4.11.2008

What I didn’t blog about this week

Monday – Max scored very high on a recent company evaluation for EIDs, Executives in Development. Until being invited to the evaluation center several weeks back, he didn’t know he was part of this elite group (the top 1 percent in the company) and discovered he is vying for a director position with his next move--whenever or wherever that might be. As part of his evaluation, Max met with one of his observers from the evaluation center--a company vice president from a different division, who offered him some advice: Network. Network. Network. Despite his high marks, apparently the old adage is true. It’s not necessarily what you know, it’s WHO you know.

Tuesday – The.Taxman.Cometh. Fresh off vacation and our company-provided accountant had to kill our buzz. Thanks to extra relocation money given to us by Max’s company for moving to Germany, we owe Uncle Same $8,100 this year. Bad? Yes. But it gets even better. We will also have to pay taxes in Germany for the one month we lived in the country with a tax rate based on our entire 2007 income. We won’t get this figure until later this year, but I am already getting warm fuzzies just thinking about it.


Wednesday – I’m not ready to start German classes again. I’m not ready. I’m not ready.

Thursday – Sick with a nasty head cold, my first since leaving the U.S.

Friday – Still feeling gimpy, I must press on and get the house in tip-top shape. We have guests coming tonight (See Monday’s headline). Network. Network. Network. Please don’t let me become a Stepford wife, ok?

13 comments:

G in Berlin said...

We just filed our extension. But, acto our accountant, if you extend then file the American taxes after you were abroad for a year, you can use the expatriate exemption, which is somewhere around $82000 for 2007. This year, you will want to instead deduct your German taxes, I expect, as they will be higher than those you would pay in the US.
And I was bummed but not surprised to note that our tax rate here would be based on annual income, although we were here only 2 months. Better than the US method of taxing world wide income, imho.

I grew up in a GE town, so I am very familiar with the promotion through networking environment. I wish the German had it because it would get me into entertaining, force us into a place appropriate for it, etc.

You know you are entitled to an extension by virtue of being out of the country 4/15, right? And German taxes aren't due until December.

running42k said...

The tax treatment in Germany doesn't sound too bad. If you had moved here to Canada, they would tax you on the income earned during the time you were here, and any credits would be prorated on the time you were here, 1/12 in your case.

Congrats to Max and enjoy your weekend.

Sonja Streuber, PMP(R), SSBB said...

Congrats to Max! And to you, really, because he couldn't have gotten where he is without your support. :-)

Und doch, Du kannst schon wieder Deutschunterricht nehmen. Du kannst das. Du schaffst das!

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

I just mailed my US taxes (and check) today. Boo.

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

Ah, and yes congrats to Max :)

Sizzle said...

I doubt you'll become a Stepford Wife. ;)

Cheryl said...

yikes! what a week. Have a fun weekend though.

AmyB said...

That's such great news about Max!! Certainly, it might mean you have to be "on" more than "off" for a while, but it sounds like it will pay off in the end. As for you becoming a stepford wife? That's NOT POSSIBLE!! You are much too interesting and expressive for that, my dear! :o)

Hope you're feeling better today!

kenju said...

I can barely handle US taxes, so I give great thanks that I don't have to handle foreign taxes too.

ms chica said...

I don't think there's much chance of you becoming a stepford wife, but with the cocktail Parties for Dummies, Entertaining, All About Parties, and Martha Stewart, in your bookcase, I suspect you'll be a Hell of a fine hostess.

karey m. said...

oh, i love these posts.

taxes. ouch. but with the promotion and massive raises max will certainly get asap...no worries. 8k is a drop in the bucket, right? eek. i hate money.

don't start german classes. learn a sexy language, like italian. just my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Stepford wives are hot...sort of. :)

Just blogroll hopping and happened upon your blog.

My only time in Germany was in the Frankfurt airport. I need to see more of the country.

Anonymous said...

How do you say, "I'm not ready" in German?