Where to retire?

Matthew Johnson said:
Admittedly taken out of context, but it always rubs me the wrong way when a parent complains about paying for both public school (via taxes) and private school for their children. Those of us who have chosen to not have children are still subsidizing your rugrats public education whether you choose to use it or not, and usually not complaining. Okay, enough ranting for tonight from me.
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My wife and I made the decision not to have kids. We also pay property taxes that goes to the schools. However, we don’t mind as we believe having a populace with at least a high school education is a benefit to our country and our community. Some of our taxes also go to the fire department and we have yet to use their services either (knock on wood). We don’t mind paying for that either.
 
Half Fast said:
Have you considered Costa Rica or Panama?
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I've known or otherwise met several people who've done that. Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Cozumel, lots of ex-pats living there for retirement. I've also seen some people live there in retirement for a while and then moving back closer to family as their age/health starts to decline.
 
Bill said:
You know, I hear that all the time. I ask friends where they're going for summer vacation, and I hear "Peoria!" And I ask others where they're going to escape winter and it's "Peoria!" Peoria, the little city on eveyone's mind!
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I just went to Peoria this past weekend! I'd recommend Pekin for Ed. Close to Peoria, but far enough away he can buy property and shoot guns.
 
Ted said:
I've known or otherwise met several people who've done that. Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Cozumel, lots of ex-pats living there for retirement. I've also seen some people live there in retirement for a while and then moving back closer to family as their age/health starts to decline.
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My folks are a perfect example of this. Bought a condo at the far southern tip of Cancun back in the early 2000s. Loved it. Lived there when the weather started turning chilly in PA. Made tons of friends down there and considered it as much home as their place in PA. A few years ago, they started to get tired of missing out on seeing their grandkids for half the year. Sold the condo and moved back to PA full time.
 
Deelee said:
My folks are a perfect example of this. Bought a condo at the far southern tip of Cancun back in the early 2000s. Loved it. Lived there when the weather started turning chilly in PA. Made tons of friends down there and considered it as much home as their place in PA. A few years ago, they started to get tired of missing out on seeing their grandkids for half the year. Sold the condo and moved back to PA full time.
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As much as my wife and I enjoy traveling and being something of nomads (and our expectation that the kids will move in different directions) I can see us moving someplace and then just finding new and interesting/different ways to get to see them.
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
Do you have kids? The internet is a way more dangerous place than any public school these days. And here we are on the internet...
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Same deal as the demographic who’s dumps their kids off on the state to raise, the internet is all fine, just can’t be a absent parent
 
Half Fast said:
Have you considered Costa Rica or Panama?
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I was an avid watcher of HGTV's Caribbean Life show. The show made it look so exciting/appealing. I'm sure it works for some and for those who find the right location. I often noticed bars on windows and doors indicating leaving the property vacant for months might not end well. A friend's family growing up had a mountain house in a secluded area of West Virginia they used on weekends. After everything of value was cleaned out for like the 3rd time, they had to hire a local to keep an eye on the property. He didn't so much keep on eye on the property as much as know all the local miscreants and therefore where to look if/when the place was robbed.
 
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Deelee said:
I don't have the government raise my children - I send them to the public school to get an amazing education that my tax dollars partially pay for.

And, even if I did finance my aero-plane (which I certainly did not - paid cash money for it)... even if I did finance that, and my car/truck and maybe a boat... and still sent my child to public school... I'm not supposed to have kids?

Just to get this straight and sort of summarize things so far - In this thread you are telling people where they should/shouldn't live. You are telling them what they can't buy and finance. You are telling them they can't have kids unless they meet your criteria...
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I’m saying the reason we have lots of the problem we have is people not taking ownership.

And yeah, having people flee failed states to come to my state and do/vote for the same dumb ideas that turned their home state to a dump, that isn’t cool

Nor is being irresponsible and having kids you plan to just dump off on the state to raise, and your neighbors to foot the bill for.
 
Morgan3820 said:
You must’ve been a wonderful HOA president. Basketball hoops are the very devil itself. Did you drive around in a golf cart? Inspecting lawns.
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I was President of a highrise HOA, not an HOA of standalone homes. Most of my time was spent dealing with construction project issues, water leaks and staffing during the COVID pandemic.

I am still on that HOA board, as we still own our condo, and I am doing so that I can be helpful to the new board in transferring knowledge about all the projects.

I am uninvolved in the board where we live now except to be subject to the rules. It’s an age-restricted community and we enjoy it. It’s not for everyone.
 
EdFred said:
I have, but...

I don't think Florida is it either. Been there in August. Oof.
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August? I flew out of Tampa once in a 172 in mid-May. My iPad overheated before wheels were off of the ground!
 
kaiser said:
August? I flew out of Tampa once in a 172 in mid-May. My iPad overheated before wheels were off of the ground!
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Go back in December, when everywhere else is cold and gloomy. :)
 
Bill said:
So I suppose your parents sent you to private school?
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Reminds me of the early days of Facebook groups. Some of my friends and I could be part of two:

"I went to public school... bit¢hes"
"I went to private school... ****er$"
 
Ted said:
Reminds me of the early days of Facebook groups. Some of my friends and I could be part of two:

"I went to public school... bit¢hes"
"I went to private school... ****er$"
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Back in my day there were no private schools except catholic school, and I wasn't of the papal denomination. My poor neighbors, having to pay to educate me. Maybe we need to start some kind of reparations fund for those so wronged for so long.
 
Bill said:
Back in my day there were no private schools except catholic school, and I wasn't of the papal denomination. My poor neighbors, having to pay to educate me. Maybe we need to start some kind of reparations fund for those so wronged for so long.
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It might be more that the only private schools in your area were Catholic schools. The private school I went to for K-8 was founded in 1888, which I believe predates you.

Around here, there are some private schools, although nothing close to our house. I have once or twice Googled "military boarding schools" when the boy has been more... challenging.
 
Bill said:
BTW, sorry Ed, we shat on your thread.
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:D Bill is right... Sorry, Ed.

How about.... Virginia... It's pretty nice here... big state, too... southwestern VA is beautiful in the hills... lots of land.... 2A friendly.... middle peninsula is nice, too by the Chesapeake Bay. Great for boating and there are fun places to fly. Easy flights to the beaches. Yeah, there is Northern VA near DC, but nobody says you have to live there... Hmmm.. yes, I'll toss in Virginia for a nice place to live.
 
My grandparents retired to Virginia, and most of my extended family lives there. The vehicle inspection law is an automatic "no" for me, I don't want to live in any state that requires that (yes that means TX is out). Definitely pretty, but the state itself is only "free" by east coast standards, not by midwest standards.
 
Ted said:
My grandparents retired to Virginia, and most of my extended family lives there. The vehicle inspection law is an automatic "no" for me, I don't want to live in any state that requires that (yes that means TX is out). Definitely pretty, but the state itself is only "free" by east coast standards, not by midwest standards.
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ohhhhh, I forgot about that.
 
EdFred said:
ohhhhh, I forgot about that.
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For me, that's huge. One of the reasons why we decided Missouri was out when we moved here. Could've lived on the KS or MO side. KS side is more expensive. We get what we pay for.
 
Ted said:
My grandparents retired to Virginia, and most of my extended family lives there. The vehicle inspection law is an automatic "no" for me, I don't want to live in any state that requires that (yes that means TX is out). Definitely pretty, but the state itself is only "free" by east coast standards, not by midwest standards.
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Outside of the northern counties its just a pretty basic safety inspection. But the personal property tax would exclude VA for Ed, even though in many SW counties its a pretty negligible rate.
 
I could see that being a no-go :D Don't forget about the personal property taxes, too... Ok, I withdraw my current home state from any recommendations....
 
EdFred said:
MD is out for a great many reasons.
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You'd have to be nuts to move to MD to retire. I'm looking a property in Florida. I think I would fit in just fine, and I don't mind hot weather.

I was planning on Virginia, but it went Communist. The last few months may have me reconsider. I already have a nice building lot there.
 
@EdFred - On a serious note, I really think East Tennessee would suit your fancy quite well. Especially around here, you’re close to the city/urban life and 30 minutes the other direction puts you into more rural country. Cost of living is quite low compared to most places, especially if you’re in the county (low(er) property taxes). We also don’t have income tax here, but our sales tax is just shy of ten percent. If you’ve gotta make a relatively large purchase, just take a 15 min drive over the line into GA and buy there… problem solved. Of all the places I’ve traveled, I’m always pretty happy to come back here.
 
atbroome said:
Outside of the northern counties its just a pretty basic safety inspection. But the personal property tax would exclude VA for Ed, even though in many SW counties its a pretty negligible rate.
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The real issue for me is that I almost never take my cars to shops for any reason, it's faster, easier, and better to just do the work myself most of the time unless there's some special computer required for a job that I don't have. So it's not like "Hey while it's in for [item]" do the inspection, it's a separate task that I need to do. I try to avoid as many of those in life as I can, I have enough things to do and I don't need someone else telling me whether my car is safe to drive, especially if I'm probably a better mechanic anyway.

Really, the mandatory vehicle inspection is a pretty dumb rule. I've lived in enough states with and without it and if anything, the states with it I see with more decrepit vehicles running around on the road. That's contrasted with the shops that then use it as an annual opportunity to extract blood from the people who come in since a sticker is mandatory. Nope, not interested.
 
Ted said:
The real issue for me is that I almost never take my cars to shops for any reason, it's faster, easier, and better to just do the work myself
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Ditto. The '16, '17, and '19 have not been to a shop since leaving the dealer, I do it all myself. The 2001 F-150 I owned before the '17 never went to the shop for the 16+ years I owned it, other than new tires. I fully believe the reason that truck was so trouble free is I did all of the work myself, IOW, no one to mess it up.

I've serviced all of my vehicles my entire life, I know it's done right, and I've saved a ton of money. OTOH, ask me to paint the inside of the house, and no effin way, I'll gladly pay someone to do it.
 
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RyanB said:
@EdFred - On a serious note, I really think East Tennessee would suit your fancy quite well. Especially around here, you’re close to the city/urban life and 30 minutes the other direction puts you into more rural country. Cost of living is quite low compared to most places, especially if you’re in the county (low(er) property taxes). We also don’t have income tax here, but our sales tax is just shy of ten percent. If you’ve gotta make a relatively large purchase, just take a 15 min drive over the line into GA and buy there… problem solved. Of all the places I’ve traveled, I’m always pretty happy to come back here.
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What is sales taxed in TN? Food? Groceries? Medicine? Clothing? If ya buy a car in GA, do you end up having to pay the TN rate to register it in TN? What about online shopping? Is TN a point of sale or point of use State?
 
Ted said:
My grandparents retired to Virginia, and most of my extended family lives there. The vehicle inspection law is an automatic "no" for me, I don't want to live in any state that requires that (yes that means TX is out). Definitely pretty, but the state itself is only "free" by east coast standards, not by midwest standards.
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Doesn't Virginia put you in prison for speeding? And to death for anything over 20mph over the speed limit?
 
luvflyin said:
Food? Groceries?
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Effective July 1, 2017, Tennessee sales or use tax law provides that sales of food and food ingredients are subject to a state rate of 4.00% plus the applicable local tax rate.

luvflyin said:
Medicine?
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My quick review says medicine is exempt.

luvflyin said:
Clothing?
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Yes.

luvflyin said:
If ya buy a car in GA, do you end up having to pay the TN rate to register it in TN?
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This is generally true in any state. I have not researched Tennessee in this regard.

luvflyin said:
What about online shopping?
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Pretty sure every state has to do this based on a 2018 SCOTUS ruling.
"Starting October 1, 2020, out-of-state businesses and marketplace facilitators must collect and remit Tennessee sales tax if their annual sales into the state exceed $100,000."

luvflyin said:
Is TN a point of sale or point of use State?
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Tennessee is an origin-based state.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Doesn't Virginia put you in prison for speeding? And to death for anything over 20mph over the speed limit?
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I'm not sure, they were never able to catch me. ;)

Serious answer: I believe their speeding enforcement was quite strict. Another negative for the state.
 
Then again, this is so individual, different strokes for different folks. I know some that would want no part of a condo near Tampa, at least full time.

One set is close to friends & relatives, the next haven’t talked in 10 years.

Today we had 41 & partly sunny in WI, almost felt like motorcycle weather. It won’t be long & we’ll break through 50, rather nice.
 
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