have your eyes tested, get a skin cancer/mole check done and see your dentist for a full checkup/cleaning - its way cheaper to get ahead of anything now than treat later in the USA.

 

As others have mentioned get refills (and stock up!) on any medications you take.  I have 4 inhalers for my asthma in storage with my partner and another 2-3 will come with me when I go for my next visit. $6 in Aus vs. $60+ in the US, I know which I'd prefer! 

 

Stock up on any food that you'll want to combat homesickness - anything you can't get there cheaply or easily.  No word of a lie, this recipe is 100% legit in terms of meat pie taste: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/aussie-meat-pies/e97e5ce8-b7ab-4379-b208-a4f28f642a92  but it requires vegemite. 

 

Decide what you will sell, donate, put into storage or take with you and start looking into storage options if they'll be needed. 

Arrange any hair/beauty appointments - I've managed to find a good hairdresser in my new town, but I have friends that weren't that lucky and wish they'd gotten freshened up before leaving.

 

Double and triple check your contracts (if any) for all your services. Create a list to take with you for the overseas contact numbers (generally a landline rather than the 1800-or-13 numbers) for those companies for in case something goes wrong (Telstra is especially good at getting things wrong). Also update to email billing or your new physical address for your final invoice to be issued. 

 

Update your next of kin on your Super account. Also bear in mind that depending on the fund you are with, it's a suggestion more than a rule.  Mine has a "binding death beneficiary" request I can make, which binds them for 3 years and needs to be renewed after that time.  On that topic, update your wills once you've gotten married.  

 

Fill out a change of address notification to lodge at the post office prior to leaving.

 

As others have mentioned, make or get multiple copies of everything. Put those multiple copies of things in two separate places in your luggage, so that if it goes missing, you still have copies of things.    Create a list of the contact numbers or email addresses of all the institutions and/or government offices which issued certificates etc, so that you can contact them for new copies or if the worst happens and things are lost/stolen, you can report it and have them issue you with new stuff and cancelling the old ones (ie: your passport, drivers licence and all that) so that no one can try to steal/sell your identity. (Worst case scenario is something I'm good at )

 

Decide for yourself what your "point" is for selling things - what I mean is, if you have to sell your car or whatever, decide what point you're willing to reach with it.  EG: my car is "worth" about $12,000 to sell second hand.  Now I can start trying to sell it around when we get NOA2 and hold out and get what it's worth - but then end up with no car when I'll likely need it for last minute running around (I don't live close to family or friends with cars - all friends that would lend me theirs are a minimum of 90 mins away via Public Transport which is a pain) OR I can keep it until a week or two before I leave but accept that I'll end up having to sell probably at the first offer which may not be what I want because I don't want to risk not being able to sell it before I leave.      If you want the best of both worlds, use this time to investigate the possibilty of you pre-signing transfer papers and giving a letter to a trusted friend of family member to sell it after you have left, or trying to line up a buyer from your friends/coworkers etc etc. 

 

 

[AshMarty 360]

On 2/8/2018 at 8:49 AM, BirdLord said:

Thank you! This helps a lot  I was worried about my bank account but keeping it active might be a good idea! 

My husband that moved from Australia still has multiple bank accounts in Australia. He uses some banking service to occasionally transfer money between his US and AUS account depending on the value of the AUS dollar.  

[AshMarty 360]

On 2/9/2018 at 8:56 PM, Dee elle said:

Stop any insurance premiums that are associated with your super fund. Transfer to low fee industry fund that has zero exit fees

take yourself off all electrical roles after you leave otherwise you will get fined 

This is good information to know. I just made my husband look at his super fund last week but I don't understand his retirement plan and but he just started his first 401k here. 

 

On 2/11/2018 at 4:16 AM, dentsflogged said:

Get a checkup with your GP, have your eyes tested, get a skin cancer/mole check done and see your dentist for a full checkup/cleaning - its way cheaper to get ahead of anything now than treat later in the USA.

 

As others have mentioned get refills (and stock up!) on any medications you take.  I have 4 inhalers for my asthma in storage with my partner and another 2-3 will come with me when I go for my next visit. $6 in Aus vs. $60+ in the US, I know which I'd prefer! 

 

Stock up on any food that you'll want to combat homesickness - anything you can't get there cheaply or easily.  No word of a lie, this recipe is 100% legit in terms of meat pie taste: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/aussie-meat-pies/e97e5ce8-b7ab-4379-b208-a4f28f642a92  but it requires vegemite. 

 

Decide what you will sell, donate, put into storage or take with you and start looking into storage options if they'll be needed. 

Arrange any hair/beauty appointments - I've managed to find a good hairdresser in my new town, but I have friends that weren't that lucky and wish they'd gotten freshened up before leaving.

 

Double and triple check your contracts (if any) for all your services. Create a list to take with you for the overseas contact numbers (generally a landline rather than the 1800-or-13 numbers) for those companies for in case something goes wrong (Telstra is especially good at getting things wrong). Also update to email billing or your new physical address for your final invoice to be issued. 

 

Update your next of kin on your Super account. Also bear in mind that depending on the fund you are with, it's a suggestion more than a rule.  Mine has a "binding death beneficiary" request I can make, which binds them for 3 years and needs to be renewed after that time.  On that topic, update your wills once you've gotten married.  

 

Fill out a change of address notification to lodge at the post office prior to leaving.

 

As others have mentioned, make or get multiple copies of everything. Put those multiple copies of things in two separate places in your luggage, so that if it goes missing, you still have copies of things.    Create a list of the contact numbers or email addresses of all the institutions and/or government offices which issued certificates etc, so that you can contact them for new copies or if the worst happens and things are lost/stolen, you can report it and have them issue you with new stuff and cancelling the old ones (ie: your passport, drivers licence and all that) so that no one can try to steal/sell your identity. (Worst case scenario is something I'm good at )

 

Decide for yourself what your "point" is for selling things - what I mean is, if you have to sell your car or whatever, decide what point you're willing to reach with it.  EG: my car is "worth" about $12,000 to sell second hand.  Now I can start trying to sell it around when we get NOA2 and hold out and get what it's worth - but then end up with no car when I'll likely need it for last minute running around (I don't live close to family or friends with cars - all friends that would lend me theirs are a minimum of 90 mins away via Public Transport which is a pain) OR I can keep it until a week or two before I leave but accept that I'll end up having to sell probably at the first offer which may not be what I want because I don't want to risk not being able to sell it before I leave.      If you want the best of both worlds, use this time to investigate the possibilty of you pre-signing transfer papers and giving a letter to a trusted friend of family member to sell it after you have left, or trying to line up a buyer from your friends/coworkers etc etc. 

 

 

This is great information. They only thing I will add because it happened to my husband is gather any medical records for anything you are followed for by doctors in Australia.

 

My husband required an unplanned heart surgery three weeks before moving to the US. I made him bring all his medical records with him overseas so I could just fax them to his new cardiologist. It was very helpful in the end because they were able to do follow-ups and compare medical procedures with previous tests and visits. Medical records and tests are one of the few things that are universal, I am always appreciative when my patients from overseas come with their previous medical records. 

Edited February 21, 2018 by AshMarty

[Isabella_NZ 54]

I found this link helpful when i left Australia.

 

https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/International-tax-for-individuals/Going-overseas/When-you-leave-Australia/

 

 

[BirdLord 0]

Just want to thank the recent replies, sorry it’s so long after  I’m flying over on the 6th of June so excited!