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401^#

發表於 07-10-18 09:09 |只看該作者

401k係好似香港嘅"強積金", 只不過係你出糧時交稅前巳扣起作退休之用, 59.5歲後就可以提取, 係通常你供5%, 你employer供5%. 你就跟自己需要而選擇投資股票, 機金, 定期存款(高中低風險), 你而家所供嘅401K even 賺咗錢亦不用交稅, 但當你退休時提取401K做退休金時, 至要納稅. 但要記住投資401K係唔保証你一定賺錢, 如bunnymonkey 話齋, 你要自己定時monitor個plan架! 如果59.5歲前提取401K, 就要罰錢架喇! 賺幾多罰番交income tax, 好少人咁蠢.. if 咁等錢洗 , better consult 專業會計師, 三思而後行!

原文章由 bunnymonkey 於 07-10-17 07:43 PM 發表
From my understanding, 401k cannot be guaranteed if the funds that you choose in the plan has a loss. But you can monitor the funds that you selected and change it to something else to maximize return ...

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rose-mag

王國長老

積分: 174325

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402^#

發表於 07-10-18 09:32 |只看該作者

bunnymonkey, Nillie_mami, DDdada,
Yes, thanks for clarification. You are right, 401K depends on the performance of the funds. What I refered to in the previous reply to DDdada should be social security. Sorry for confusion. You know, when person like me gets older, sometimes the brain and the hands do not connect well.

Luckily, there are so many friends who can help to do the QC.

So, we can get nothing from 401K if we choose the wrong fund combination. DDdada, if you are familiar with MPF in HK, 401K is almost the same.

花旗太太生活在花旗國，留意時差，你問我未必即時答到。

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Bessy

積分: 9

403^#

發表於 07-10-18 21:44 |只看該作者

原文章由 Nillie_Mami 於 2007/10/06 03:49 發表
Bessy,
恕我直言..你只持travel visa 入境生BB, even 如期出入境亦冇資格同仔仔住US 陪仔仔讀書
你以後入境亦需要申請travel visa.
每半年上canada 行個圈返嚟.
因為你冇任何背景.. 只有仔仔係公民, 如果你想移民美 ...

Nillie Mami,
謝謝你！等到仔仔21歲才申請又或者到時再打算的。

2630

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積分: 19

404^#

發表於 07-10-19 01:07 |只看該作者

Dear Rose, Bunnymonkey and Nillie_mami

Thanks for your reply. Your information is very useful. I will certinaly attend the free seminar should there be one in future. I also need to discuss with my husband what assets/investment need to be sold while some others need to be kept in Hong Kong. As my parents and my friends are in Hong Kong, we may need to come back to Hong Kong when we are old.

I now have some idea of 401K. In Hong Kong, both employer and employee just contribute 5% of basic salary to MPF. It is really insufficient for retirement. That is why we need to buy some other funds to supplement. If the 401K is similar to MPF, it means that the amount of money should be insufficient for retirement.

How about the social security? Is it similar to Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (綜緩) monitored by Social Welfare Department in Hong Kong? Is it a scheme to provide subsidy to the poor who cannot support their life by 401K after retirement? If a couple already save enough money through 401K and other funds, can they apply for social security?

It seems that the US working class need to pay so much tax when they are young while at the end, the benefits provided are not sufficient to support their life after retirement. Do you guys need to save money by buying some other funds or other investments in order to supplement? Will you worry about the future when you get old?

It seems that the taxation system in Hong Kong is much fairer - the tax rate is low and so we can save more when we are young for our future. Since the tax rate is low, it makes sense that we need to rely on ourselves but not the Government. Please let me have your view on this. Thanks.

Regards
DDdada

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mrschao

別墅

積分: 768

405^#

發表於 07-10-19 03:42 |只看該作者

Social Security is not for the poor people only. But how much you get from Social Security does depend on how much you contribute during the time you work. That means that the higher income you earn, in theory, the more you can get from Social Security when you reach the age of 65.

In addition to Social Security and 401k, we can also save for retirement with IRA account which also offers some tax benefits, but it's too complicated to explain here. I recommend you to take a look at this online brochure in Chinese http://chinese.metlife.com/advice/planning_retirement/planning_retirement_01.html if you REALLY want to learn more about retirement planning in the U.S.

You are right that U.S. workers don't have much 保障from the government when talking about retirement benefits， although the tax rate is rather high compare to HK.

[ 本文章最後由 mrschao 於 07-10-19 03:43 編輯 ]

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積分: 7794

406^#

發表於 07-10-19 07:00 |只看該作者

hum.... DDdada,
不如以我自己呢個case 做example..
2公婆, 我有pension, 同403b (something like 401K, 而403b, employer 唔match, 因有pension), 老公有401k, 老細同老公(each match 5%), 為咗有退稅, 就去買IRA, 令收入睇起嚟小咗, 而令government 退稅.. 變相由government 出錢買IRA俾我哋..
SS係退休金, 你份工人工高, 交多啲稅, 咪老時有多啲錢...
我哋知SS會爆破, so, 自己要買IRA, 同供401k, 403b, 而我轉親工都要揾有pension嘅Hospital, 去maintain 我份pension.. (NYSNA 嘅 RN union pension).
當然, 我仲有股票, 定期, 現金, 留喺HK.. 唔帶嚟Newyork.. 私己錢嘛.. 留返返HK用..
HK嘅屋都唔賣... 冇必要咁做, as 我諗我唔會去到咁嘅田地, if touch wood, 係咁, 我會掉番轉頭賣晒US 嘅資產物業, 返HK/澳洲算lu..

原文章由 mrschao 於 07-10-18 02:42 PM 發表
Social Security is not for the poor people only. But how much you get from Social Security does depend on how much you contribute during the time you work. That means that the higher income you earn, ...

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IamBallBall

洋房

積分: 158

407^#

發表於 07-10-19 12:56 |只看該作者

Thanks Nillie,

He was born in HK. 3個月都好快! 佢驗左身有成個月啦! 因為佢宜家不敢接新job做, 所以心急想知幾時可以過來囉!

原文章由 Nillie_Mami 於 07-10-18 03:54 發表
波C9,
好睇handle你uncle 個case 嘅officer 做嘢快唔快.. 你uncle original from china or HK..
如果係born in hk, 會快啲.
一般最快3weeks, 慢嘅3months 一定見架喇
耐心, 靜心等候!!

...

MY BLOG

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rose-mag

王國長老

積分: 174325

408^#

發表於 07-10-19 23:48 |只看該作者

原文章由 Nillie_Mami 於 07-10-19 07:00 發表
hum.... DDdada,
不如以我自己呢個case 做example..
2公婆, 我有pension, 同403b (something like 401K, 而403b, employer 唔match, 因有pension), 老公有401k, 老細同老公(each match 5%), 為咗有退稅, 就去買IRA, ...

Actually, we cannot depend on the gov't to support our living after retirement in any country. Moreover, who cannot guarantee the inflation rate and the change of economy over the years. If you only want to try and see if you would like to stay in US, you're better to keep the flat and some of the cash so that you won't lose too much when you go back to HK. I have seen so many people moved to overseas and go back to HK afterwards.

花旗太太生活在花旗國，留意時差，你問我未必即時答到。

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JeffB

積分: 5465

409^#

發表於 07-10-20 00:05 |只看該作者

Dear All

Thanks for your messages. You all are really helpful. I need to discuss with my husband whether we need to leave some investments in Hong Kong. As we are already over 40 years old, that is why I concern retirement planning. Thanks Mrs Chao for the website. The information in the website is rather complicated. I need some time to study it.

Once again, thanks all of you for the assistance.

Regards
DDdada

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積分: 7794

410^#

發表於 07-10-20 03:30 |只看該作者

Ball C9,
After he goes for his interview, still depends if he has all the documents correct and ready, othewise, the time for re-schedule for interview .. that will take a lot of time. Plus, even after the interview, it takes a while to let the embassy to let him know if his visa is ready.
Body check is just the begining.

原文章由 IamBallBall 於 07-10-18 11:56 PM 發表
Thanks Nillie,

He was born in HK. 3個月都好快! 佢驗左身有成個月啦! 因為佢宜家不敢接新job做, 所以心急想知幾時可以過來囉!

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mrschao

別墅

積分: 768

411^#

發表於 07-10-20 03:59 |只看該作者

DDdada

Don't feel obligated to study the online brochures. As I mentioned, if you are REALLY interested to learn more about retirement planning in the U.S., you can use the brochures as a reference. And I agree, retirement planning is actually quite compliated, together with saving for your kids' education, estate planning, etc. That's why there are quite a lot of financial advisors in the U.S. to make a living by helping families set up all these investments/plans. As Nillie_Mami said, people don't really rely on Social Security. Some foresees that SS won't have enough to support all the elderly by the time we get old. So we may end up with no support from SS by the time we retire. The general practice is to max out the 401k especially if employer matches certain percent. Then use IRA and other financial options.

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積分: 19

412^#

發表於 07-10-20 22:58 |只看該作者

Dear Mrs Chao

Thanks for your message. I will try to learn more from the information provided by the website. It is fortunate that there are still 2-3 years for me to study the retirement planning and taxation system in the US before migration.

Regards
DDdada

原文章由 mrschao 於 07-10-20 03:59 發表
DDdada

Don't feel obligated to study the online brochures. As I mentioned, if you are REALLY interested to learn more about retirement planning in the U.S., you can use the brochures as a reference. ...

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積分: 7794

413^#

發表於 07-10-21 08:09 |只看該作者

DDdada,
you are so smart to check everything ahead.
Retirement fund with the INCOME TAX RETURN is a大學問...
Glad that we got some expert moms here.. ^o^

原文章由 DDdada 於 07-10-20 09:58 AM 發表
Dear Mrs Chao
Thanks for your message. I will try to learn more from the information provided by the website. It is fortunate that there are still 2-3 years for me to study the retirement planning ...

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suilangmui

禁止訪問

積分: 14553

414^#

發表於 07-10-21 10:04 |只看該作者

提示: 作者被禁止或刪除內容自動屏蔽

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積分: 7794

415^#

發表於 07-10-21 21:17 |只看該作者

suilangmui,
你終於calm down 囉呵!!! 嘩!你個1st message嘅內容好似係USA 媽咪欠咗你咁, 係rose 至會敢答你咋!肥bear話你咁凶神惡煞, 叫我唔好多事呀!
嗱你知你green card expired, 老實講, 你當年03, 係有心唔返, 明眼人一望就知..
而家, 你唯有放棄expired greencard, 等你媽咪俾心機入籍. 用公民身份申請巳婚仔女(at least 再等5-7年)
而家most of the US airlines 已唔俾expired green card holder 上機, 你可以慳番飛機票錢.
你一日唔放棄old green card, 你媽咪even 入籍都apply唔到你..

Plus, 你一放棄green card, 係可以同仔仔apply travel visa探你媽咪架, 你只要proove到你唔會賴C唔走就ok架喇 (e.g. HK資產, 工作信etc)

原文章由 suilangmui 於 07-10-20 09:04 PM 發表

Hi Rose-mag,

Thanks for answering my question. I was under 18 when I lived in the US for those 8 years and my mom never got the nerves to take the test, she said it is too hard... then I moved back ...

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積分: 19

416^#

發表於 07-10-21 22:44 |只看該作者

Dear Nillie_Mami

I can never be an expert as I find that the taxation system of the US is too complicated and troublesome. It seems that the US people have to fill in a number of forms and then put a figure (sub-total) to a Schedule and then from the various figures in the schedule, they come up another figure (another sub-total) and this figure is put in the final tax return form. It is really headache to do so. I really don't know why the US people prefer to use such a complicated though very detailed or fairer system. For the US people, they need to spend so much time and effort in keeping the statements and records to prove their income and expenses and filling the various kinds of forms. On the other hand, I wonder whether the Government will double check whether the people make false statements and cheat the government. Of course, they can do it randomly but it is really time-consuming to do so. Somehow, the Hong Kong taxation system is really good and easy to handle.

I am interested in the taxation system and retirement planning just because I want to estimate how many years we can stay in US with our existing savings and in case we cannot find a job. I also worry whether we can retire in the US under the existing circumstances. That is why I need to plan ahead.

If it is not because of our son, I think we won't prefer to migrate to the US.

Regards
DDdada

原文章由 Nillie_Mami 於 07-10-21 08:09 發表
DDdada,
you are so smart to check everything ahead.
Retirement fund with the INCOME TAX RETURN is a大學問...
Glad that we got some expert moms here.. ^o^

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rose-mag

王國長老

積分: 174325

417^#

發表於 07-10-22 00:00 |只看該作者

原文章由 DDdada 於 07-10-21 22:44 發表
Dear Nillie_Mami

I can never be an expert as I find that the taxation system of the US is too complicated and troublesome. It seems that the US people have to fill in a number of forms and then put ...

DDdada,
It's nice to keep all statements and records but your employers and banks will mail you the necessary documents for your filing of taxes every year. So, it's not that hard, just like what all the employers in HK have to provide the income proof to you every year. Plus, all the banks or credit unions will mail you a summary of your interests earned. Well, the taxation system maybe seem to be complicated but it's quite thoughtful too. Tax will be deducted from your paycheck first (that's why we need a figure 0, 1, 2... which determines how much your employer has to deduct and send to IRS first) and then everybody needs to file taxation document to IRS and usually you will know if you need to pay extra for tax or you can receive rebate. Usually, I will put "0" and get back money from IRS every year. But, some people who has a family to support and they need more cash, they can claim more dependents.

No taxation system is fair to middle class. In HK, I pay a lot of tax but never be able to enjoy any benefits. In US, it's just the same time. So, that's why we need to have other kinds of savings, investments lor.... Take your time to understand and calculate. You still have time. If you have questions, just post it here and our US BK moms would try to find out the answers for you.

花旗太太生活在花旗國，留意時差，你問我未必即時答到。

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