Guides
Money guidance that includes the “what if I leave?”
Every guide answers one cross-border question properly — with the numbers for staying and for leaving. Pick a path, or start with the latest.
The RNOR Playbook: India’s Returning-NRI Tax Window, and How to Use It
India gives returning NRIs a two-to-three-year window where US gains usually escape Indian tax — but it is not automatic, and it does not last. Here is how to use it correctly.
Buying a Home on an H-1B: The Mortgage, the Down Payment, and What Happens If You Leave
H-1B holders can get a real conventional mortgage — but the math only works if you price in FIRPTA withholding, transaction costs, and the 30% rental-income trap that hit if you leave.
HSAs on a Visa: The Triple Tax Advantage, and What Happens When You Leave
A Health Savings Account is the only US account that escapes tax three times over — here is who on a visa actually qualifies, how to invest the balance, and what really…
First 90 Days in America: The Money Setup Checklist for Visa Holders
SSN timing, which bank accounts to open, how to build US credit from zero, renting without a credit history, and reading your first paycheck correctly — the order that matters in your…
RSUs on a Visa: The Sell-vs-Hold Math When You Might Leave
RSU vesting is taxed as wages the day it happens, not when you sell — and the sell-vs-hold decision changes completely if a move abroad is on the table. Here’s the math…
Term Life Insurance for Visa Holders: What Actually Changes When You’re Not a Citizen
Your employer’s life insurance ends the day you leave the job, and most guides never mention whether a visa holder can even buy a policy. Here is what individual term actually costs,…
The US–India Tax Treaty, Translated into English
Which country taxes your salary, dividends, 401(k) and Indian income — and why the treaty means you usually pay the higher rate once, not zero and not twice. Plus the three windows…
Sending Money Home: The True Cost, and Who’s Actually Cheapest
“Zero fees” is the most expensive phrase in money transfer. How to see the true cost in ten seconds, which services actually win for US→India, and the five mistakes that quietly cost…
Investing on a Visa: What’s Allowed, What’s Risky, What’s Myth
Yes, H-1B and other visa holders can invest. Here’s exactly where the line is between passive investing and “unauthorized work” — plus the PFIC trap almost nobody warns Indian professionals about.