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The truth is that home assignment can be expensive!

Perhaps you will be on the road and have a lot of travel expenses. Maybe the cost of living in your city overseas is dramatically less than what you'll spend on everyday items in the US. You might have a list of vital ministry resources you need to stock up on while in the US. Or you might be in need of some intensive counseling or debriefing while you are stateside. We do not want these expenses to take you by surprise or for your home assignment to become a financial burden on you and your family. Review the information below to know how to plan well in a variety of categories.

Finances
MTD Planning - Before you head to the states, you should be reviewing your monthly giving and account balance to make sure you have sufficient funds to cover all of your needs. For a more in-depth guide, see ----.
Salary - Your salary will stay the same while you are on home assignment unless you will be in the US for more than 6 months and there will be a significant change. Extra expenses can be covered with per diem, reimbursements, or bonuses.

Per Diem - Per diem is a simple way to receive money for the extra expenses you will encounter while traveling. You may choose how many days you take per diem for yourself and your family. Taking per diem for the entire home assignment may be significantly more than you need, so try to assess actual needs and request per diem accordingly. The great thing about per diem is that you are not required to keep track of individual meals or receipts. 

  • If you will be traveling to the US, even if you are with the International Program Team, visit Per Diem (U.S.) for more information.
  • If you will be traveling internationally, visit Per Diem (International) for more information. 

Reimbursements - Because home assignment is in fact a temporary work assignment, costs for travel, lodging and meals are reimbursable and do not have to come out of your pocket. If you have any questions about whether a particular expense is reimbursable, you can reach out to the International Liaison.

Health Insurance

Because medical treatment may be more expensive in the US than overseas, if you plan to have a major medical procedure while in the U.S., it is best practice to notify Aetna ahead of time for approval, even if pre-approval is not explicitly stated or required.

Deductible - If you are on the Aetna International Plan, you will have a deductible while you are in the U.S. On home assignment years, you may apply for a Hardship Bonus to cover the cost of your deductible while in the U.S.
In-network/Out-of-network - When seeking medical treatment in the US, you must be aware of the differences in coverage for in-network vs. out-of-network providers. You can read all of the details of the Aetna Plan here -
Non-Reliant Insurance - If you have Opted out of Reliant's insurance plan for a national healthcare plan in your country, it is your responsibility to know what your coverage is while in the US. You should consider temporary coverage for home assignment if the coverage on your current plan is not sufficient.

See also: Travel Assistance insurance for ACE International Travel Assistance information

Taxes
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion - Once you have qualified for FEIE, a normal home assignment should not disrupt that. It may, however, reduce the amount you are able to claim as a deduction based on the number of days you are in the US. Be sure to keep track of how long you stay and report that at tax time.
State Tax - Reliant will not change your state taxes for a normal home assignment. If you are on an extended home assignment, there may be state tax implications.
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