Plan your monthly spending, set savings goals, and build your first US budget as an immigrant.
CityVisaFICA Exempt
Monthly take-home income
FICA-exempt visa detected. F-1/J-1 visa holders are exempt from Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) taxes, so your take-home pay is ~7.65% higher than a standard employee at the same gross salary. Enter your actual net pay below.
$
After-tax take-home. Include salary, freelance, any other income.
Monthly expenses
City averages loaded — edit any field to customize.
Chase · Bank of America · Citi · Wells Fargo · Capital One · any bank
Import from bank CSV
Housing
Rent (1 BR)
$
Utilities
$
Food
Groceries
$
Dining out
$
Transport
Transit / Car
$
Phone & Health
Phone plan
$
Health insurance
$
Other
Entertainment
$
Clothing
$
Miscellaneous
$
Monthly picture
Monthly surplus
$—
Enter your income to start
Total income$—
Total expenses$—
Savings rate—
Spending breakdown
Needs
Wants
Savings
Saved in 6 mo
$—
Saved in 1 yr
$—
Upfront to get settled
$—
50/30/20
Budget saved
Add a Savings Goal
Track how long until you reach each goal based on your monthly surplus.
Enter your income and expenses in the Budget Planner first to see your monthly surplus.
$
Add your first savings goal to see how long it will take.
First Month Cost Estimator
What to budget for your first month in a new city (on top of regular expenses).
Estimated total$—
Money tips for new immigrants
First week
Open a bank account immediately
Most landlords and employers require direct deposit. Wise, Chime, and Revolut accept passport or ITIN — no SSN needed. Having a US account within the first week prevents costly delays.
First week
Get a US phone number
A US number is required for banking, two-factor auth, job applications, and Uber. T-Mobile and Mint Mobile offer plans starting at $15/month. Avoid tourist SIM cards — they get expensive fast.
First month
Get a secured credit card
You likely have no US credit history. Open a secured card (Discover it® Secured, Capital One Secured) within the first month. Pay the full balance monthly. Your credit score starts building immediately — visible in ~6 months.
First month
Apply for SSN / ITIN early
Social Security Number: apply at SSA office after your employer files paperwork. ITIN (for tax filers without SSN): submit Form W-7 with your tax return. Both unlock banking, credit, and tax filing. Don't delay.
Ongoing
Build an emergency fund first
Before investing or sending money home, save 3 months of expenses in a high-yield savings account (Marcus, SoFi, Ally — currently 4–5% APY). Immigration status changes, job loss, or medical bills can happen fast.
Ongoing
Watch out for immigrant tax traps
Common mistakes: missing FBAR filing (if you have >$10K abroad), FICA withheld from FICA-exempt visas, and wrong tax form (1040 vs 1040-NR). Use the Tax Guide and Paycheck Decoder in this app to catch errors early.
Ongoing
Use Wise for remittances
Bank wire transfers for sending money home cost $30–$50 per transfer. Wise charges ~0.4–1%, saving hundreds per year for regular senders. Set up recurring transfers to automate family support while minimizing fees.
Avoid
Common first-month money mistakes
Overpaying for furnished short-term housing (move to regular lease ASAP), signing a 12-month lease before knowing the area, buying a car before understanding transit options, and using credit cards before understanding the billing cycle (missing payment = credit score damage).