Americans living in big cities in states where governors have gone wild with shutdowns, but allowed riots to rule the streets are trying to escape. The COVID-19 pandemic and the rioting that has followed it have accelerated the exodus from many of the big tax cities Americans were already trying to flee the big city blues. They're seeking some shelter away from it all. Many of them are heading to the suburbs or the exurbs, but many of them are also heading to the lower cost, smaller cities in the South, and West that were already popular destinations for escapees before chaos … [Read more...]
You Need to Seek Some Shelter for When Things Get Ugly
Coronavirus Infects Stock Market: Part LVI “Requests for driving directions on Apple Inc.’s Maps app are back around mid January levels, while data from Dutch location technology firm TomTom International BV show traffic congestion gradually climbing in some late U.S. cities, though it is still down substantially from March levels in many,” reports the WSJ. But after this weekend’s riots, who is in a rush to visit a city? The future of the city is on the rocks. Blue state governors and mayors have gone wild. They’re a fiscal mess. Consider the self-inflicted wreckage of mismanaged … [Read more...]
Where to Live in Retirement? I Got You Covered Baby!
Coronavirus Infects Stock Market: Part XLVII You worry about where you live in retirement. I get it. You hate the idea of leaving your kids behind. I’m here to tell you: Don’t despair, they’ll visit! But if social distancing is your concern, consider snowy Maine or New Hampshire in January. You might see a bear or two, but they’ll be back asleep before you know it. You’re going to love your new-found freedom. Thumbing through my 2020 copy of the Traveler’s Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States, Maine stands up strong. Want to drive a gun to your home? Fine. Just be sure to leave … [Read more...]
The Most Charming Small Towns in New England
You want to look for a better America for yourself in retirement. Finding a small town can be just right for many retirees who want to slow down and take things easy. The Boston Globe has rounded up a list of the best small towns in New England, including ten that just might be the right place for you. Here they are: A town in Massachusetts made famous by Norman Rockwell is the most charming small town in America, according to Big 7 Travel. Stockbridge in the Berkshires ranked No. 1 on the travel website’s list of 50 most charming small towns in America, released earlier this month. Big 7 … [Read more...]
Escape the City: Live Small, Cheap, and Safe in America
After decades of urbanization, Americans are beginning to rebel against the "bigger is better" mentality of city-living. Seeking a smaller, more affordable, sustainable, and secure lifestyle, some are venturing out from the mega-cities in search of a different life. A number of techniques have become popular in an effort to save, especially scaling down the size of one's home. Living small and saving big is even better when it's coupled with living in a state that treats you more like a human than an ATM machine it can withdraw money from. Carey L. Biron explains this trend at Thompson … [Read more...]
Migration: Where High-Tax State Exiles Are Going
“Where are high-tax state exiles going?” asks the WSJ’s Review and Outlook. “Zero income tax Florida drew $16.5 billion in adjusted gross income last year.” It’s a trend you and I have been watching for years and will continue to see as Democrats ruin the fiscal health of the states they’re leaving. The good news is that the inflow will give states like Florida more representation in D.C. The bad is they packed bankrupting politics in the U-Haul. The Editors at The Wall Street Journal write: Many have also fled to Arizona ($3.5 billion), Texas ($3.5 billion), North Carolina ($3 … [Read more...]
Guess Which States Americans are Moving To
Every year United Van Lines performs its National Movers Study, analyzing where people are moving to, and where they're coming from, to get a picture of the trends for each state. This year, like last year, Vermont won the highest percentage of inbound traffic. Vermont Business Magazine was happy to announce this, writing "Vermont is the only state to have achieved greater than a 70 percent in-bound rate, which it has done the last two years (74.3% in 2019 and 72.7% in 2018)." You can see on the map below that Americans mostly moved out of states with high taxation (California, NY, … [Read more...]
Best and Worst Tax States in 2019: A Quick List Retirees Need to See
UPDATE: With 2019 closing, it's a good time to take stock of your financial situation. Are you being held back by the heavy taxation in your state? Is it possible for you to escape by moving to a different locale? If so, here are the lists of the best and worst states for taxes in 2019. Read with care. In retirement, there's nothing that can affect your standard of living more than taxation. Property taxes, taxes on your investment income, and even sales taxes can make all the difference in your ability to pursue the retirement dreams you've been working toward for years. Each year … [Read more...]
Your Retirement Life: This State is Dominant Once Again
You’re familiar with my piece Rich Grandchild, Poor Grandchild. Now I want you to shift gears and think about which states are the rich states, and which ones are the poor states. “For each of the past 12 years, Arthur Laffer, Jonathan Williams and I have answered that question in ‘Rich States, Poor States,’ an index of economic competitiveness published by the American Legislative Exchange Council. Every year the top performer has been Utah,” explains Stephen Moore. Yes, that's right, the winner once again is Utah. On a recent ski trip to Utah, my family experienced firsthand why … [Read more...]
Texans Fight to Protect Their Income from Taxation
Texans are known for their fierce loyalty to their home state, with some even considering themselves Texans first, then Americans. So it's no surprise when Texans band together to protect themselves from outside forces seeking to change the state's character and customs. Thanks to Texas' many years of economic success, people from all over America and beyond have immigrated to the state to participate in its bounty. They have brought with them ideas antithetical to Texas' traditions, including a desire for bigger government. In the face of this foreign influence on their ways, Texans … [Read more...]