# Amount of money to work in Kuwait/Afghanistan for a year?
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156
**Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic
**Created:** [June 26, 2012, 9:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156 "2012-06-26T09:25:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/1 "2012-06-26T09:25:39Z")
How much would it take for you to consider working over seas for year?
Obviously Afghanistan pays more since its an active war zone.
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### Author:  [@OriginalSterm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OriginalSterm)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/2 "2012-06-26T09:29:30Z")
$250k
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### Author:  [@tpgsr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tpgsr)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/3 "2012-06-26T09:44:12Z")
> [@OriginalSterm](#):
>
> $250k
That is a pretty good number. I think that the war zone would be more seeing that I would be an unarmed civilian and presumably in more danger.
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/4 "2012-06-26T09:46:35Z")
> [@tpgsr](#):
>
> That is a pretty good number. I think that the war zone would be more seeing that I would be an unarmed civilian and presumably in more danger.
You’re not just running around Afghanistan…In that case you would be on a military base.
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### Author:  [@tpgsr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tpgsr)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/5 "2012-06-26T09:49:56Z")
I assumed that it was on a base… Regardless that does not change the fact that I am still an unarmed civilian.
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### Author:  [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/6 "2012-06-26T09:53:22Z")
There isn’t a number high enough for Afghanistan, on base or not.
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### Author:  [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/7 "2012-06-26T09:53:29Z")
250k tax free and I’d do it.
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/8 "2012-06-26T09:55:51Z")
So its not tax free you need to be out of the US for at least 340 days in the year and only the first 90k is tax free.
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### Author:  [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 9:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/9 "2012-06-26T09:59:44Z")
only up to 82K is tax free. I believe is the number. After that is taxed.
And you never said what the job would be. I would absolutely go back.
The biggest concerns/questions are how often I get to go home. What I’m doing. Where in the country I’m doing it. What company it’s for.
I’m very familiar with a lot of the companies in both countries. Kuwait is safe and just boring as hell, to mention nothing of the heat.
For me to go right now it would have to pay a minimum of 200K/year to be worth my time away from my son. If shit is still ugly there in a couple years I’m going back for 6 month tours civilian side shooter work while he’s in school.
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/10 "2012-06-26T10:01:19Z")
depends on the job, depends on the base, depends on if I can return to my existing job at the end.
250k-350k sounds about right for an IT job at a major base.
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### Author:  [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/11 "2012-06-26T10:01:45Z")
> [@LZ](#):
>
> So its not tax free you need to be out of the US for at least 340 days in the year and only the first 90k is tax free.
not 340 days. I’m sure it works the same as military for contractors. It goes by month and it’s up to a total of 82K in a year. That is the base pay for a command sergeant major with full time in service is where that number comes from.
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/12 "2012-06-26T10:05:49Z")
Virtualization/IT stuff running projects etc
I have family who was in Afghanistan for the past year as a project manager for an extremely large project and cleared 700k
Obviously I wouldn’t make anywhere near that much and I would much rather be in Kuwait since its safer…Hell you can go work in Dubai and make 150-175k a year and that isn’t counting what they give you for living expenses.
---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:04 PM ----------
> [@Freek](#):
>
> not 340 days. I’m sure it works the same as military for contractors. It goes by month and it’s up to a total of 82K in a year. That is the base pay for a command sergeant major with full time in service is where that number comes from.
> **[Foreign earned income exclusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_earned_income_exclusion)**
>
> The United States taxes citizens and residents on their worldwide income. Citizens and residents living and working outside the U.S. may be entitled to a foreign earned income exclusion that reduces taxable income. For 2024, the maximum exclusion is $126,500 per taxpayer (future years indexed for inflation). Taxpayers filing a joint return are entitled to up to two exclusions if both have earned income. In addition, the taxpayer may exclude housing expenses in excess of 16% of this maxim The excl...
?
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### Author:  [@MOBOOST4U](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MOBOOST4U)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/13 "2012-06-26T10:07:34Z")
$250k tax free sounds about right to me at least…
Look at it like spending a year in prison for $250k. Youll have nowhere to spend the money so when you get out, that bank account will look really pretty. That doesnt even take into consideration if you get vacation time and stuff like that. Im sure youd all still like to Visit Dubai someday and Asia also shouldnt be too expensive to get to. Maybe even hit up Europe.
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/14 "2012-06-26T10:08:10Z")
I should probably hit up Dan Cline since he is over there right now.
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### Author:  [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/15 "2012-06-26T10:09:44Z")
And for anyone working over seas I’d love to discuss foreign banking options. I learned a lot and made some friends in the past.
---------- Post added at 01:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 PM ----------
> [@LZ](#):
>
> ---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:04 PM ----------
>
> [/COLOR]
>
> [Foreign earned income exclusion - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_earned_income_exclusion)
>
> ?
NM I’m thinking government workers/ gov’t employed persons.
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### Author:  [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/16 "2012-06-26T10:18:23Z")
Around here people get shipped overseas for extended assignments all the time. It usually either makes for a solid career move, or your job is gone when you get back oops. It’s not something you deserve a quarter million for unless your life is at risk. So for me:
Kuwait - 120-150k + expenses + solid promotion waiting for me when I get back
Afghanistan - No.
---------- Post added at 01:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:13 PM ----------
Oh hold the phone. Kuwait is probably a Muslim kingdom right? So no alcohol? Tack on another hundred grand for bathtub gin supplies and legal fees.
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/17 "2012-06-26T10:18:31Z")
> [@LZ](#):
>
> I should probably hit up Dan Cline since he is over there right now.
yeah i was just gonna mention him being over there
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### Author:  [@Jam](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jam)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/18 "2012-06-26T10:19:50Z")
Ilc has an awesome beard right now
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/19 "2012-06-26T10:20:29Z")
> [@Jam](#):
>
> Ilc has an awesome beard right now
lol he is going to start screaming “WIILLLLLSSSOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNN!!!” soon
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### Author:  [@gt08vapor](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/gt08vapor)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/amount-of-money-to-work-in-kuwait-afghanistan-for-a-year/224156/20 "2012-06-26T10:43:37Z")
FREE! i have some unfinished business over there.
Typically your are safe on a big base, nothing happens on them. A stray rocket might hit the airfield or something random, not a big deal. Go out to the small FOBs and it is a whole different world.
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