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Would you (or DH) take a new job if finances would be made public?


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So, I have a question...

 

If you were okay financially, but had the opportunity for a better-paying job, would you take it?

 

This would involve:

 

-a cross-country move to an area where you don't know anyone from an area where DH's family is 20 min away.

 

-a big pay increase, including an older, but huge inherited house on a couple acres on the water that is completely paid off

 

-living in a city where the sun doesn't like to come out often

 

-having to disclose all personal finances yearly. They would be a matter of public record due to a financial disclosure statement.

 

-employment through a federal agency, so existing federal employment benefits and retirement would not be affected

 

Taking all that into consideration, would you do it?

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It would be up to him. I feel like he has to make the major decisions about his own career. If I were really opposed to the personal life stuff (the move, the home, etc) he wouldn't want to do it. But if the job part appealed to him and the location and home part were okay with me, the financial disclosure part would not be a deal breaker for me if it weren't a deal breaker for him.

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I was used to everyone knowing what my family made. The superintendent pay is published yearly and the teacher pay is based off of a set formula.

 

So, that wouldn't be a deal breaker.

 

Only you can decide if your personal reasons are weighed towards moving or not moving.

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The paid off house is a big plus in favor of the move.

 

Cross-country to someplace where you don't know anyone and currently have family nearby is a negative in my opinion. I am speaking as someone who has moved 21 times and probably has at least one move left if her future. It's hard to make new friends. I usually have no problem meeting people at activities and events and such. It just getting from acquaintence to friend that is difficult. Especially in an established area or small town where many of the folks have known each other all their lives and everyone has extended family nearby. The holidays are so difficult for the 3 of us, because everyone has family to go to. We can't invite anyone over - they are busy and no one thinks to invite us. So that is something to consider. However, your children are young enough that your new town could easily become their "home". It should be fairly easy for them to adjust. Don't forget to think about yourself and spouse too though.

 

Is there an active homeschool group?

 

If you're a person of faith, are there churches you might feel at home with in the area?

 

The financial disclosure is unfamiliar to me, but would make me uncomfortable. But that varies from one individual to another.

 

Without a crystal ball, it's hard to tell. Weighing pros and cons helps, but what you really want to know is, I think "Will my family be happy if we do this?" Sometimes what seems negative can turn out to be a great thing and on the flip side a seemingly good decision can turn out badly.

 

Good luck to you! Let us know what you decide!

 

Blessings,

Sherri

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The amount of money being public doesn't bother me, but apparently if you have an FDS, all personal spending within your salary also becomes public which kind of bugs me and I'm not sure why.

 

It is a lot more than what he makes now though, and I just had a great aunt die in the same town. My aunt (she got everything from my great aunt) tried to give the house to my mom (my dad just died), who didn't want to live there alone. Mom may come live with us if she ends up filing bankruptcy, so it might work out to go live in this house.

 

I dunno...too many changes in my life all at once are making me confused...haha

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Well, the financial disclosure is not that big a deal to me. We are living that. Ethics rules were adopted in our state to deal with some abuses by some well-connected mucky-mucks and those rules now apply to dh. There was a negative news story about how much people like dh were paid (and his name and salary were in the paper.) We didn't experience any negative fall-out. It was a stupid story and didn't go after the real culprits - the crooks who abuse patronage and pay-for-play politics.

 

The other factors would really have to depend on the individuals involved. I am really tied to where we live and would have a difficult time leaving it. I am personally not the type to uproot for a "grass is greener" situation. I would follow dh wherever if I had to, but not if we could avoid it.

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How detailed are we talking here? Mortgage and car payment information? Or as detailed as divulging that you splurge on Godiva chocolate once a month?

 

I have no idea. I can't even find a site online where there is an example with this fed agency.

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So, I have a question...

 

If you were okay financially, but had the opportunity for a better-paying job, would you take it?

 

This would involve:

 

-a cross-country move to an area where you don't know anyone from an area where DH's family is 20 min away.

 

-a big pay increase, including an older, but huge inherited house on a couple acres on the water that is completely paid off

 

-living in a city where the sun doesn't like to come out often

 

-having to disclose all personal finances yearly. They would be a matter of public record due to a financial disclosure statement.

 

-employment through a federal agency, so existing federal employment benefits and retirement would not be affected

 

Taking all that into consideration, would you do it?

I'd be packing moving boxes already.

That may be just me though. I'm very "house oriented" and it would seem like a grand adventure. I love cool weather, and I don't care if people know what dh earns. I have no secrets, and I'm very sure that our earning/spending would seem very boring to anyone who cared enough to look at the numbers. :001_smile:

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I would take the job. Generally, financial disclosures require certain information: amount of all money gifts, debts over a certain amount, expenses associated with the job, all income and their sources. You won't be putting down specifics of where you spent your money but you will be in terms of income and money gifts.

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So, I have a question...

 

If you were okay financially, but had the opportunity for a better-paying job, would you take it?

 

This would involve:

 

-a cross-country move to an area where you don't know anyone from an area where DH's family is 20 min away.

No

-a big pay increase, including an older, but huge inherited house on a couple acres on the water that is completely paid off

that would be nice

-living in a city where the sun doesn't like to come out often

that would stink

-having to disclose all personal finances yearly. They would be a matter of public record due to a financial disclosure statement.

absolutely not

-employment through a federal agency, so existing federal employment benefits and retirement would not be affected

that would be nice

Taking all that into consideration, would you do it?

Me, no, but I don't like change. I grew up here, dh grew up here, our families are here and if we were fiscally well off, those two factors would make moving a moot point.

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Being close to your family is a big plus. Money and a nice house are not everything, though...kids don't really care about that. But they do love to be close to their family. I have family that moved far away and it breaks my heart every time they leave after a visit. I vote...don't move.

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I would do it but then we have been doing something like that for 22 years. Anybody can look up anyone's federal salary or military pay. I have never had anyone tell me that they have done it but it is really easy to do. I know approximately how much others in the military make but I never use it as any kind of hold or comment on it. All it has ever helped me with is being able to price things accordingly (like making sure we never had going away parties at expensive places because the enlisted make a lot less and who wants to burden them).

Dh files financial disclosure papers but I don't think anybody really looks at those nor are they published. He has to do that for clearances. That has never bothered us and while moving can be difficult, living in a different area is very educational.

I also can say that if the choice is between less financial security and more, I would choose more. I think more marriages have problems due to financial issues than any other. Having a comfortable salary really helps with those kinds of issues.

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