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The value in negotiating a lower salary

 
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getbehindthemule



Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 3:01 am    Post subject: The value in negotiating a lower salary Reply with quote

A few weeks ago I renewed my contract with my school. I actually negotiated a lower salary with a chunk of my salary diverted to my allowance. This will be paid into my bank tax free along with my accomodation allowance and KT monthly bonus.
So rather than a 4k housing allowance, I will now get a 10k 'housing allowance' for example tax free.
For those working full time gigs on decent salaries, it's really worth it and can add an extra couple of thousand rambos to your pocket!

Cool
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rogerwilco



Joined: 10 Jun 2010
Posts: 1549

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While I was in China I worked at several schools that paid the local teachers an amount equal to a year's salary for their Chinese New Year's bonus.

My guess is that is part of why the Chinese teachers claim low monthly salaries. Their bonuses are taxed at a lower rate ?
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getbehindthemule



Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 6:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rogerwilco wrote:
While I was in China I worked at several schools that paid the local teachers an amount equal to a year's salary for their Chinese New Year's bonus.

My guess is that is part of why the Chinese teachers claim low monthly salaries. Their bonuses are taxed at a lower rate ?


You are right, it is not quite that much at my school but the Chinese teachers get a much larger bonus than we do. I worked at a public primary school before and a former colleague, who has since become a friend, told me that the Chinese teachers got 24k for CNY bonus.
Edit: bonuses are not taxed either btw!

One of the main reason that I posted is that many FTs (newbies in particular) are far too focused on salary.
It is the package that counts!
My salary next year will only be 50-60% of my actual cash earned from my school.
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Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A year!
Most Chinese firms pay a thirteenth month at NY as a bonus.
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Relevant



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 39
Location: In the wind....

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 3:42 am    Post subject: Re: The value in negotiating a lower salary Reply with quote

getbehindthemule wrote:
A few weeks ago I renewed my contract with my school. I actually negotiated a lower salary with a chunk of my salary diverted to my allowance. This will be paid into my bank tax free along with my accomodation allowance and KT monthly bonus.
So rather than a 4k housing allowance, I will now get a 10k 'housing allowance' for example tax free.
For those working full time gigs on decent salaries, it's really worth it and can add an extra couple of thousand rambos to your pocket!

Cool


I am curious. When talking before with schools, it seemed that they needed to have a legal fapiao from your landlord, in order to show that he had paid the tax, so that you do not have to. Any other allowance given over and above the fapiao amount they said would be taxed.

Do you know how they work it in your school?

I get school organised accommodation here in Shanghai, which was one of the draws of this one over the other who gave me the above information.
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getbehindthemule



Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 5:45 am    Post subject: Re: The value in negotiating a lower salary Reply with quote

Relevant wrote:
getbehindthemule wrote:
A few weeks ago I renewed my contract with my school. I actually negotiated a lower salary with a chunk of my salary diverted to my allowance. This will be paid into my bank tax free along with my accomodation allowance and KT monthly bonus.
So rather than a 4k housing allowance, I will now get a 10k 'housing allowance' for example tax free.
For those working full time gigs on decent salaries, it's really worth it and can add an extra couple of thousand rambos to your pocket!

Cool


I am curious. When talking before with schools, it seemed that they needed to have a legal fapiao from your landlord, in order to show that he had paid the tax, so that you do not have to. Any other allowance given over and above the fapiao amount they said would be taxed.

Do you know how they work it in your school?

I get school organised accommodation here in Shanghai, which was one of the draws of this one over the other who gave me the above information.



You have raised an important point there, as you will need your landlord's assistance. Your landlord will need to provide an agent with his information to arrange a legal fapiao.
In my next contract, part of my salary will be shifted to my allowance giving me a much larger allowance. This will be tax free but I must provide a fapiao for the full amount.
In my current contract, I arrange (through an agent) for a fapiao to cover six months worth of rent (eg. Jan to June). I only paid 100RMB for agent fee which was pretty good.
I got quoted 900RMB before that, and the fapiao was actually not even a legal one so do you need to be careful.
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kev20



Joined: 31 Jul 2013
Posts: 114

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 3:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm sure as it's China this will probably be fine. But I have to wonder whether there'll be questions asked as to why you're paying 10,000rmb a month to live in a bedsit?
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getbehindthemule



Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kev20 wrote:
I'm sure as it's China this will probably be fine. But I have to wonder whether there'll be questions asked as to why you're paying 10,000rmb a month to live in a bedsit?


Nah, I'm in SH mate, loads of expats that I know are getting that and more for accomodation allowance. Some are actually paying that amount for a nice two bedroom apartment but most are not!
Questions asked by whom btw as the school is happy to do this?
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