moving to fort worth area

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Hello I will be moving to the fort worth area. I keep hearing from other nurses don't expect to get paid in texas what you make here in california. As a new nurse I started off makeing $26/hr in 2005. Now I'm up to $46/hr as a per diem nurse. I think If I was a regular full time staff I would be making $33/hr. We have had a couple of pay raises to keep up with the other hospitals. My question is the pay that bad in the fort worth area? I am so worried because we are building a house and our mortgage will be triple what we are paying here. And I'm just affaid that I won't be making as much anymore? Also what are some good hospitals to work at. I wsa thinking about Baylor, Harris Methosdit, Hugluely Memeorial or Cook's children's

Thanks for being so agreeable. And welcome to Texas!

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I want to thank everyone for their comments. I know my mortgage is a bit extreme but, you can't get a house as big as ours in california for that size mortgage payment. We tried looking at smaller houses but, I do have 5 kids so we went as large as we possibly could. Hey when a see a 4500sqft house starting off at 270,000 that's cheap to me. Considering we are selling our current 1400 sqft house for that same amount. Hey thanks, I understand your concerns and have addressed this issue with my husband before we started house hunting. Thanks for all your comments. I look forward to all of your comments and future chats.

Glad you weren't upset ! We just see a LOT of people around here biting off more than they can chew and we hate to see a fellow nurse have those problems. Like I said, the per diem/PRN rate around here can approach 32-40.00 if you'll look around. If yours is not the only income then there should be no problem.

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First, Welcome to TX! You'll get more money by going through an agency. They average $35-45/hour + tax free pay.

Tsue

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

tax free??????? please clarify cause i'm a agency nurse and they tax the $%%^& out of me...

first, welcome to tx! you'll get more money by going through an agency. they average $35-45/hour + tax free pay.

tsue

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in a nutshell, the government allows medical workers who work for agencies to get tax free money for "meals and incidentals". you do not have to travel to get this from your agency. while going to nursing school, i'm an admin at an agency. half of our contractors' paycheck is tax free. check out more at www.gsa.gov.

the following are some frequently-asked questions about the tax advantage program.

q. will the tax free money hurt me with the irs at the end of the year?

a. no. the money you are receiving through the program is money that you would normally claim as a traveler when you would do your taxes in april. we are paying it to you now.

q. can i write off any expenses related to my travel?

a. yes. you can write off your housing expenses, travel expenses, meals and all other expenses you've incurred on your assignment - including incidentals such as shampoo, razors, toothpaste, etc., for the amount the irs has established for the location you are traveling to.

q. do i need to save receipts to submit at the end of the year for the tax advantage program? will i have to show proof of how i used the money?

a. yes. as always, it is recommended you save your receipts for anything you will claim on your taxes.

q. will i be held accountable for the tax free money (or per diem rate) if i get audited?

a. you will be responsible for the amounts you spend over the allotted amount for the location you are traveling to for your assignment.

q. what will show up on my w2?

a. only your taxable wages will show. your per diem money is money that you are entitled to since you are traveling at least 50 miles from home. most nurses like this because they can still get federal funding for their children's education.

q. how does the housing work?

a. advantage rn can assist with locating and providing you housing and if necessary, we can also provide the funds for establishing the living arrangements for your advantage rn assignment. since you will be receiving the fully allotted government regulated per diem allowance, advantage rn can spread deductions for the cost of housing we establish for you across the duration of your assignment.

q. can you provide me with a travel stipend because i need travel money upfront?

a. a travel allowance is in your per diem rate. if needed, advantage rn can assist you with travel monies to get you to your assignment. the advance will then be subtracted from your per diem rate.

q. why don't i get time and a half over 40 hours?

a. all of our assignments pay time and a half of the base rate after 40 hours.

q. why do i get paid my base rate for hours 36-40?

a. not all hospitals guarantee each nurse the same number of hours each week, but all of our hospitals guarantee a nurse 36 hours per week. in order to maximize the per diem allowance for each nurse, we average the allowance into the first 36 hours you work so you are guaranteed all of your tax free money. this way you are only taxed on 40 hours of the low base rate.

q. why is my per diem not spread over 48 hours if i am on a 48-hour guarantee?

a. the per diem is spread over 40 hours worked. we cannot pay overtime on tax free money.

q. why do other agencies not offer the tax advantage program?

a. other agencies do, but not always in the same way we do. some offer stipends of $1,000 for housing or tax free travel money. but what they do not utilize is the maximum allowance that the irs has established that you are entitled to. in essence, in those locations where you are allotted $2-3,000 tax free in housing a month by the irs, the other agency is only giving you $1,000. we take the allotments provided by the irs, average them into your pay rate, and allow you to bring it all home each week - tax free.

q. are there any bad things about this program?

a. overall, no. the only disadvantage we have found is that your contributions to social security and medicare are made only from your base (taxable) amount. you need to take this into consideration if you are going to travel for an extended period of time using the tax advantage program.

q. other companies offering the tax advantage program pay for my housing. why don't you?

a. this depends on the tax advantage amounts they are offering. it may be a percentage of the per diem allowance that other companies are offering you - like only the meals and incidental or tax free travel money - which is why they are still able to offer to pay for your housing.

q. why isn't my take home pay listed on my contract?

a. your take home amount is an estimate based on a single person claiming zero on his/her w4. in this situation about 30% of your income would come out of your paycheck and go to taxes. the take home (or net) is also estimated prior to any deductions you many elect such as medical, dental, vision or 401 (k).

q. how does the irs come up with the amount of money that is tax free?

a. this amount is determined based on census and cost of living figures for the area.

q. how long can i stay in one place under the tax advantage program?

a. certain states may have strict guidelines, but the irs defines any assignment beyond 12 months as permanent. the 12-month period is based on a specific locale but this principal can be applied to situations where the traveler works in one place for nine months, returns home or takes another assignment for three months, then returns to work at the original place for another three months. within a 15 month period, the traveler spent 12 months in that one place. some tax court opinions have cited an "ongoing relationship" with an employer in one area as substantiating a residence.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

hmmmmmmm...somebody owes me some money!!!

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Hello I will be moving to the fort worth area. I keep hearing from other nurses don't expect to get paid in texas what you make here in california. As a new nurse I started off makeing $26/hr in 2005. Now I'm up to $46/hr as a per diem nurse. I think If I was a regular full time staff I would be making $33/hr. We have had a couple of pay raises to keep up with the other hospitals. My question is the pay that bad in the fort worth area? I am so worried because we are building a house and our mortgage will be triple what we are paying here. And I'm just affaid that I won't be making as much anymore? Also what are some good hospitals to work at. I wsa thinking about Baylor, Harris Methosdit, Hugluely Memeorial or Cook's children's

Salary depends on job experience and years on the job but if you work full time you should be able to make your mortgage payments comfortably depending on your other expenses and there should be know problem working and extra shift or two if you need to.

The THR hospitals are the best which Harris Methodist is a part of. They take very good care of their employees. I have heard a lot of bad things about Huguley and would not recommend it to anyone. A lot of doctors I know have quiet sending their patients to Huguley and understandably so.

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Specializes in Maternal newborn.
Salary depends on job experience and years on the job but if you work full time you should be able to make your mortgage payments comfortably depending on your other expenses and there should be know problem working and extra shift or two if you need to.

The THR hospitals are the best which Harris Methodist is a part of. They take very good care of their employees. I have heard a lot of bad things about Huguley and would not recommend it to anyone. A lot of doctors I know have quiet sending their patients to Huguley and understandably so.

Thanks so much for that information. I am sorry to hear that Huguley Memorial is not a good place to work for. I am moving to Burleson which is about 10 minutes away from that hospital. It looks like I might have to travel a bit. Do you work for THR? That was another choice of mine. I heard that they have variable shift hours 8,10 or 12's.

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well do not worry I hear NNOC and CNA are negotiateing with sevral hospitals in the area and may have something in the works there for close to same pay and benifiets scale close to what is in Cali. But warning there is no safe ratio laws in Texas and you will be forced to violate BNE and the Nurse Practice Act by the hospitals so just that heads up for you.

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Specializes in med/NICU/pheresisRedCross/HDN/IVT/PRO.

would love to hear how your move to Texas worked out

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Specializes in Maternal newborn.
would love to hear how your move to Texas worked out

Well our house is due to be completed in early to mid december. I can't wait to move into my dream house. I think harris methodist in fort worth will be a great place to work at. I will talk with a nurse recruiter today. I just hope the drive from Burleson isn't that bad. I am also considering baylor and hugluey memorial in burleson. Thanks for checking in!!!!

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The Best Hospital in The ARea and they are hiring and opening up in Fort Worth and would be closer drive for you than to the Hospital District is USMD hospital Fort Worth. The First facility is opening up in alte dec early jan. have best packages around and california CNA/NNOC ratios. 1 - 1 PACU 1 - 1 1-2 ICU. 1- 2 ratios on the floor. if you send me a private message I can get you the DON contact info for that hospital. must be ALS PALS certified. It is an amazing facility I just toured it today with several other NNOC RNs. that would be best place around here and from Burleson it is only about 15 to 25 minutes from down town burleson and best of all 30 hours is fulltime and max of 10 hr shift unless you want 12 hr shift.

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