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.
Laid Off on an H-1B: The 60-Day Financial Survival Plan
When an H-1B employer lays you off, the visa clock usually runs out before the financial one does. Here is the week-one checklist — severance, COBRA vs. the marketplace, unemployment eligibility, and…
Social Security on a Visa: Why FICA Tax Might Buy You Nothing
You’ve paid 6.2% of every paycheck into Social Security for years. Whether you ever see a cent of it depends on a 40-credit threshold, a totalization agreement that doesn’t exist yet, and…
FBAR, FATCA, and the PFIC Trap: What Your Indian Accounts Owe the IRS
Your NRE account, PPF balance, and old mutual-fund SIPs back home don’t just sit quietly once you’re a US tax resident — they can trigger three separate IRS filings, each with its…
Emergency Funds Across Two Countries: How to Size and Split One When You Might Leave
The six-month rule was written for people who won’t need to leave the country on 60 days’ notice. Here’s how to size an emergency fund that actually covers a visa holder’s two…
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…