Senior teacher with a PhD and 2 kids - could I save 50K annually?

[Heliotrope]

@PsyGuy

Apart from you apparently not realising my reply wasn't serious to begin with, it's also strange that all of sudden you think housing allowance should be spent on housing, while when in different thread you tried to argue that a teaching couple could save 100K in Germany on a (highly unlikely) combined salary 104,400 leaving them with 4,400 for housing and food. You said there that they should "mitigate housing costs somehow, something like boarding, etc. and you would have to eat lite".

So following your logic there that allowances don't have to be spent (and indeed very few ITs in China did spent their flight allowance this year):

Salary: $65,000 + housing allowance: $25,000 + annual flight allowance (2,092 x3) $6,276 = $96,276
That, plus the monetary value of the free tuition ($86,728) brings the total taxable amount to $183,004, which at 25% will result in a tax bill of $45,751
So in the end you’re left with (96,276 - 45,751) $50,525 (or $72,207 if you sent the kids to a local school like you suggest)
Goal achieved, following your logic.

But of course in the real world you will spend your housing allowance and -once Covid isn't as big an issue anymore- your flight allowance, and I wouldn't recommend sending the kids to a local school at that age.
I'm not trying to actually argue they can actually save 50K at Dulwich, just like the 100K for a teaching couple in Germany is very far from the actual sum they could save there. Just pointing out your inconsistencies, which will no doubt fall on deaf ears.

With kids' tuition now being taxed there, anyone with two kids can take China off their lists of countries to save substantially - a list that's getting shorter and shorter unfortunately.
A job in Saudi Arabia would be your best bet, but not many people will get excited about living there for any reason other than the savings potential.

[Heliotrope]

I just realized that I have probably disappointed @BM12 again by engaging with the resident troll.
I'm sorry, I'll try to ignore him more often, just like most grownups around here do.

[fangpiren]

They don't really give a rats ass about the Phd; all you'll get out of it being Dr.
I knew a Korean teacher with 2 Phds and my white skin, blue American passport and mere BS meant that I made more than him.

I did call him Dr. Dr. though because I felt bad.

[unsure]

Heliotrope wrote:
while when in different thread you tried to
> argue that a teaching couple could save 100K in Germany on a (highly
> unlikely) combined salary 104,400 leaving them with 4,400 for housing and
> food.

104400 usd would work out as around 3700 eur per month take home.

There are some schools in Germany that would start a fully experienced teacher with a Phd on more than that.

[shadowjack]

Heliotrope,

the job is more about admin and oversight with some teaching, which allows SOME free time. As well, if his kids are into theatre, then he can see a LOT of them, and being on the same campus, definitely more of them than he does now. I drove with my kids to school for 14 years in the case of my son and 11 years in the case of my daughter, saw them after school to catch up on the day, on the drive home, etc. And I was worked hard and was busy.

You are right, there are schools that will work you less. But any school where coin is decent is going to work you hard. Some will be less (see Saudi schools) but others will be even more. As managing Arts director, it is a different hard work, I think.

[Heliotrope]

unsure wrote:
> Heliotrope wrote:
> while when in different thread you tried to
> > argue that a teaching couple could save 100K in Germany on a (highly
> > unlikely) combined salary 104,400 leaving them with 4,400 for housing and
> > food.
>
> 104400 usd would work out as around 3700 eur per month take home.
>
> There are some schools in Germany that would start a fully experienced teacher with a
> Phd on more than that.


You misunderstand.
@PsyGuy thinks the 104400 USD would be the take home, so after taxes (and not before):

PsyGuy: "The top paying ISs in Germany are just under 90K for ITs. Yes youd pay 42% in taxes and that would leave 104,400 on combined 180K in salary. Youd have to mitigate your housing costs somehow, as I previously wrote, something like boarding, etc. and you would have to eat lite but yes you could squeak out 100K in savings."

[Heliotrope]

shadowjack wrote:
> Heliotrope,
>
> the job is more about admin and oversight with some teaching, which allows
> SOME free time. As well, if his kids are into theatre, then he can see a
> LOT of them, and being on the same campus, definitely more of them than he
> does now. I drove with my kids to school for 14 years in the case of my son
> and 11 years in the case of my daughter, saw them after school to catch up
> on the day, on the drive home, etc. And I was worked hard and was busy.
>
> You are right, there are schools that will work you less. But any school
> where coin is decent is going to work you hard. Some will be less (see
> Saudi schools) but others will be even more. As managing Arts director, it
> is a different hard work, I think.

You're right, working at the same school as your kids would definitely allow for more time together than if you're not.
But I'm comparing Dulwich with the other good ISs in Beijing (that pay the same or more), and Dulwich asks a lot more of their teachers. So given the choice I would prefer to work at those other good ISs in Beijing. Admittedly, this is based on the situation about 6 years ago, so it might have changed since then (both at Dulwich and at the other ISs).
Of course, there's only the specific vacancy at Dulwich right now, so it's all hypothetical anyway.

[Illiane_Blues]

Same at Dulwich College in Singapore: good pay but crazy hours.