Paid in Euros

[Jazzfish_77]

I am a US citizen and I have been offered a job in Sweden that would be paid in Euros. This means I would have to change Euros to dollars to add to my US savings accounts. I would also have to change from Euros to Swedish Krona for living expenses in Sweden. There seems to be a great deal of uncertainty about the future of both the Eurozone and the US ability to handle its debt. Should I take this job or stay put and stick with dollars?? Help!

[rj.phila]

i'd go wherever you think you would want to be, LONG term. if you see yourself retiring in sweden anyway, go there. the most inefficient thing you could do would be to maximize the frequency of currency exchanges in your future.

if quality of life is no issue, and and earning rate is paramount to you, then in the short term i'd work in EU and live in US. EU is going farther here than USD is going there.

[Mjenn]

You might also want to double check your benefits if you are being paid in euros in Sweden. Depending on the tax agreement you might not be eligible for benefits in Sweden if paid in euros. It can be confusing, but it depends on your tax home. This is important because it relates to your healthcare, family stipends (daycare and child allowance) as well as a few other issues. There are many banks in sweden that offer exchanges at no fee(my dh works in denmark but we live in Sweden - exchange rate fluctuation can be painful)

That said I love living in Sweden but some people have a hard time. If you are coming here with a job, it can be a great experience.

I wouldn't let the currency be the deciding factor, living abroad is a lifestyle change. But talk to some Swedish banks about euros to crown accounts. The sek is independent of the euro and that is something to also keep in mind

[Jazzfish_77]

Thanks for the replies. I already have a job and it pays many good benefits - some calculated in SEK and some in EUR. One of the best is that I'll be tax free in Sweden and tax exempt from the US (to the normal exemption level).