XaploreMoney and tax guides: health insurance, sending money home and FBAR
Money questions for Chinese families in the US often cross two countries at once. These guides start with health insurance, because open enrollment is the one choice most people make every year: how to compare a PPO with an HDHP plus HSA by total yearly cost rather than the deductible, with the current HSA and FSA limits. Then sending money to China, where the real cost is the fee plus the exchange-rate markup, and where China's $50,000 yearly FX quota and US reporting rules both apply. If you keep accounts in China, the FBAR and Form 8938 guide explains who must report, which accounts count and where WeChat Pay and Alipay fit in. And because a move is one of the biggest bills a family pays, there is a checklist for comparing moving quotes and spotting scams. Each guide pairs with a free calculator or checker below. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.
Free tools for this topic
Health Plan PickerCompare 2–4 employer plans (PPO, HMO, EPO, HDHP + HSA) by total yearly cost at low, expected and high use, with HSA and FSA limits.
US→China Transfer CalculatorLive USD→CNY rate and the all-in cost by bank wire, Wise, Remitly or Western Union, plus the $50,000 quota and US reporting rules.
Tax Self-CheckWhich forms do you need? Tax residency, 1040 or 1040-NR, 8843, FBAR, 8938, 3520 and the US–China treaty, with IRS links.
Roast My MoveMoving? Post a mover quote, apartment shortlist or keep-or-toss dilemma and let strangers vote before you decide.
Start here: the most useful first
PPO vs HDHP + HSA: How to Choose a Health Plan at Open Enrollment
Choose between PPO, HMO/EPO and HDHP + HSA by total yearly cost: premiums, out-of-pocket max, employer HSA money, 2026/2027 HSA and FSA limits, and visa holder rules.
Cheapest Way to Send Money to China (2026): Wire, Wise, Remitly
Compare the real cost of sending money to China: fees plus rate markup for bank wires, Wise, Remitly and Western Union, the $50,000 SAFE quota and US rules.
FBAR vs Form 8938: Chinese Bank Accounts, WeChat Pay and Alipay
FBAR vs Form 8938 for Chinese immigrants: the $10,000 FBAR rule, 8938 thresholds, who is a US person, which China accounts count, and WeChat Pay and Alipay.
How to Compare Moving Quotes (and Spot a Moving Scam)
Binding vs non-binding moving estimates, the 110% rule, USDOT checks on FMCSA, valuation coverage and the red flags of a moving scam, in one plain checklist.
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