My employer gave me a lump sum to move. How do I make it last?

Get three written quotes before you spend any of it, and send each mover the same inventory so the prices compare. Ask for binding estimates.

Plan for tax. A lump sum is usually paid as wages, so tax may be taken out first, or owed later. Since 2018 most employees can't deduct moving costs, and the 2025 federal tax law made that permanent (members of the armed forces are the exception).

Put the lump sum in as your budget, so every quote and receipt is counted against it.

Keep every receipt. Some employers ask for them, and they settle any dispute with a mover.

Watch for the tactics that eat a lump sum: a big deposit, a fee hidden between discounts, and a broker's quote that grows on pickup day.

Source: IRS Publication 3 and Topic 455; FMCSA Protect Your Move · Checked October 2026

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