Best States To Retire (Homestead) In

YuccaFlatsRanch · #1 09/27/12, 04:49 PM

I seldom agree with anything AARP has to say, but in this case they are right on. Lower the number the better they are for retirement.

10. Kansas
9. Tennessee
8. South Dakota
7. Mississippi
6. Virginia
5. Louisiana
4. Iowa
3. Oklahoma
2. Kentucky
1. Texas

Texas is especially friendly for military retirees, especially if you have a disability. With South Dakota's winter weather they must have some other good stuff going for them.

The 10 worst are:

10. Wisconsin
9. New York
8. Washington
7. Rhode Island
6. Maryland
5. Alaska
4. Connecticut
3. Massachusetts
2. Michigan
1. Maine

ET1 SS · #2 09/27/12, 06:37 PM

That is interesting.

After traveling around a lot we decided on Maine.

The low cost-of-living really makes my tiny pension go far.

We have great medical centers with a teaching hospital nearby, my Tricare is accepted here by all the doctors.

We have over 3,000 miles of coast line; dozens of rivers, hundreds of lakes.

The skiing is decent, sledding is pretty big here.

Some of those other states would have you paying income taxes! That is crazy.

Ken in Maine · #3 09/27/12, 06:50 PM

Shhh... Be quiet... they'll all want to move here!

**Cabin Fever** · #4 09/27/12, 06:56 PM

I am surprised Minnesota is not on the "worst list." Be forewarned: Don't even think on moving here!

ET1 SS · #5 09/27/12, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken in Maine

Shhh... Be quiet... they'll all want to move here!

Hey Ken I did not see you at Common Ground.

YuccaFlatsRanch · #6 09/27/12, 07:14 PM

At 100% disability as a Veteran I pay zero taxes in the State of Texas except for sales tax. My property and school taxes are ZERO. I live close to Kerrville, TX and we have our own VA Hospital that they have TRIED to close, but there are too many Vets in the area to put up with that. I am not sure how Maine made it to the top of the least desirable states unless it is because of New York being so close :-). Any place with Lobsters can't be all that bad.

Other than Alaska (it's for a certain type of person and I could live there) and Maine, I can agree with the rest of the bottom 10.

tarbe · #7 09/27/12, 07:17 PM

I have lived in 4 of the states in the top ten, and one of the states in the bottom 10.

I can tell you, they all have their ways of getting your money...you just need to figure out which ways are easier for you to avoid.

Mississippi had low property taxes, but they nailed me for $600 for a license plate for my Land Cruiser (in 1991!!). Second year plate was $500....

Louisiana wasn't bad high on anything that I recall, but they weren't particularly low on anything, either.

Texas has no income tax, but they kill you on property tax, at least near the big job centers.

Yea, Wisconsin is pretty bad all the way around.

Virginia real estate was more pricey than Texas, and between various property taxes and income tax, was about as expensive overall as Wisconsin.

I figured it this way....work where the income tax is low and buy your retirement spread where the property taxes are low. I spent most of my working years in Texas and the taxes on my 85 acres in MO are less than one dinner out with my wife.

Tim

ET1 SS · #8 09/27/12, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

At 100% disability as a Veteran I pay zero taxes in the State of Texas except for sales tax.

Here it is all about the level of income you get. If your income is from disability or a Military pension, then your income is low enough that you pay no taxes.

But if your high income, then you pay.

Quote:

... My property and school taxes are ZERO.

We have property tax reductions for disable vets. If you have a moderate home than you would not pay taxes on it. But if you had a McMansion, then it's assessment would likely exceed the reduction.

Quote:

... I live close to Kerrville, TX and we have our own VA Hospital that they have TRIED to close, but there are too many Vets in the area to put up with that. I am not sure how Maine made it to the top of the least desirable states unless it is because of New York being so close :-). Any place with Lobsters can't be all that bad.

Kerrville is a nice area.

I think that most all states have VA hospitals.

I keep hearing about $3/pound lobster, but I do not live near the coast. I see folks in parking lots marketing lobster for $4 and $5/pound.

Quote:

... Other than Alaska (it's for a certain type of person and I could live there) and Maine, I can agree with the rest of the bottom 10.

Ken in Maine · #9 09/28/12, 07:51 AM

Hi ET1 SS;

We were there in our same spot ( down by the rabbit barn)... This was our last year though. We have the farm up for sale and hope to semi-retire... maybe do a little more traveling. We have been getting up every morning for almost 25 years with having some critter to feed or milk. It will be nice to just relax for a change.

unregistered168043 · #10 09/28/12, 07:52 AM

For me, the deciding factor would be lowest property taxes.

TenBusyBees · #11 09/28/12, 07:55 AM

I wonder what the criteria was for each of the lists.

Ken in Maine · #12 09/28/12, 08:32 AM

I think the area we live in (Central Maine) is fantastic! It has all the qualifications I look for. There is no zoning in the town we live in... There are no building codes that you MUST follow.... a building permit costs only $5.00... we are only 15 minutes from I-95... 40 minutes from Bangor... a bit over an hour from Portland... taxes on our farm are only $1200.00 per year... great cell phone reception... high speed internet. Even car insurance is extremely affordable. Sure it gets cold and snowy in the winter but the summers are incredible.

(BTW) our farm is for sale check out STONY KNOLLS FARM or www.goatschool.com for pictures. Of course we are not leaving this area just downsizing! Farm is on a dead-end dirt road with no neighbors in sight!

ET1 SS · #13 09/28/12, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken in Maine

I think the area we live in (Central Maine) is fantastic! It has all the qualifications I look for. There is no zoning in the town we live in... There are no building codes that you MUST follow.... a building permit costs only $5.00... we are only 15 minutes from I-95... 40 minutes from Bangor... a bit over an hour from Portland... taxes on our farm are only $1200.00 per year...

My building permit was good for 5-years, it came with a form for me to sign, a 'Certificate of self-inspection and completion'. When construction is complete the home-owner 'inspects' and signs it to say that construction is now completed. I had never heard of such a thing before

Most of my 150 acres are in 'treegrowth'. Basically dense forest. Taxes are a little different in each county. The mil-rates are listed on-line, our county has like the second highest mil-rate. For property taxes on our land we pay $1.05 per acre each year. Which I think is still pretty low.

Treegrowth means that the land must be growing trees. It could be a tree nursery, wild forest or orchard. You can use it for wildlife habitat, or firewood harvesting, timber, pulp-wood, Christmas trees, maple sap, fir-tipping. You can run livestock on it to clean out the brush. You just can't clear it for row crops or hay field; it must be producing trees.

I planted a 50-tree orchard, I have pigs in 4 acres of the forest, and I allow a family to tip fir on 100 acres [it is their sole source of winter income].

Quote:

... great cell phone reception... high speed internet. Even car insurance is extremely affordable. Sure it gets cold and snowy in the winter but the summers are incredible

This is an outdoors person's paradise. We see many fisherman, hunters, hiker's and sledders.

'Cold and snowy'; In the winter, we usually get one snow dump each week, followed by 5-6 days of clear bright sunny days. I have found that a small 4X4 tractor with PTO snow-blower is about the optimum device for handling snow.

We also have a massive state-wide network of sled trails. Every town and every hiking destination is accessible via sled trail. Many locations do not have paved roads so summer access is limited. Winters see a lot more folks going into the remote locations than in summer.

At other places where I have lived 'winter' meant: cold, wet, muddy and possibly shoveling snow. Which results in people staying indoors. Here winter has more people going outdoors and enjoying themselves.

bergere · #14 09/28/12, 09:41 AM

Of all the places I have lived, I loved, just loved the area in NW Oregon we had a small farm...

But if you are a military retiree, good luck finding a Doc worth anything, that would see you. About the only down side.
Property taxes were high,,,but super cheap to register your car, no sales tax, mild weather and the electricity is cheap!
No ticks, no poisonous snakes...

If DH could find a fair wage job there, we would go back in a heart beat!
Miss Oregon a lot!!

YuccaFlatsRanch · #15 09/28/12, 10:42 AM

What is "Tipping Fir"

Ken in Maine · #16 09/28/12, 11:05 AM

Tipping fir is like "cow tipping" only we use pine trees.....

No really... fir tipping is the process where folks go out and gather the ends of fir trees after the first frost. They then sell those " tips" to wreath makers and they in turn make Christmas wreaths. It's a BIG cottage industry here in Maine. The tippers get paid by the pound and some can make a good deal of money in a few short weeks.

Pony · #17 09/28/12, 11:19 AM

WI is definitely bad. They tax the life out of any pension you have. We had land up there, but with the really rotten neighbors plus the state income/pension taxes, we figured, "Not on a bet."

We're happy in MO.

Heritagefarm · #18 09/28/12, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

I seldom agree with anything AARP has to say, but in this case they are right on. Lower the number the better they are for retirement.

10. Kansas
9. Tennessee
8. South Dakota
7. Mississippi
6. Virginia
5. Louisiana
4. Iowa
3. Oklahoma
2. Kentucky
1. Texas

Texas is especially friendly for military retirees, especially if you have a disability. With South Dakota's winter weather they must have some other good stuff going for them.

The 10 worst are:

10. Wisconsin
9. New York
8. Washington
7. Rhode Island
6. Maryland
5. Alaska
4. Connecticut
3. Massachusetts
2. Michigan
1. Maine

Who is their right mind would move to Texas? And what's wrong with Warshinton?

ET1 SS · #19 09/28/12, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

What is "Tipping Fir"

As Ken said. This guy loads 'sticks' each with 80 pounds of tips from trees. 10 to 15 sticks and his pickup is loaded down pretty good.

He actually gathers tips from an assortment tree species.

He, his wife and their children make wreaths. I think they rent a U-haul to take them down to their buyer in NJ.

There are also wreath-making sheds [look like large chicken barns] that hire seasonal workers.

It is seasonal work but can hold you over until fiddleheads start. I have about 10-acres in fiddleheads.

LonelyNorthwind · #20 09/28/12, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenBusyBees

I wonder what the criteria was for each of the lists.

I'm wondering that too. My woodshed is full of wood, the pantry is overloaded with fish, venison, moose, wild and homegrown veggies, the chickens butchered, hens giving me 8 eggs a day. It's a ton of hard work, getting harder each year but where else could I fill my cupboards & freezer with wild and homegrown foods, heat for nothing but my own efforts, pay no property tax, 10% off everything I need to buy, $250 a month just 'cause I"m old now and have no-one but critters for neighbors. Alaska treats her seniors pretty good...keep us on the bottom of that list!