Your decisions on extending

Argo · Aug 24, 2017

1. I dont extend until half way through unless I want to hang out, i like staying 6 months at a place.

2. Is there more money available.

3. How is the market currently...

I did a 6 month extension where im at now because I am locked in at crisis rates and the currently flat

NedRN · Aug 24, 2017

The amount of time to become efficient in a new operating room is lengthy. Part of the reason I often extend is to enjoy being efficient and to put off the next long orientation process. Also because I haven't come close to exhausting local fun things to do. Money is not usually a factor, I'm always well paid.

It is not uncommon to hear requests for extension day one. I wait until it is almost done because you never know. You might develop a toxic staff relationship, or suddenly become bored with local options, or just want new scenery, or better pay. A few places I know I won't extend almost immediately. St Thomas was one, but of course many do extend there. Same with UCSF - they were surprised I didn't extend or go staff. Personal choices are complex and different for everyone.

Waiting too long can be bad too if you have an entry level specialty, or the market turns down limiting your choices as it is now. It can also pay to extend through the holiday season when it can be difficult to lock in assignments - November through January. With good pay, working conditions, and local environment, it can pay to lock in an extension. Otherwise the hospital may book a traveler to replace you. Balancing game and you cannot always guess right.

jive turkey · Aug 24, 2017

The amount of time to become efficient in a new operating room is lengthy. Part of the reason I often extend is to enjoy being efficient and to put off the next long orientation process. Also because I haven't come close to exhausting local fun things to do. Money is not usually a factor, I'm always well paid.
It is not uncommon to hear requests for extension day one. I wait until it is almost done because you never know. You might develop a toxic staff relationship, or suddenly become bored with local options, or just want new scenery, or better pay. A few places I know I won't extend almost immediately. St Thomas was one, but of course many do extend there. Same with UCSF - they were surprised I didn't extend or go staff. Personal choices are complex and different for everyone.
Waiting too long can be bad too if you have an entry level specialty, or the market turns down limiting your choices as it is now. It can also pay to extend through the holiday season when it can be difficult to lock in assignments - November through January. With good pay, working conditions, and local environment, it can pay to lock in an extension. Otherwise the hospital may book a traveler to replace you. Balancing game and you cannot always guess right.

Nov-Jan? Intruiging. Where are you at and what part of the county do you frequent? I'm in the Southwest and we get busier that time of year with the snow birds.

Everything else you said, I second that.

NedRN · Aug 24, 2017

Sure, you get busier but the hospitals staff well ahead of time. Go ahead and try to get a new assignment in December. I think you will find it difficult.

jive turkey · Aug 24, 2017

Sure, you get busier but the hospitals staff well ahead of time. Go ahead and try to get a new assignment in December. I think you will find it difficult.

Actually I'd find it silly to look in Dec since this contract finishes in October haha. Thanks for your input though

Dafabb, LPN · Sep 2, 2017

I worked at the VA Clinic in San Jose on a 13 week contact and extended 4 times some of those were apparently 8 weeks I never paid attention. I was there almost 11 mos. I love all those people and the best place I have ever worked. I was ready to go back home (Dallas) but my friend did another 8 weeks. You can go over either 12-13 mos without taking a break. House rules....If you enjoy and love where you are stay as long as you can. Plenty of time to go somewhere else. I saw so much of the coast in those months!

Argo · Sep 3, 2017

I worked at the VA Clinic in San Jose on a 13 week contact and extended 4 times some of those were apparently 8 weeks I never paid attention. I was there almost 11 mos. I love all those people and the best place I have ever worked. I was ready to go back home (Dallas) but my friend did another 8 weeks. You can go over either 12-13 mos without taking a break. House rules....If you enjoy and love where you are stay as long as you can. Plenty of time to go somewhere else. I saw so much of the coast in those months!

You can stay as long as you want but as soon as you pass 12 consecutive months in the same locale away from home you are legally required to pay taxes on all tax free money. You can take 1 month away prior to hitting 11 months or after 11 months/before 12 months you have to take 3 off from that gsa area...

Do people stay and not pay? Sure....

Can you get audited, back taxed and fined? Yep.

Not worth the risk. I take 3 or 4 months off during winter.

NedRN · Sep 3, 2017

You can stay as long as you want but as soon as you pass 12 consecutive months in the same locale away from home you are legally required to pay taxes on all tax free money. You can take 1 month away prior to hitting 11 months or after 11 months/before 12 months you have to take 3 off from that gsa area...
Do people stay and not pay? Sure....
Can you get audited, back taxed and fined? Yep.
Not worth the risk. I take 3 or 4 months off during winter.

I concur with the first and last part of your post.

The 1 month, 11 months, and 3 months are internal agency policies (of one agency) and will not hold up in a personal tax audit. They are designed to protect the agency, without the agency having to be the tax home police.

Beware of any tax advice from an agency, they have ulterior motives. Kind of a race to the bottom as they know they will lose travelers to an agency with looser tax home rules. Ultimately it is the unsophisticated traveler that can be hurt if audited for any reason, including a sweep of a particular agency's travelers with bad internal agency tax home policies.

Definitely it is a very low risk of being audited in our income cohort, but the potential financial consequences can be life changing depending on how long a traveler has been skirting the rule (even unknowingly), and how far back the audit goes. If they find out you have been using your mom's home as an address of convenience since you became a traveler 7 years ago and the back taxes, interest, and penalties will be well over 6 figures.

Argo · Sep 3, 2017

That advice was actually from my CPA. It was mainly because, at the time, i was getring close to 11 months and he told me i had to take a month off prior to hitting that year. Im not sure where he got the 3 month leaving the county/gsa area thing but he suggested that too. I dont ever work that long so its not a big deal to me. I am off jan through april for winter sports :)

NedRN · Sep 3, 2017

That's interesting advice from a CPA. I'd like to know where he picked that up from. While he could know a lot about this issue, his training is primarily in corporate accounting, not individual taxation.

Argo · Sep 3, 2017

He could easily have gotten it through the years of working with contract workers. He also makes sure I meet my tax home requirements which is the most important thing.