[lair8]

Even though people save money on taxes, they lose money in other areas.

Significantly housing costs than most of the US
You pay hundreds of dollars in HOA (in most areas)
You pay double in car insurance (than avg)
You pay double in property insurance (than avg)

You pay extra money no matter where you live. It's just a matter of paying where you think the most money will get value.

I'd rather come out of my bank account because it's funding health care than it going to car insurance because other drivers are recklessly going +20mph over the speed limit and getting out of accidents.

[Ghaati]

Originally Posted by lair8

Even though people save money on taxes, they lose money in other areas.

Significantly housing costs than most of the US
You pay hundreds of dollars in HOA (in most areas)
You pay double in car insurance (than avg)
You pay double in property insurance (than avg)

You pay extra money no matter where you live. It's just a matter of paying where you think the most money will get value.

I'd rather come out of my bank account because it's funding health care than it going to car insurance because other drivers are recklessly going +20mph over the speed limit and getting out of accidents.

So - where we came from, we paid $360/month in condo fees when we lived in a condo. We had no amenities other than landscaping, snow plowing shoveling, and roof-clearing - road repair, etc. We didn't even have sidewalks. Because the developer owned most of the units, it didn't really matter if we voted on anything at all. It was one vote per unit, and he had the majority so what he said, went. When we moved to a free-standing house there were no HOA fees at all.

Where I live now in Florida, I pay no HOA at all, and $167/month amenity fee, which gives me access to hundreds of amenities, dozens of pools, executive golf courses, archery range, dog park, pickleball, rec centers, and over 3000 clubs in around 35 square miles (and counting) beautifully-landscaped common areas with over 70 square miles of restricted multi-modal paths and walking trails.

Our car insurance was just around what it is here, except we also had yearly car tax on top of our 4-year registration fee.

Our property tax for a 1024-square-foot house up north on a half acre of land was around $4000/year. Our current home, a manufactured home which is permanently tied to the 1/5 acre of land that we own (not rent) and has 1108 square feet, we pay around $1500/year in property tax.

Our homeowners insurance is around $2400 here. I don't recall what it was up north but with the savings on everything else, we can afford an increase, if we're paying more.

[Nerad]

As a small business owner, taxes are a BIG deal.

I started with my own money and every penny I had went into getting my biz off the ground.

[NSHL10]

The OP always seems so miserable complaining about nearly everything Florida related (which certainly is his/her. right). The question is why keep living in such environment?

Life is too short to be miserable. Find a place that better suits your wants/needs

[Igor Blevin]

Originally Posted by lair8

Even though people save money on taxes, they lose money in other areas.

Significantly housing costs than most of the US
You pay hundreds of dollars in HOA (in most areas)
You pay double in car insurance (than avg)
You pay double in property insurance (than avg)

You pay extra money no matter where you live. It's just a matter of paying where you think the most money will get value.

I'd rather come out of my bank account because it's funding health care than it going to car insurance because other drivers are recklessly going +20mph over the speed limit and getting out of accidents.

The more you make, the more you pay in state taxes. For some people, they are still way ahead with the tradeoffs you listed.

Beyond that, most of what you list are relatively new and were not big deterrents in past decades.

Back when the federal government really heavily subsidized flood insurance, overall property insurance as much lower than today. 20 years ago, Florida housing costs were really cheap. Even 10 years ago, they weren't bad. The Covid boom changed that.

I think FL car insurance was always high, but a fraction what many would pay in state income tax for many moving there.

Florida is no longer cheap. Oh well. That is what demand does to a place.

[FL_Expert]

The tax benefit of living in Florida is proportional to income. If you’re broke, there’s no real advantage to being here.

[DanBev]

I lived in North Fl for 25 years 2200 sq ft ranch on 5 acres very happily,I 75,I 10 and I 95 at my door step,nice yearly winter trip to Biloxi etc,you made your choices. I did not pay taxes for many years'
I had better health care in FL than here.
Unfortunately age and health caught up,completely,totaly unhappy in Ct,miserable state to live in.

[DanBev]

I lived in North Fl for 25 years 2200 sq ft ranch on 5 acres very happily,I 75,I 10 and I 95 at my door step,nice yearly winter trip to Biloxi etc,you made your choices. I did not pay taxes for many years'
I had better health care in FL than here.
Unfortunately age and health caught up,completely,totaly unhappy in Ct,miserable state to live in.
This crazy forum says I have to wait 60 seconds between posts ,I have not posted today

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by FL_Expert

The tax benefit of living in Florida is proportional to income. If you’re broke, there’s no real advantage to being here.

This is even more evident at this time of year during tax season. Those who expect large lumpsums in "tax refunds" far exceeding what they paid in taxes during the year simply don't understand the huge difference that skipping the "state tax" portion of a tax return makes to those who don't qualify for such handouts.

[AndySipowicz]

Originally Posted by DanBev

I lived in North Fl for 25 years 2200 sq ft ranch on 5 acres very happily,I 75,I 10 and I 95 at my door step,nice yearly winter trip to Biloxi etc,you made your choices. I did not pay taxes for many years'
I had better health care in FL than here.
Unfortunately age and health caught up,completely,totaly unhappy in Ct,miserable state to live in.

I hope you find happiness again, friend.