RELOCATION
Relocation Package Guide
Most companies offer more than they first present. Here's every line item you can reasonably negotiate — know your number before you sign.
The Checklist
What you can reasonably ask for
Start with the “must ask” items — HR teams approve them routinely. And get every yes in writing before you accept the offer.
Moving expenses
Full pack-and-move service (door to door)
$3,000–$12,000
Temporary storage (up to 90 days)
$150–$400/mo
Vehicle shipping (if driving isn't practical)
$800–$1,500
Travel reimbursement (mileage, hotel, meals)
$500–$2,000
Professional cleaning of prior residence
$200–$500
Housing assistance
Temporary housing stipend (30–90 days)
$2,000–$8,000
Closing cost reimbursement on home purchase
$3,000–$10,000
Lease-break fee coverage at prior home
$500–$3,000
Home-finding trip (flights, hotel, meals)
$500–$2,000
Loss-on-sale protection if market is down
Varies
Mortgage rate buy-down assistance
$1,000–$5,000
Family & lifestyle
Spouse career transition support or job placement
Service
School enrollment support and records transfer
Service
Child/dependent care stipend during transition
$500–$2,000
Cultural / community integration support
Service
Financial & tax
Lump-sum relocation allowance (instead of managed move)
$5,000–$25,000
Tax gross-up on relocation reimbursements
30–40% of benefits
Duplicate housing allowance (paying two rents/mortgages)
Varies
CPA / tax preparation for relocation year
$300–$800
The Numbers
Three figures to keep in your head
$5k–$25k
Lump-sum allowance
The typical range when you take cash instead of a managed move
30–40%
Tax gross-up
Of benefit value — relocation reimbursements are taxable income, so ask your employer to cover the tax
2–5%
Closing costs
Of purchase price — $5,800–$14,500 on a $290K Cincinnati home, and reimbursement is a routine ask
Chris's Playbook
Negotiation tips from Chris
- 1
Get everything in writing before you accept the offer. Verbal promises disappear.
- 2
Ask for a lump-sum option — it gives you more flexibility than a managed move.
- 3
Always request the tax gross-up. Relocation benefits are taxable income; your employer can cover the extra tax.
- 4
Negotiate the home-finding trip as a separate line item — most HR teams will approve it.
- 5
If your employer uses a third-party relo firm, ask Chris to work directly with them — he has experience with relocation transactions.
- 6
Closing costs are 2–5% of purchase price. On a $290K Cincinnati home that's $5,800–$14,500 — worth asking for.
Straight Answers
Relocation packages, answered
What does a typical corporate relocation package include?
Most packages cover some combination of moving expenses (packing, transport, storage), temporary housing for 30–90 days, and help with home-sale or home-purchase costs. Larger employers — and Cincinnati has several headquartered here, like P&G and Kroger — often offer a choice between a managed move, where a relocation company handles the logistics, and a lump-sum allowance you spend however you want. The checklist on this page covers the full menu; few offers include all of it unless you ask.
Should I take the lump sum or the managed move?
A lump sum gives you flexibility — you can move yourself economically and put the difference toward closing costs or furniture. A managed move removes the logistics burden and shifts cost overruns to your employer, which matters with a large household. If you lean lump sum, price out the full move first so you know whether the number actually covers it.
Are relocation benefits taxable?
For most employees, yes — since the 2018 tax law changes, employer-paid moving expenses and reimbursements count as taxable income. That is why the tax gross-up is a must-ask: your employer covers the extra tax so a $10,000 benefit is actually worth $10,000.
Can Chris work with my employer's relocation company?
Yes. Many corporate packages route the home purchase through a third-party relocation firm, and Chris has experience with those transactions — the referral paperwork, the firm's timelines, and the closing coordination. Tell your relo counselor you already have a Cincinnati agent and connect them with Chris early.
Keep Going
Tools that pair with this one
Relocating for Work?
Bring your package to someone who's seen a few.
Chris works with corporate relocation transactions regularly and can coordinate directly with your employer's relo firm — and tell you what your allowance actually buys in Cincinnati.