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Most of us do. The exception would be people who live in rural areas and have wells or piped-in spring water.
But it's one thing to spend MORE money on keeping a lawn green, rather than just for drinking/bathing/doing laundry. Or keeping fancy gardens in a desert.
My condo is in a townhouse community that does not have a sprinkler system, so we don't spend money on watering lawns.
I live in Maine. Maine does not tax Social Security nor does it tax military pensions.
Side note - most states exempt military retirement - 36 have no tax or exempt it fully, 14 have a partial exemption - only 2 places currently offer no tax breaks for a military retiree - CA and DC.
A couple of states have mil retire breaks that are due to expire - NM 's tax break expires in 2026, in OR only get a break on retirement income earned before 1991 so for some already expired and in MT the tax break goes away if earn more than about $40K.
Most of us do. The exception would be people who live in rural areas and have wells or piped-in spring water.
But it's one thing to spend MORE money on keeping a lawn green, rather than just for drinking/bathing/doing laundry. Or keeping fancy gardens in a desert.
My condo is in a townhouse community that does not have a sprinkler system, so we don't spend money on watering lawns.
We have lots of water.
As far as I have seen, in this area, any piece of land that is left bare and exposed to sunlight will sprout weeds and eventually forest, because we have so much water.
Over 92% of this state is classified as forest. I have seen on my own land the root systems of most trees can reach out 100 feet, and if that root gets exposed to sunlight they sprout new trees. I have a jeep trail that runs a straight line for a measured mile on my land, tree saplings shoot up every summer. If I don't bush hog them down every 2 years, I have trees blocking vehicles from using the trail.
A good portion of the land in our township is peat bog. The ground is saturated with water and no more water can sink in, so the water stays there. Since it is exposed to sunlight most of the year it grows algae and mosses. The predominant moss is sphagnum moss, which later when it dies and decays becomes peat moss.
I have standing water on my land, that has been there for multiple centuries and is growing peat moss.
I grewup sharecropping on land that is subject to droughts. I do understand the issues of drought and water stress. It was a high priority for me, for when I retired to settle somewhere that has never seen a drought.
You must pay taxes on up to 85% of your Social Security benefits if you file a:
Federal tax return as an “individual” and your “combined income” exceeds $25,000.
Joint return, and you and your spouse have “combined income” of more than $32,000.
NOTE: “Combined income” includes your adjusted gross income, tax-exempt interest income and half of your Social Security benefits.
And, that doesn't cover state tax if you are in a state that taxes social security.
Well, a part of SS income can be taxable on the federal return, but it won’t be enough to exceed the standard deduction. This is true for max benefit on a single return, and for two max benefits on a joint return.
State income tax is another matter. It’s certainly possible to have a state tax liability, but no federal liability.
Side note - most states exempt military retirement - 36 have no tax or exempt it fully, 14 have a partial exemption - only 2 places currently offer no tax breaks for a military retiree - CA and DC.
A couple of states have mil retire breaks that are due to expire - NM 's tax break expires in 2026, in OR only get a break on retirement income earned before 1991 so for some already expired and in MT the tax break goes away if earn more than about $40K.
That is a very broad statement, which when reading details of most states, is not true. I'm in Idaho - my pension is taxed unless I meet exemption requirements, which is the first $51K and I have to be over 65. Each state (except those without state income tax) have exemptions for mil pension - trust me, it's taxed.
Well, a part of SS income can be taxable on the federal return, but it won’t be enough to exceed the standard deduction. This is true for max benefit on a single return, and for two max benefits on a joint return.
State income tax is another matter. It’s certainly possible to have a state tax liability, but no federal liability.
You must pay taxes on up to 85% of your Social Security benefits if you file a:
Federal tax return as an “individual” and your “combined income” exceeds $25,000.
Joint return, and you and your spouse have “combined income” of more than $32,000.
NOTE: “Combined income” includes your adjusted gross income, tax-exempt interest income and half of your Social Security benefits.
And, that doesn't cover state tax if you are in a state that taxes social security.
A requirement to file tax doesn’t mean you will pay tax.
In your example of spousal combined SS check above $32K with the standard marital deductions they won’t pay income tax
What is the highest SS in 2023? $3345 if you retired at FRA.
Let’s say both spouses get it - we could even round it upwards to $88K per year for both.
You won’t even pay federal income tax if that is your only “ income” - as SS isn’t really income for federal tax purposes; it is income for Medicare healthcare only
Actually, I couldn’t find a state where you would pay tax on that $88k in SS - even in the ones which “taxes” SS - like CT.
You know where the government and private companies get you?
Medicare!!! - it is outrageous price for someone who wants to prevent huge medical bills in catastrophic diseases/accidents and save their only modest house from liens somewhat by buying supplement insurance
Even a low income SS benefits only couple with let’s say $40K of combined income would have to spend 30%++ of their SS for premiums alone - and not all will be covered - esp if one needs expensive drugs
Average SS check in 2023 is $1700 or so - it means a lot of people get much less…
So don’t pick your state of residence based on them taxing or not taxing you SS - it is mostly irrelevant for the majority of people
Last edited by L00k4ward; 09-19-2023 at 07:31 AM..
Thank you! I am not picking a state based upon this. I don’t fall in the thresholds either. I was simply trying to satisfy my curiosity. Thank you for detailed response.
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