WSJ says L.A. people selling homes, flocking to Phoenix and Vegas as tax realities set it (deductible, farm)

[Burkmere]

Originally Posted by MuscleCar

Getting back to the meat and potatoes, the whole point of this thread is that for a segment of the population, Joe Sixpack is better off in a place like Phoenix than they are in Los Angeles. If you are poor and lazy, the social services of L.A. County are for you. If you work for a living, you will attain a better standard of living in Phoenix. If you can afford the Westside, than you can afford it. If you can "really afford" the Westside, your money is better sheltered in a lower COL area that doesnt punish success, like Phoenix, Vegas, even (yucky humid) Florida.

Oh, so true! My thoughts exactly. And even, like me, if you can afford to live anywhere in the world comfortably, hard to beat Scottsdale/Paradise Valley especially if you can get away during the summer and MAYBE EVEN VISIT LAGUNA BEACH with all the extra money you are getting by not living in CA.

[Burkmere]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

uh huh

Oh, it is awesome! Thanks for the well wishes! Jealous some? LOL.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Burkmere

Oh, so true! My thoughts exactly. And even, like me, if you can afford to live anywhere in the world comfortably, hard to beat Scottsdale/Paradise Valley especially if you can get away during the summer and MAYBE EVEN VISIT LAGUNA BEACH with all the extra money you are getting by not living in CA.

I certainly hope that your health has improved, and that you found an affordable place to live. BTW, Laguna Beach is a great place to visit.

Originally Posted by Burkmere

Hi,

I'm contemplating a move back to South Dakota and am looking at Sioux Falls. First, a little about me.
I'm single, 58, with some health issues. I grew up in north central South Dakota and graduated from USD in 1976. I currently live in Northern California, but can take a pension so for health reasons am seriously considering it. I also have a sister and nephews and nieces in Sioux Falls...brother in Pierre, etc.

I know my pension will go farther in Sioux Falls and due to health concerns also I feel like it might be nice to be around family . I have no immediate family in Northern Cal other than some cousins who I see on e in awhile. I do love the weather here, etc but as I get older I'm not sure I want to grow old here, especially if I have health issues. I have the option of using Blue Cross which my employer says is national so I should be ok health wise except I do tend to look for more "outside the box" docs or DOs or naturopathic types in addition to more traditional healthcare as I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome along with some other health issues.

I could see myself attending sporting events, socializing, and enjoying the great nephews and nieces also. I don't want to "over-romanticize" what it might be like, but I've visited with my sister, hubby, and family there and even looked at apartments and did a quick city tour in late June. If my health permits, I'm thinking I can maybe get away for a few weeks in the winter if need be or maybe a couple of short trips to Vegas or the like if health permits to break up the winter. My available annual income before taxes will be around $72,000 or so. I don't own a home so would have to rent and pay about $400 a month out of pocket for healthcare premiums plus whatever else out of pocket I might pay for more non-traditional medical care.

I'd love for anyone to chime in here to help me weigh the pros and cons of making a decision. Please do!! Thanks in advance.

Bob

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by MuscleCar

Getting back to the meat and potatoes, the whole point of this thread is that for a segment of the population, Joe Sixpack is better off in a place like Phoenix than they are in Los Angeles. If you are poor and lazy, the social services of L.A. County are for you. If you work for a living, you will attain a better standard of living in Phoenix. If you can afford the Westside, than you can afford it. If you can "really afford" the Westside, your money is better sheltered in a lower COL area that doesnt punish success, like Phoenix, Vegas, even (yucky humid) Florida.

I live in California. I am not wealthy but I've never had to rely on any social assistance programs either. You make this big assumption that you have to be filthy rich to live in California but that's just pure nonsense. I think that some of you think that there are only two counties in California, LA and San Francisco but there at 56 others and many of them are quite affordable.

I'm perfectly happy in California and consider my standard of living to be superior to what it would be in Phoenix. I don't like Phoenix, I think it's pedestrian and the summers are brutal. I did some contract work there for several months and was glad when my job there ended and I could leave. That's not a put down of Phoenix but it's just not a place I enjoy being. And I'm not saying that California is the "only" state worth living in, or that it's the best state. If not for my family here, I might consider moving to Portland, Austin or Atlanta. I've spent time in all three and think I'd be very happy in any one of them.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by Burkmere

Oh, it is awesome! Thanks for the well wishes! Jealous some? LOL.

Nah...just hoping that you have a wonderful time and that your health insurance isn't eating up too much of that $72,000 pension
//www.city-data.com/forum/30858972-post1.html

[Burkmere]

Originally Posted by pacific2

I certainly hope that your health has improved, and that you found an affordable place to live. BTW, Laguna Beach is a great place to visit.

NIce try. That was seven years ago. A lot has changed since then. I worked four years after that to very substantially increase my CA public sector pension and my investments have done every well. We got great cost of living increases and I got nice salary increases my last few years of work and of course us retirees get nice COLA increases also. I really don't care if you don't think it's 100 k now. It over that. I also took social security. Combined socials security and pension is about 135k. I also have some farmland I get substantial income from. Thanks for your concern. I'llv be doing a lot of traveling this summer including the CA coast I'm sure. You can take me out for lunch if you want.

[Burkmere]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

Nah...just hoping that you have a wonderful time and that your health insurance isn't eating up too much of that $72,000 pension
//www.city-data.com/forum/30858972-post1.html

Its not 72k as i didn't retire then as I mentioned. See my post above. The public pension system formulas in CA reward age more than years of service so I worked four more years. The health care dips to near zero in a few months as I'll be 65 and the public sector company pays most if it and medicare the rest. What a country!

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Burkmere

That was seven years ago. A lot has changed since then. I worked four years after that to very substantially increase my CA public sector pension and my investments have done every well. I also took social security. I also have some farmland I get substantial income from. Thanks for your concern. I'llv be doing a lot of traveling this summer including the CA coast I'm sure.

What a coincidence, as I own a bridge in NYC! Sadly, it pays me nothing and I'm trying to sell it.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

So is now the time to invest in LV, or Phx? Come on someone spill the beans.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by Burkmere

Its not 72k as i didn't retire then as I mentioned. See my post above. The public pension system formulas in CA reward age more than years of service so I worked four more years. The health care dips to near zero in a few months as I'll be 65 and the public sector company pays most if it and medicare the rest. What a country!

But in the South Dakota thread you said you moved there November 2, 2015. Wouldn't that have been two years? Congrats on getting on medicare it's great especially with a good supplement.