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Best state to live/retire ?

Main problem for me to move somewhere else, after the weather ( sure is nice to be in shorts year round )

Is getting used to people walking inside houses with shoes,.....my place will definitely have a no shoes policy but it will feel weird to go into other people homes and not ditching the shoes at the door.
 
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If you're only paying $4,000 on a 2 Mil home, then you likely purchased 30-plus some years ago. The property tax rate on a $2m home in Laguna Niguel, purchased today is $15,800 per year. You are likely benefiting from CA Prop13, which the S#!t-heads in Sacramento are working to eliminate. Like I said "if you've lived in CA 30yrs and have owned the same home for that time, you're "golden"."

"California fully taxes income from retirement accounts and pensions at some of the highest state income tax rates in the country. Social Security retirement benefits are exempt, but California has some of the highest sales taxes in the U.S."

Wouldn't make a difference if I wanted to leave CA. The State law makers are planning on passing legislation that will require people who leave the state to pay CA taxes on unrealized retirement income "earned in CA"...essentially an exit tax..LOL. Like that's fair.
Yep, Bought in the summer of 1986 over 37 years ago for less tan $190k. The main reason I never moved, just completely rebuilt my home, as I like to joke. Unfortunately I won't ever have to pay the "exit tax", I doubt you will either. Its a tiny bit above my net worth. 🤣😁 The amount of the California exit tax is 0.4% of an individuals’ net worth over $30,000,000 in a tax year, no matter where it’s located—within CA, other states within the US, or overseas.
 
Motorhead,

Born, worked, and lived in CA my entire life..check. Lived in the same house for 31yrs..check. Only bought one rental house (not to flip)..really, really hard lesson learned with that..check. Lots of friends and fam nearby..check. Love CA, but I HATE what has happened TO it. Hmmm. Sour Grapes? IDK..yeah..maybe..sour grapes. But, that does not make the "sour grapes" feel any less factual..

Some professions preclude living where you actually want to. Yes, I'm envious of the pics you showed. I pretty much needed to work near an urban area or city being a software engineer. Silicon Valley..San Diego..both required a big investment to get into real estate. So much so, we never purchased in Silicon Valley..just rented. The crowds and congestion followed us to SoCal. :-(


So the OP's question was retiring TO a state..not retiring IN a state.


Fun Facts For People Retiring TO California..

CA has the second-highest cost of living in the United States.

CA accounted for 30% of the country's homeless population in 2022, despite making up less than 12% of the total population, according to federal data. Make sure you don't retire next to, or plan on visiting a large city nearby..be ready for tents and feces on the sidewalks.

Nearly a quarter of the nation's undocumented immigrants reside in CA, where they constitute more than 6% of the state's population.

State tax collections in 2021 totaled $6,325 per capita in CA, the second highest among states.

If you look at all the regulations, taxes, and fees associated with gas in CA, we pay $1.27 more per gallon than every other state in the nation. Don’t worry about the gas taxes, though. CA is abolishing gas powered vehicles, so be prepared to purchase a new EV.

Premiums for CA health insurance sold through the state marketplace will increase by nearly 10% next year, the highest rate hike since 2018.

CA has the third-worst state business tax climate in the United States.

At the state level, CA levies a 7.25 percent general sales and use tax, the highest statewide rate in the nation. The total sales tax rate can be as high as 10.75 percent in some areas of the state, while the most populous city, Los Angeles, has a total rate of 9.5 percent (as of April 1, 2023). If you live in CA close to the OR border, you can always drive to Oregon and pay no sales tax.

Earthquake Insurance?? If you live near the San Andreas Fault, it's recommended.

Fire Insurance?? Good luck with that, if the latest satellite photos show brush or trees near you place. Lots of insurance companies are leaving the state for the "fire danger" excuse.

Auto Insurance?? You're going to pay for all the crappy drivers and car thieves in the big cities. Use to be, it depended on how you drove or the zip code where you lived. Not any more. You're lumped in with all the bad drivers, speeders, and uninsured and under insured motorists. Hint: make sure you buy the "uninsured motorist" policy add-on, you'll need it. There lots of scofflaws that don't bother with insurance or get the least amount of coverage just to comply with the law and get registration.

Auto Registration. Don't drive a new car in CA. The registration fees will shock you because they're based on the $$ value of your ride. Trailers..yep. Boats..yep. Motorhome..OMG..yep.


Fun Facts On Shooting Areas..

Many places in the National Forest close to urban areas are "closed to shooting". There used to be two spots that I could drive to under 15 minutes. Closed. Taken over by organizations like the "Coast to Crest Conservancy..NF property, but no shooting allowed. Sucks.

Don't forget your National Forest Parking Pass. You can buy them daily or annually. You'll get a ticket if you park on NF land without one. Oh, and don't forget the hunting license..you need that even if you're just shooting ground squirrels or other varmints.


Funnest Fact If You Retire FROM California TO Another State..

LOL..the Franchise Tax Board will track you to your new state and make you pay CA tax on your retirement savings earned but not realized in CA. This will be on top of the CA taxes you'll also pay in your "new" state.

"Welcome to the Hotel California..such a lovely place..you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." Eagles (paraphrased)

And yes, I have been accused of being somewhat of a cynic when it comes to my home state. ;-)
Here is the law. How many people will qualify reading this board? My guess is none! The amount of the California exit tax is 0.4% of an individuals’ net worth over $30,000,000 in a tax year, no matter where it’s located—within CA, other states within the US, or overseas.
 
Yep, Bought in the summer of 1986 over 37 years ago for less tan $190k. The main reason I never moved, just completely rebuilt my home, as I like to joke. Unfortunately I won't ever have to pay the "exit tax", I doubt you will either. Its a tiny bit above my net worth. 🤣😁 The amount of the California exit tax is 0.4% of an individuals’ net worth over $30,000,000 in a tax year, no matter where it’s located—within CA, other states within the US, or overseas.
A state charging a exit tax is the most F&^#$% up thing that I have ever heard of. Basically they are saying that the states policies are so messed up and even if they drive you to move out you still need to pay for their incompetence.
 
Here is the law. How many people will qualify reading this board? My guess is none! The amount of the California exit tax is 0.4% of an individuals’ net worth over $30,000,000 in a tax year, no matter where it’s located—within CA, other states within the US, or overseas.
I wasn't referring to that law, as onerous as it is.

What I was talking about was how the Franchise Tax Board uses "income sourcing" to capture retirement income from IRAs, 401Ks, and Stock Options.

When you save money in a retirement account..like an IRA or 401K..CA considers the income you put into YOUR retirement account their money to tax..regardless of where you live. If you move and retire, in say NV with no state income tax, to bad for you. The money you saved in the retirement account was "sourced" in CA, thus the FTB will tax you whether you reside in the state or not.

Same thing for stock options. Say you were granted stock options when you lived or worked in CA. The options are worthless until exercised. If you move to NV, then decide to exercise the options, you will pay CA tax on the gain. Again, to bad for you.
 
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Get away from everyone on the Moon ;)
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After living in Port Charlotte, Florida for two years, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone thinking of moving here. I don't have anywhere to shoot my pellet rifles and the traffic is horrible. The water out of the tap is gross and there are nearly 1000 new homes being built around me. The Winter is nice and I do swim, but the record heat this year has me wondering if the wife and I should move again at some point. If I meet some people to shoot with, it might be worth dealing with the Summer heat waves, but most of the people I know down here are retired from the North and don't shoot.
Just ran across your post. There is an airgun club near us, the Despot Airgunners. DeSoto Airgunners . Check it out and see if it fits you, they have some interesting events.
 
After living in Port Charlotte, Florida for two years, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone thinking of moving here. I don't have anywhere to shoot my pellet rifles and the traffic is horrible. The water out of the tap is gross and there are nearly 1000 new homes being built around me. The Winter is nice and I do swim, but the record heat this year has me wondering if the wife and I should move again at some point. If I meet some people to shoot with, it might be worth dealing with the Summer heat waves, but most of the people I know down here are retired from the North and don't shoot.
Hey buddy…if you like Fieldtarget, we have a club in Arcadia. We’re the Desoto Airgunners. We shoot monthly. During the summer months we shoot benchrest in the shade. If that sounds interesting, come join us..if you don’t have everything you need…we have plenty of extra everything… also if you like other shooting sports , SWFSA is a private club on Oilwell Rd. We have 5 ranges out to 300 yds. Also Hanson’s on Zemel Rd…they are a private club , but welcome individuals that compete in a wide variety of disciplines. Anyway.. shoot straight. John