Relocating for a job: relocation packages, moving costs and a move checklist

Decide whether the move pays

A bigger salary in a more expensive city can leave you with less. Before you weigh anything else, compare the offer with your current pay in real terms: what the money buys where you would live, after housing, commuting and the one-time cost of getting there.

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes regional price parities (RPPs), which measure price levels in each state and metro area as a percentage of the national level, where 100 is the national average. In its 2024 figures, California had the highest state RPP at 110.7 and Arkansas the lowest at 86.9. Housing rents vary far more: the rent RPP ran from 154.3 in California to 54.2 in West Virginia. Divide each salary by its area’s RPP (as a decimal) to get a rough like-for-like figure.

Then look past base pay. Health premiums, retirement match, bonus and paid time off can differ by thousands of dollars, so use the total compensation calculator and the job offer comparison calculator to line the offers up. Run the new commute through the commute cost calculator, and check typical pay for the role on our salary pages so you know whether the offer is competitive for the new market. Our guide on how to evaluate a job offer covers the rest of the review.

What a relocation package can include

There is no standard relocation package. Some employers pay nothing, some offer a fixed amount, and some hire a relocation company to manage the whole move. Ask exactly which form the help takes, because it changes how much paperwork you carry, who pays up front and what happens if costs run over.

Read any repayment agreement closely. Some packages ask you to repay some or all of the money if you resign or are dismissed for cause within a set period. Check how long that period is, whether repayment shrinks month by month, and whether it applies if the employer ends the job for other reasons.

How and when to ask for relocation help

Ask once you have an offer and before you accept it. That is when you have the most leverage, and because relocation money is paid once, an employer may find it easier to approve than a higher base salary. If a relocation figure is already in the offer, it may still be negotiable, especially if your real costs are higher.

Come with numbers. Get one or two rough moving quotes, add travel, temporary housing and lease-break fees, and ask for a specific amount or specific items. Treat it as part of your salary negotiation, not an afterthought, and confirm the final terms in writing before you sign; our guide on how to accept a job offer explains what to confirm.

How the IRS treats relocation money in 2026

This section reports what irs.gov says; it is not tax advice, so check your own situation with a tax professional.

In Publication 15-B for 2026, the IRS says P.L. 119-21, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, permanently eliminates the exclusion for qualified moving expense reimbursements from an employee’s income. The exclusion remains available to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty who moves because of a permanent change of station due to a military order, and to an employee or new appointee of the intelligence community who moves under a change in assignment that requires relocation.

The moving expense deduction follows the same lines. The IRS’s Topic No. 455 is titled “Moving expenses for members of the Armed Forces and the Intelligence Community.” It says active-duty Armed Forces members may be able to deduct unreimbursed moving expenses or exclude reimbursed ones if the move was due to a military order and incident to a permanent change of station, and that intelligence community employees or new appointees moving in 2026 or later may be treated the same way.

In practice, if you are neither, expect any lump sum or reimbursement to be counted in your income. Ask the employer whether it will add money to cover the tax (often called a gross-up) and how the payment will appear on your pay stub and Form W-2.

Get moving quotes and check the movers

For a move from one state to another, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) advises getting written estimates from several movers and comparing them, with each estimate based on an actual in-person inspection of your belongings. Interstate movers need a U.S. DOT number, and FMCSA’s mover search tool shows registered interstate movers and their complaint history. Rules for moves within a state vary, so check with your state’s consumer affairs office or attorney general.

Know which kind of estimate you are getting. A binding estimate fixes the price for the items and services listed on it. A non-binding estimate is the mover’s best guess, and FMCSA says movers must deliver your goods for no more than 10% above a non-binding estimate, which it calls the 110 percent rule. The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General lists red flags, including estimates given by phone or online sight unseen, no binding or non-binding written estimate, demands for cash, wire transfers or a large deposit, pressure to book today, a phone answered only as “Movers,” and requests to sign blank documents.

Make the calls on a weekday morning, when sales staff and estimators are easiest to reach. Before you dial, write one inventory (rooms, large furniture, approximate box count, anything fragile or heavy, stairs or elevators at both ends) and one list of questions, and give every mover exactly the same ones so the quotes are comparable. Write down each answer, the name of the person you spoke to, and the date, then ask for everything in writing.

You can also hand these calls off. An AI assistant with a phone-calling tool can ring movers’ published numbers for you if you give it your inventory, dates and addresses, the exact questions, and clear limits: it may request quotes and book a free survey, but must not accept a quote, agree to a deposit or sign anything, and must bring every answer back to you. It should say it is calling on your behalf and never pretend to be you. Never give it card or bank details. Check what each mover actually confirmed, using the transcript or recording if the tool provides one. Our guide on whether AI can make phone calls for you explains how these tools work.

• What is your USDOT number, and are you the mover or a broker?
• Will you do an in-person or video survey before giving a written estimate?
• Is the estimate binding or non-binding, and what could change the price?
• What deposit do you require, and which payment methods do you accept?
• What are your available pickup and delivery windows for my dates?
• What liability coverage is included, and what does added protection cost?

Set a realistic start date and plan temporary housing

Work backward from the start date before you agree to it. Count the notice you owe your current employer, the mover’s pickup and delivery windows, the end of your lease, and time to find a new place. If the dates do not fit, ask for a later start now rather than after you accept.

If you will start before you find a permanent home, a few weeks of temporary housing gives you time to choose a neighborhood in person. Keep receipts for everything, even if you were given a lump sum, so you can show what the move cost if a repayment question ever comes up. If your current employer responds to your resignation with a counteroffer, weigh it against the whole move, not just the salary.

Moving checklist for a new job

Once the offer is signed and the movers are booked, work through these steps. Requirements for licenses, registration and similar records are set by each state, so check your new state’s official website for its deadlines.

1. Submit a USPS change of address. The Postal Service says to allow at least 7–10 business days for it to take effect once approved, and online requests carry a $1.25 identity verification fee. Standard forwarding lasts 12 months.
2. Tell banks, insurers, government agencies and your new employer’s payroll yourself. USPS says a change of address only changes your address with the Post Office, and sensitive items such as driver’s licenses and bank statements are not forwarded.
3. Schedule utility shut-off at the old address and start-up at the new one, including internet, so you can work from the first day.
4. Look up your new state’s deadlines for a driver’s license, vehicle registration and voter registration; deadlines vary by state.
5. Collect medical, dental, vision and pet records, refill prescriptions, and find new doctors in your new health plan’s network.
6. Gather school records for children and transfer any professional licenses your job requires.
7. Keep every receipt, estimate, the bill of lading and inventory, and your relocation agreement in one folder.