Just got tenured and promoted, but need to move for family reasons I just got tenured and promoted to an associate professor, the contract for which will start from Fall this year. However, my partner, who is also in academia just accepted an position in another city starting from this Fall. Our plan is to give up our current tenured positions and move the entire family to the new city (for a better environment and better education for our children). The question is: when would be a good timing for me to move?

We have small children (toddler and infant), so it seems to make most sense if we all move together this summer. I am not currently on the job market, but I am open to giving up my tenured position (to trade with a better location for the family) while trying to find something in the new city (I am ready to apply for adjunct teaching positions, contract based faculty positions, or tenure-track positions in the new city, whatever becomes available, or to find some creative ways to engage in work meaningful and inspiring to me while trying to meet our financial needs). 

Now, should I at all consider the possibility of staying behind and teaching as an associate professor for a year before leaving my current job?

In other words, in thinking about future career trajectory, would having one actual year of experience as a tenured associate professor make a big difference on the prospect of future job applications? Or, would showing evidence of having achieved tenure/promotion in a previous institute be equivalently useful? 

What are some other possible alternatives? 

Any advice on this would be much appreciated!
If you stay behind and work for a year as an associate professor and go on the job market the next academic year, you'll be in a better situation to search for a new tenure track position than if you leave your current position and move immediately.  It's always better to look for a job from a tenured/tenure track position than as an unemployed academic with no current affiliation.  Furthermore, if you leave at this point it may appear as though you didn't receive tenure in your current position. 

When/if you do go on the job market you can explain in your cover letter that you're moving to the new city because your partner is there in a tenure track position.  

Another avenue to follow up on is seeing if your partner's new institution might be willing to employ you (either now or perhaps in a year from now.)   Many institutions have specific "spousal hiring" policies that might be helpful.