Tax hell.....wisconsin....help! (pensions, weather, move, community)

[MILWMAR]

I retired 2 years ago from the Post Office. I live in Milwaukee (Detroit west), Wisconsin (California) east. We have become a tax hell state. (Thanks to the Dem's). Any suggestions for a nice place (community) in Tenn. or Florida to move to? Was thinking about Vegas, but my wife's father lives there and when he moved there in 1971, there was 35,000 people living there, NOW, there is 2.5 MILLION!

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by MILWMAR

I retired 2 years ago from the Post Office. I live in Milwaukee (Detroit west), Wisconsin (California) east. We have become a tax hell state. (Thanks to the Dem's). Any suggestions for a nice place (community) in Tenn. or Florida to move to? Was thinking about Vegas, but my wife's father lives there and when he moved there in 1971, there was 35,000 people living there, NOW, there is 2.5 MILLION!

Just some advice, don't move to a place in retirement just to escape some intolerable condition (taxes, weather, traffic, etc.) where you live now or you won't be happy in the new place. Find places that offer what you like to do in retirement and have what you want/need in the variety, number and quality you are accustomed to, rank those same potential places based on taxes and affordability, read their online newspapers to get a feel for the place and then go visit the ones that came out on top.

In Tennessee, they won't tax your pension, but we do have a high sales tax and there is a tax on income from interest and dividends.

[jrkliny]

There are be reasons that Las Vegas has grown rapidly. It is not for me but I would not just pass it over because of the ongoing growth.

[susancruzs]

Hmmm, I moved to Wisconsin from NE Illinois for retirement! Illinois does not tax private pensions or ss, but you do pay higher sales tax, including food. Wisconsin does tax my pension but does not tax ss. I wanted small town living, where I could walk to stores, in a quieter, safer neighborhood. I was also concerned about apartments, places to live once I don't want to be in a house. In Illinois that comes at a very high premium, if you can find one that doesn't have an entry fee or waiting list.

I was able to purchase a house and live blocks from Lake Michigan, and in Illinois I could never afford to be close to the lake. My utilities are less than I was paying in Illinois. I compared the rate for natural gas with my neighbor in Illinois and hers was quite a bit higher.

Its just a matter of personal needs and preference, I guess. The taxes don't bother me when I feel like I'm getting something in return for my money.

[Galt]

MILWMAR, if you like Nevada, then move there. The areas around Vegas are so big, they are towns on their own. You don't ever have to go into Vegas. Pahrump is close enough to Vegas to drive there when you need to, but it's a small town with all the conveniences.

[Tressa]

We relocated from Alaska to Northern Nevada, very small town and we live 18 miles out of it. Nevada has no income tax, they do have a sales tax and in our area it's 6.5 percent however they don't tax foods or meds. So in a sense we can live without paying tax as we really don't shop much anymore except for food, and living so far away from a big city (110 miles north of Reno) it helps to detour the idea of spontanous shopping and allows us to save money as well.

[texdav]

Just make sure you visit any place in the worse of weather season wise because you might not be able to stand it otherwsie living there.I know nevda is popular around vegas but even being from texas I found the heat;dust and wind conditions ruled it our for us.

[Pilgrim21784]

Your best place for Tenn. or Florida advice (and any other particular states) is probably the state specific threads. There is a huge amount of good info on them. Suggest you refine your criteria (city/small town/medical facilities/climate/terrain/culture/congestion/public services/etc.). I wouldn't jump into a move without spending some serious time in any locale that interests you. It seems a fair number of folks make a move and then regret it because they didn't do their homework. I personally know several folks who moved to Florida and then jumped again to North Carolina because of weather (heat/hurricanes) problems. Saw the same thing with folks who jumped to Vegas/other western locales and found the climate drove them nuts. On the tax issue, its wise to look at all taxes in a given area and not just focus on whether a state taxes pensions. I live in Maryland (retired Fed), often considered a high tax state but overall I've found it a wash considering that state taxes are deductible and the service level is high (great public roads, proximity to cultural stuff in Baltimore & DC, reasonable weather, proximity to major airports (we travel a lot). Pennsylvania also might be worth a look, they don't tax pensions. Ultimately your choice should be based on a matrix of factors, focusing on just taxes may lead you astray. Best of luck. Here is a link to a website that gives you a state by state tax picture: Taxes by State

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Just some advice, don't move to a place in retirement just to escape some intolerable condition (taxes, weather, traffic, etc.) where you live now or you won't be happy in the new place. Find places that offer what you like to do in retirement and have what you want/need in the variety, number and quality you are accustomed to, rank those same potential places based on taxes and affordability, read their online newspapers to get a feel for the place and then go visit the ones that came out on top.

In Tennessee, they won't tax your pension, but we do have a high sales tax and there is a tax on income from interest and dividends.

Good advice,
give us some more data and we can help you out.

From what I gather... you are not keen on Detroit, California, taxes, liberal Dems, crowds.

We need to know what you like
Weather?, activities, education, culture, hobbies, travel, (airport necessity) gardening, walking, rain, snow, humidity, dry, medical needs, whether you need to be close to anything (family) (BTW, I know some great places in (income) tax free WY & SD that would avoid ALL your stated dislikes, and is a lot closer than FL or NV) ... neither of which I would consider, as they are nice to visit, but... to live there ??? (I don't do heat, humidity, or blowing sand)

[gardener34]

I think I have seen an article in some retirement magazine that gives some sort of index of overall costs of living i.e. taxes, etc. of each state. Perhaps you can google that.