In a national study, job relocation was listed as one of the top ten most stressful events in life. If the transition isn’t handled smoothly and carefully, it has the potential to disrupt lives and do psychological damage. Therefore, there are some things a person planning on relocating for a job needs to know to keep moving and the transition to the new job location as easy as possible.

The first thing that may ease the stress of business relocation is assistance with the financial details. Since many business budget for relocation expenses, investigate the possibility of your company’s paying for all or part of your moving expenses. Easing the financial burden will go a long way in reducing the stress of job relocation.

Similarly, remember that any moving expenses incurred in conjunction with a business relocation may be written off as business expenses on your next year’s income tax. An important stipulation and limitation to this rule is the fact that you must have an actual job offer before you move and you cannot take the credit if you get the new job after your move.

The best approach is to hire a full-service moving company, even if your moving expenses will not be covered as part of your employee relocation. The peace of mind will be worth it. The moving company can pack the items you wish, load the truck and deal with transportation to your new home. If you have moved on your own, then you know how much less stressful it would be with help.

Expect to take around a month or so settling in, and let your employer know that you need a bit of time to unpack and adjust to things. Take the time you need to get used to what is expected of you at work, and don’t hesitate to ask for a bit of leniency if it seems like it’s needed.

Finally, you should strongly consider getting some short-term therapy to help you through the adjustment period. Even if you don’t feel stressed on the surface, business relocation can cause a great deal of pressure and anxiety, which can effect your relationship with you family and your ability to get ahead in your career.

Visit our website for more information about business and home relocation. Or for more Real Estate advice see Inside Real Estate.

- Howard Brule

This entry was posted on Friday, December 21st, 2007 at 5:12 pm and is filed under Ways to use your money. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.