F1 to H1B 90-Day Money Checklist (Free Download)

The 90-day F1 to H1B money checklist

Use this 90-day window (roughly July–September before October 1 H1B start) to set your financial foundation.

90 days out (July 1)

• ☐ Open or fund your Roth IRA (contribute $7,000 for the calendar year while still on F1/lower income)
• ☐ Apply for your last F1-era credit card (Discover It Student → gets upgraded to Discover It Cash Back later)
• ☐ Download your CIBIL report from India (useful for Nova Credit-linked cards)
• ☐ Check FICA withholding on your most recent pay stub — should show $0 in FICA during OPT

60 days out (August 1)

• ☐ Confirm H1B start date with employer HR — October 1 for cap-subject, or approval date for cap-exempt
• ☐ Update W-4 with employer: once H1B starts, your withholding changes (FICA begins, residency may change)
• ☐ Open Fidelity or Schwab account if not yet done — needed for Roth IRA and investment accounts
• ☐ Review health insurance options: Does your employer HDHP qualify for HSA? If yes, plan to open HSA.
• ☐ Check I-797 approval notice — confirm dates are correct, employer address is current

30 days out (September 1)

• ☐ Negotiate H1B salary — check h1bdata.info for your role + company + location benchmarks
• ☐ Apply for first H1B-era credit card the week your H1B starts: Capital One Savor One or Chase Freedom Unlimited
• ☐ Max out HSA contribution if enrolled in HDHP from day 1
• ☐ Gather Indian bank statements — if your total Indian accounts exceeded $10K at any point, you'll need to file FBAR next April
• ☐ Update bank accounts — notify your US bank of status change (W-8BEN changes to W-9)

H1B start date (October 1)

• ☐ Confirm FICA starts being withheld on first H1B paycheck (should now appear in deductions)
• ☐ Update 401k contribution — now eligible for employer match from day 1 at most companies
• ☐ Register on h1bdata.info — bookmark for salary negotiation at review time
• ☐ File previous OPT year taxes with Sprintax — don't use TurboTax for the F1 portion

After H1B start

• ☐ Apply for Chase Freedom Unlimited (6-9 months into H1B when score hits 680+)
• ☐ Max Roth IRA contribution for the full year ($7,000)
• ☐ Set up automatic 401k contribution to at least employer match %
• ☐ File FBAR by April 15 if Indian accounts crossed $10,000 during the year

Watch the F1 to H1B money moves video →