Better anywhere else

[Ardesco]

Are you still under the misconception that NI goes to the NHS???

[Bagpuss]

Tax is at a flat rate of 7.5%.

However she has to purchase med insurance and they have no NHS out there. So tax is about $250 and $1050 pays for her rent and her med insurance.

Something is odd about this, when I looked into working in the US the deductions were far higher. Less than the UK but not massively so.

Say waht you like about the US, it may be chaper to live, but they have those annoying hidden purchase taxes, and the place isn't safe to walk around at night (or in the day in some places)

[Andyw]

And you dont have purchase taxes here ?

whats VAT then ?

[AtW]

Lets see, NIC = another form of income tax, then you have to take out private medical insurance if you dont want NHS.

Even if you don't pay NI they won't leave you die on the road - emergency medical services are free in the UK. Now you may not like NHS, but the matter of fact is that most people do not take private insurance, and for this matter NI is the same as medical insurance - the rates I believe are comparable, though I suppose medical insurance is more of a fixed fee where as NI is percentage of earnings.

[Andyw]

like all the NHS tourists and pissheads that litter A&E on a friday and saturday night with black eyes !

[Ardesco]

From my understanding you can choose what you want with US med insurance. So you can have nothing and die when hit by a car or have the full monty and get everything possible done to you.

The nice part is that you are paying for your treatment costs, not for Joe who as he grew up had wierd feelings that will only be fixed by a gender reassignment on the NHS, or Jane who had to have breast implants to fix her depression about her small breast....

I'm not saying US is the best place in the world, i personally couldn't live there but they pay a lot less tax.

I'm sure there are other factors as to the costs of lving there but it all depends on how you live. The amount of disposible income you are left with at the end of the month is quite nice though..

[AtW]

Minimum level of medical service should be free and available to all citizens, including tourists (for emergencies only). I would agree however that a cap on NI is necessary, some fixed annual figure that, when reached, should put a stop to further NI payments in that year.

Of course it had to be said that employers here pay NI too, so in effect NI is really double the rate, which I think on average makes it comparable to average Med insurance in the USA, which incidentally often makes an important part of the package, thus making it almost exactly as NI.

[Bagpuss]

And you dont have purchase taxes here ?

whats VAT then ?

You don't go to buy a pair of jeans here at £x then have to pay whatever on top. Why dont they include it in the price?

re 7.5 % tax, I really can't belive that, unless it's a fiddle. According to the IRS the rate bands are: 15, 25, 28,33 and 35 plus a fixed amount


If taxable income is over-- But not over-- The tax is:
$0 $7,550 10% of the amount over $0
$7,550 $30,650 $755 plus 15% of the amount over 7,550
$30,650 $74,200 $4,220.00 plus 25% of the amount over 30,650
$74,200 $154,800 $15,107.50 plus 28% of the amount over 74,200
$154,800 $336,550 $37,675.50 plus 33% of the amount over 154,800
$336,550 no limit $97,653.00 plus 35% of the amount over 336,550

[Emperor Dalek]

Contrary to what some seem to think, you will not be left to die at the side of the road in the US if you are knocked over and you haven't got medical cover or a platinum credit card. Emergency care is available for all. Your medical insurance gets you treatment for chronic conditions.

[Cowboy Bob]

Emergency care is available for all.

Yes, and when you're discharged, they'll present you with a rather large bill.