Where do You Want to Retire... and Why?

[Mikie]

If this is true, confirms my suspicion that you aint gonna save much leaving the state. Unless you make millions.

One of the toughest parts of my hiring gig with Northrop (1100 techs) was hiring people from out of State, as nearly every single one of them had done their homework and stated they wanted more money to compensate for the cost of living difference from wherever they were moving from. Riddle me that.. mighty men of honor?

Ironically, I would actually even pay more to be surrounded by a more common sense political spectrum just for daily life peace of mind.

 

[LLPoolJ]

One of the toughest parts of my hiring gig with Northrop (1100 techs) was hiring people from out of State, as nearly every single one of them had done their homework and stated they wanted more money to compensate for the cost of living difference from wherever they were moving from. Riddle me that.. mighty men of honor?

Ironically, I would actually even pay more to be surrounded by a more common sense political spectrum just for daily life peace of mind.

You live in the sticks and are not surrounded by anyone. Other than the news you read and here. Turn it off and its funny how little of that BS effects your daily life. My boy lives in Prescott and they have knuckleheads also.

 

[Mikie]

You live in the sticks and are not surrounded by anyone. Other than the news you read and here. Turn it off and its funny how little of that BS effects your daily life. My boy lives in Prescott and they have knuckleheads also.

You silly sexy man.
Sanctuary State? Nuff said....

 

[tick]

Mexican food on every corner

I concur that it’s a very personal decision. California ranks low on those “best places” lists, typically due to housing affordability and traffic. I’m focused on taxes here.

I’m making a very limited point that you should not automatically assume that your personal tax burden will be lower in a “low tax” state. If that is a factor in your decision, you should do the math, including sales and property taxes in your calculations. You may be surprised at how little you will save.

 

[LLPoolJ]

You silly sexy man.
Sanctuary State? Nuff said....

Has no effect on me, dont even know what that means. I watch Youtube videos, listen and watch no news. Dont give an F. I pay my taxes dont give an S what they do with it anymore, used to realized ita a worthless fight and found better things to do with my time. You political housewives should give it a try. Its freeing. And I am sexy in spandex.

 

[akmoney]

It turns out that if you’ve owned a reasonable sized house for a few years, Prop 13 means that California might be your lowest tax option. My parents did the math and realized it would be nuts to leave for financial reasons.

This.

I bought my condo in Tustin Ranch in 1998. Prop 13 has me locked in. And my parents have it even better: They still live in the same house in Tustin they bought in 1971. It's assessed at $100K. Their annual property tax bill is about $1,500. Less than a mile away, homes in The District are pushing $20K/year in property taxes and Mello Roos. Dad likes to say "We ain't movin' out until I can't climb the stairs anymore." Even then I think it'd be cheaper to install one of those stair-escalator things George Costanza had in that one Seinfeld episode.

 

[Runs with Scissors]

I concur that it’s a very personal decision. California ranks low on those “best places” lists, typically due to housing affordability and traffic. I’m focused on taxes here.

I’m making a very limited point that you should not automatically assume that your personal tax burden will be lower in a “low tax” state. If that is a factor in your decision, you should do the math, including sales and property taxes in your calculations. You may be surprised at how little you will save.

I've done the math. With a lower property, sales, and income tax (and no payroll taxes on retirement pay), I can sell my house here in SoCal and pay cash for one in SoUt. With money left over. The new Washington County, UT tax bill will be lower than my current tax bill in Anaheim, CA, even though I've owned the house in Anaheim since 2000. Overall tax rate will be lower.

Even if the total tax bill is only 1 penny lower, it's not California. It's a win!!!!

 

[akmoney]

View attachment 42113

I would gladly take the Cayucos fog than the Bakersfield heat. I was just there a few weeks ago and there was no fog, but when we hit Cambria the beach the for was pretty thick.

As for SLO, it is about 10 degrees hotter than Pismo Beach. Once you hit the Avila Beach offramp the temperatures drop off significantly. I have looked in buying a place out in Low Osos for retirement. Good deals can be found on land but there is a moratorium on building. So its useless unless the ban is lifted.

I think there are some pretty good values along the central coast. Home prices in Paso Robles are quite reasonable, although summertime temperatures there easily exceed 100 degrees on a regular basis.

IMHO, the central coast has a couple pretty large demerits:
- Nowhere near an airport of any significance. Flights will be $$$ and international travel will be inconvenient compared to being a 45 minute drive to LAX or PHX.
- I went to UC Santa Barbara. It's still "central coast", sort of. Being an OC native used to a large megalopolis, I got pretty bored of SB/Goleta quite quickly. It doesn't take long to exhaust the restaurant supply of a town that size.
- It's still California and all that entails politically. May as well just stay here.

 

[mtbMike]

If this is true, confirms my suspicion that you aint gonna save much leaving the state. Unless you make millions.

Guess that depends on where you're leaving and where you're going to. Some places have great housing prices but property tax may be high while others may have crazy car insurance rates, still others will cost you much more in health insurance. It's all a balance and why you need to do your research ahead of time and look at ALL costs. For us going to AZ, the only cost increase we're going to have that I've found in health insurance but that's a no brainer since my wife will stop working full time and lose the insurance she currently has. We'll have no house payment, a little bit lower property taxes, homeowners will be a push, MUCH lower car insurance, MUCH lower car registration fees, food is a push, water bill will be almost half and gas for the vehicles is almost 25% lower.

Some places like Colorado give you tax breaks as you age. Your 1st $20K in income isn't taxable at age 55 and that goes to $40K at age 65. Tennessee has no income tax except on stocks, bonds, etc and that's at a 6% rate. They don't tax retirement income at all. They have no inheritance tax and the estate tax supposedly expired in 2016. I've been to TN a few times and it's a beautiful state but I don't think I could handle the summer humidity. There's a lot of options out there.

 

[LLPoolJ]

Guess that depends on where you're leaving and where you're going to. Some places have great housing prices but property tax may be high while others may have crazy car insurance rates, still others will cost you much more in health insurance. It's all a balance and why you need to do your research ahead of time and look at ALL costs. For us going to AZ, the only cost increase we're going to have that I've found in health insurance but that's a no brainer since my wife will stop working full time and lose the insurance she currently has. We'll have no house payment, a little bit lower property taxes, homeowners will be a push, MUCH lower car insurance, MUCH lower car registration fees, food is a push, water bill will be almost half and gas for the vehicles is almost 25% lower.

Some places like Colorado give you tax breaks as you age. Your 1st $20K in income isn't taxable at age 55 and that goes to $40K at age 65. Tennessee has no income tax except on stocks, bonds, etc and that's at a 6% rate. They don't tax retirement income at all. They have no inheritance tax and the estate tax supposedly expired in 2016. I've been to TN a few times and it's a beautiful state but I don't think I could handle the summer humidity. There's a lot of options out there.

Glad you actually put some #'s together. I will be old an unable to move when retirement comes, if it ever does. Saving a few $ will have very little to do with my decision. Just want to live or have my ashes spread close to pine trees.

 

[Runs with Scissors]

Guess that depends on where you're leaving and where you're going to. Some places have great housing prices but property tax may be high while others may have crazy car insurance rates, still others will cost you much more in health insurance. It's all a balance and why you need to do your research ahead of time and look at ALL costs. For us going to AZ, the only cost increase we're going to have that I've found in health insurance but that's a no brainer since my wife will stop working full time and lose the insurance she currently has. We'll have no house payment, a little bit lower property taxes, homeowners will be a push, MUCH lower car insurance, MUCH lower car registration fees, food is a push, water bill will be almost half and gas for the vehicles is almost 25% lower.

Some places like Colorado give you tax breaks as you age. Your 1st $20K in income isn't taxable at age 55 and that goes to $40K at age 65. Tennessee has no income tax except on stocks, bonds, etc and that's at a 6% rate. They don't tax retirement income at all. They have no inheritance tax and the estate tax supposedly expired in 2016. I've been to TN a few times and it's a beautiful state but I don't think I could handle the summer humidity. There's a lot of options out there.

Yeah, TN is not an option. Spent a miserable spring/summer there in 1980. Never again.

 

[DangerDirtyD]

I've done the math. With a lower property, sales, and income tax (and no payroll taxes on retirement pay), I can sell my house here in SoCal and pay cash for one in SoUt. With money left over. The new Washington County, UT tax bill will be lower than my current tax bill in Anaheim, CA, even though I've owned the house in Anaheim since 2000. Overall tax rate will be lower.

Even if the total tax bill is only 1 penny lower, it's not California. It's a win!!!!

Government Job? Pension paid by whom? You’re welcome. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass.

 

[Mikie]

Government Job? Pension paid by whom? You’re welcome. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass.

Is this like a seizure lately? These outburst of keyboard angst?

 

[Danmtchl]

I think there are some pretty good values along the central coast. Home prices in Paso Robles are quite reasonable, although summertime temperatures there easily exceed 100 degrees on a regular basis.

IMHO, the central coast has a couple pretty large demerits:
- Nowhere near an airport of any significance. Flights will be $$$ and international travel will be inconvenient compared to being a 45 minute drive to LAX or PHX.
- I went to UC Santa Barbara. It's still "central coast", sort of. Being an OC native used to a large megalopolis, I got pretty bored of SB/Goleta quite quickly. It doesn't take long to exhaust the restaurant supply of a town that size.
- It's still California and all that entails politically. May as well just stay here.

The towns along the coast is what I am looking to retire in. I would not live inland. I am over 100+ degree summers. There are 2 airports nearby, one in Santa Maria and SLO. If I had to fly out of either, It's no big deal.

For me it's the weather I want, not the airport. That is a very small trade-off for me.

 

[DangerDirtyD]

Is this like a seizure lately? These outburst of keyboard angst?
View attachment 42119

Our traffic group is constantly behind on their deliverables, Cities don’t give a crap about our workload, and it’s giving me angst as the PM. If i were to say something like, “poo on the gas tax or vehicle mpg requirements or the Clean Air Act or the Clean Water Act” (though not specific to Cali) you might give me a hi5 instead.

 

[Mikie]

Our traffic group is constantly behind on their deliverables, Cities don’t give a crap about our workload, and it’s giving me angst as the PM. If i were to say something like, “poo on the gas tax or vehicle mpg requirements or the Clean Air Act or the Clean Water Act” (though not specific to Cali) you might give me a hi5 instead.

Rephrased:
You may be correct on some of that, But you would be talking about subjects, not members of our imtb family.

 

[mountaingirl sara]

The only reason CA has a water issue is failure to plan, on purpose. Failure to build adequate water storage...we get plenty of water in the state as a whole but most of it drains right into the ocean. And if they're right about more rain and less snow then capture it, use it, then drain it. Problem solved.

This state will never do that, of course.

Mark for president!

 

[Runs with Scissors]

Mark for president!

No way. The "citizens" of this country don't deserve my efforts and would never elect me.

 

[mountaingirl sara]

I have a cousin in Grass Valley. She says it's beautiful and peaceful. Her brother lives in San Luis Obispo. Be forewarned that anything North of there (up over the hwy 101 grade) such as Atascadero, get's super hot in the Summer. Cayucos is nice but it's fogged in a lot, as is most everything North and South of there along the coast. Fog doesn't bother me, personally.

The only issue with Grass Valley, Auburn area is it’s gaining in popularity, which is great if we sell, 20 acres with a ranch style home and yr round creek(interested?). You’re right about Atascadero, but I do like the proximity to the beach..not too terribly far. Time will tell..life is messy and unpredictable!

 

[Faust29]

One of the toughest parts of my hiring gig with Northrop (1100 techs) was hiring people from out of State, as nearly every single one of them had done their homework and stated they wanted more money to compensate for the cost of living difference from wherever they were moving from. Riddle me that.. mighty men of honor?

Ironically, I would actually even pay more to be surrounded by a more common sense political spectrum just for daily life peace of mind.

I'm surprised with the size of the company that they don't have adjusted rates for east-west moves. I can say that in our case it would not have been a consideration if my wife's company hadn't adjusted handsomely for CA cost of living. And it weren't no little adjustment coming from a state with zero income tax and dirt low property taxes. My heart skipped a few beats just looking at the price of milk. Our realtor performed CPR when we looked at our first house...


Edit: To put it in perspective, we paid more in taxes in our first year of California home ownership than we paid in 15 years in our former state. For a smaller house. And we even had free alligators!

 

[Runs with Scissors]

Government Job? Pension paid by whom? You’re welcome. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass.

No sweat, bro. The door won't come anywhere near me. You're welcome to stay and indulge all you want. I believe in adulthood, after all.

 

[Mikie]

I'm surprised with the size of the company that they don't have adjusted rates for east-west moves. I can say that in our case it would not have been a consideration if my wife's company hadn't adjusted handsomely for CA cost of living. And it weren't no little adjustment coming from a state with zero income tax and dirt low property taxes. My heart skipped a few beats just looking at the price of milk. Our realtor performed CPR when we looked at our first house...


Edit: To put it in perspective, we paid more in taxes in our first year of California home ownership than we paid in 15 years in our former state. For a smaller house. And we even had free alligators!

The Prosecutor rests on California cost of living. Thank you very much!

 

[Runs with Scissors]

Our traffic group is constantly behind on their deliverables, Cities don’t give a crap about our workload, and it’s giving me angst as the PM. If i were to say something like, “poo on the gas tax or vehicle mpg requirements or the Clean Air Act or the Clean Water Act” (though not specific to Cali) you might give me a hi5 instead.

Y'know, if the gas tax actually went to road improvements and not to light rail and irrelevant bike boulevards, people might agree with you and care. But since the gas tax is wasted, people are pissed. Rightly so.

Yes, I know exactly where the gas tax goes. I'm a gummint employee, in a Public Works department of a major southern California city. You cain't pull the wool over my eyes. SB 1 is gone as of the November election. Deal with it.

 

[Faust29]

The Prosecutor rests on California cost of living. Thank you very much!

Whenever one of my east coast friends is down in the dumps, I share what we pay for basic things... vehicle registration, gas, milk, freeway tolls, housing, etc. After they recover, they feel a lot better!

When we were in New York last year, the lead story on the news for 3 days straight was the proposed legislation to increase tolls on I-90 in WNY. Some of the fares were going to go from 25 cents to 30 cents for a 20 mile stretch! The horror. What is it on the 241 and 91 now?

 

[Runs with Scissors]

Whenever one of my east coast friends is down in the dumps, I share what we pay for basic things... vehicle registration, gas, milk, freeway tolls, housing, etc. After they recover, they feel a lot better!

When we were in New York last year, the lead story on the news for 3 days straight was the proposed legislation to increase tolls on I-90 in WNY. Some of the fares were going to go from 25 cents to 30 cents for a 20 mile stretch! The horror. What is it on the 241 and 91 now?

You actually use toll roads????

That's an eastern thang that I refuse to condone. When we visited Florida, they had great roads, and all of those great roads were toll roads. Good for them. Here in the People's Republic, though, we pay outrageous taxes to have freeways, not tollways. I do not use toll roads no matter the congestion anywhere. If the gas tax is repealed I will use them. Until then....nope.

 

[LLPoolJ]

The Prosecutor rests on California cost of living. Thank you very much!

https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/reti...by-state-guide-to-taxes-on-retirees/index.php

Kiplinger rates CA in the middle for retirement taxes. Low property tax rates, plus prop 13 means long term owners with moderate incomes may see lower total taxes in California than elsewhere. Our top income tax rates are very high, but not many retirees are affected by them. Consult your financial advisor. I am a non attorney paid spokesman. Past performance is not an indicator of future results. Member fdic, aspic, aspca, norba, esq.

This is a good stat: California’s total tax take is 9.6% of all the state’s economy. In Idaho it’s 7.9%. So absolutely we pay more overall tax, but it’s not like a 2/1 difference. So it depends on your personal mix of income, property, sales, excise, gambling losses, etc... throw in an Idaho heating bill and moving expenses, plus trips to see the kids...
https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-highest-lowest-tax-burden/20494/#main-findings

You are arguing a point that he agreed with and so did I. My point was it aint much difference. You can find areas that are much cheaper my guess there are very few that would be great to live in.

 

[mtbMike]

Whenever one of my east coast friends is down in the dumps, I share what we pay for basic things... vehicle registration, gas, milk, freeway tolls, housing, etc. After they recover, they feel a lot better!

When we were in New York last year, the lead story on the news for 3 days straight was the proposed legislation to increase tolls on I-90 in WNY. Some of the fares were going to go from 25 cents to 30 cents for a 20 mile stretch! The horror. What is it on the 241 and 91 now?

When I drive on my trips and go out on the NB 15, the toll to go westbound on the 91 at 6 am last time was $19.50!!!

 

[Faust29]

You actually use toll roads????

That's an eastern thang that I refuse to condone. When we visited Florida, they had great roads, and all of those great roads were toll roads. Good for them. Here in the People's Republic, though, we pay outrageous taxes to have freeways, not tollways. I do not use toll roads no matter the congestion anywhere. If the gas tax is repealed I will use them. Until then....nope.

Most of the Florida toll roads were designed to move the tourists, not the locals... Airport to Disney. Disney to the space coast, etc... Locals rarely used them.

I'm an addict here, however. I use the toll road to go to the other side of RSM, even when there's no traffic.

 

[mtbMike]

Glad you actually put some #'s together. I will be old an unable to move when retirement comes, if it ever does. Saving a few $ will have very little to do with my decision. Just want to live or have my ashes spread close to pine trees.

Ha-ha...I definitely couldn't work outside in the eat up there where you live. I spent 20 years working the night shift to avoid the heat and I worked at the beach.

 

[mike]

I would not live inland. I am over 100+ degree summers.

Lots of inland higher elevation and/or higher latitude areas don't get over 100. But yea, fewer down south.