Skagit Valley, Washington

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

No which other states have a cap?

Florida.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Racer46

Florida.

[rkcarguy]

People need to use the "total tax load" by state, calculator. There is even one here on C-D if I remember correctly. Washington is not the tax free haven it appears to be with no income tax. They get their money out of you via high property taxes on high evaluations, high gas taxes, taxes and fees added onto everything from the sewer and water to the cell phone bill. I ran my "numbers" through the calculator for several different states, and even with taking a heavy pay cut I'd have more disposable income and a lower total tax load in many other states that even did have an income tax.

[509]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

People need to use the "total tax load" by state, calculator. There is even one here on C-D if I remember correctly. rom the sewer and water to the cell phone bill. I ran my "numbers" through the calculator for several different states, Washington is not the tax free haven it appears to be with no income tax. They get their money out of you via high property taxes on high evaluations, high gas taxes, taxes and fees added onto everything fand even with taking a heavy pay cut I'd have more disposable income and a lower total tax load in many other states that even did have an income tax.

Those "total tax load" calculators are worthless.

EVERYTHING depends on YOUR lifestyle and income!!!

My parents retired in California with a "poverty" retirement level. They grew their own food, and the property taxes were very cheap with Proposition 13. They actually SAVED money during their retirement years. The only "help" they needed was my fathers car quit working and he was only going to drive for a few more years and they didn't want to buy a new car....so I gave them one of my cars.

I moved over from Idaho. A high tax state with both income and sales taxes. My taxes dropped by over 25% when I moved to Washington.

I had a good income in both states, but I had a very low consumptive lifestyle. Almost all taxes in Washington are discretionary.

If you want to spend the money in a consumptive lifestyle you get taxed.

Buy a new car every two years.......your going to pay taxes.

Buy a fancy house........................your going to pay taxes.

Washington does not tax food, insurance, rent, etc. etc. The stuff you need to LIVE.

It does tax adult toys and consumptive lifestyles.

I liked living in Idaho, but moving to Washington let me retire at age 56. I do have a higher consumptive level in retirement these days.

There is no point in being the richest man in the area when your buried.

[nowhereman427]

It's not how much you make. It's how much you can save.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by 509

Those "total tax load" calculators are worthless.

EVERYTHING depends on YOUR lifestyle and income!!!

My parents retired in California with a "poverty" retirement level. They grew their own food, and the property taxes were very cheap with Proposition 13. They actually SAVED money during their retirement years. The only "help" they needed was my fathers car quit working and he was only going to drive for a few more years and they didn't want to buy a new car....so I gave them one of my cars.

I moved over from Idaho. A high tax state with both income and sales taxes. My taxes dropped by over 25% when I moved to Washington.

I had a good income in both states, but I had a very low consumptive lifestyle. Almost all taxes in Washington are discretionary.

If you want to spend the money in a consumptive lifestyle you get taxed.

Buy a new car every two years.......your going to pay taxes.

Buy a fancy house........................your going to pay taxes.

Washington does not tax food, insurance, rent, etc. etc. The stuff you need to LIVE.

It does tax adult toys and consumptive lifestyles.

I liked living in Idaho, but moving to Washington let me retire at age 56. I do have a higher consumptive level in retirement these days.

There is no point in being the richest man in the area when your buried.

FWIW, your mileage may vary. There are many people that retire here because it "pencils" for them financially. Get a "cheap" house(good luck!), one used car(with no commute) cook your own food at home, and yes you can lessen your tax load. The good calculators take all this into account, of course you have to trust them and put your information in there to get accurate tax load info back out. The huge swing that can make it or break it here is property taxes, take a city which has a few levies added on for 1.3% in property taxes annually x $1.1 million = $14,300/year, or $1,192/month.
All that needs to happen is for several of your neighboring houses to sell to big money buyers for 3x their original value, and your "modest home" will then be accessed and taxed to suit. My grandparents are a prime example, their home was $190K when new in the 1990's. It's nothing special, 2000sq/ft, 2 car garage, now very outdated and worn with the finish peeling off the honey oak cabinets and vanities, old worn carpet and flooring, rotting wood garage doors, and it's closed off floor plan. Now homes in the same area are selling(and therefore valued/taxed) at $650K for small fixers, up to $1.1M+. Taxes and fees on their "owned outright" home are now $785/month and it needs a lot of work. Rent is no escape as well. The same 2-bed/1ba unit a co-worker rented from 2014-2016 here in a middle-of-the-road complex for $890 a month is now listed available for $1,790/month.

Don't forget, it's only no taxes on groceries. You buy prepared hot food or go to a restaurant you're paying tax. Also, we're coming up on 50 cents a gallon in taxes added onto gas.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

FWIW, your mileage may vary. There are many people that retire here because it "pencils" for them financially. Get a "cheap" house(good luck!), one used car(with no commute) cook your own food at home, and yes you can lessen your tax load. The good calculators take all this into account, of course you have to trust them and put your information in there to get accurate tax load info back out. The huge swing that can make it or break it here is property taxes, take a city which has a few levies added on for 1.3% in property taxes annually x $1.1 million = $14,300/year, or $1,192/month.
All that needs to happen is for several of your neighboring houses to sell to big money buyers for 3x their original value, and your "modest home" will then be accessed and taxed to suit. My grandparents are a prime example, their home was $190K when new in the 1990's. It's nothing special, 2000sq/ft, 2 car garage, now very outdated and worn with the finish peeling off the honey oak cabinets and vanities, old worn carpet and flooring, rotting wood garage doors, and it's closed off floor plan. Now homes in the same area are selling(and therefore valued/taxed) at $650K for small fixers, up to $1.1M+. Taxes and fees on their "owned outright" home are now $785/month and it needs a lot of work. Rent is no escape as well. The same 2-bed/1ba unit a co-worker rented from 2014-2016 here in a middle-of-the-road complex for $890 a month is now listed available for $1,790/month.

Don't forget, it's only no taxes on groceries. You buy prepared hot food or go to a restaurant you're paying tax. Also, we're coming up on 50 cents a gallon in taxes added onto gas.

Too expensive as you can loose your home and not have any control over that.