Are you Leaving NJ, 2 Million Have
Wow
Check this out
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/02/nj_high_living_expenses_costing_jobs_people_money.html#incart_most-commented_hudson_article
We left NJ in July for PA. Our taxes went from $12K to $3K, my car insurance went from $1700 to $800, same carrier, same coverage. My pension, 401k are not taxed.
NotinNJanymore 
Calico696 I lived in NJ for 58 years, in Washington for 28 years, best thing we did was to move. Only thing I miss is low gas $$ and it being pumped for you.....
JeffersonRepub @JR it still feels crowded because that same amount is moving in!
n addition, while 2.09 million people left New Jersey, according to the study, 1.4 million moved in from elsewhere in the U.S. and nearly 600,000 from abroad
Dadof3"On the 10 year plan at this point."
My 5 year plan turned into a 2 month plan when a promotion opened up in SC. Gotta be ready to pounce on the opportunity to escape...
Mark Mc. 
I left NJ a few months ago and headed to Austin on a whim. I landed here with no job and was able to land one within a week of arriving (I had been looking for new employment in NJ for a while). For the same price as a small apartment in Netcong Heights, I now live in a gated apartment home community with friendly people and an awesome park across the street. I haven't seen the police here once to address an altercation which was a frequent sight at Netcong Heights. The park across the street has miles of great biking and walking trails, a lake with a kayak rental, a skate park, a disc golf course, and at least one of every type of sports fields- all free and open to the public. I never lived anywhere other than NJ until now and realize there are other places out there with a higher quality of life. That being said, I love NJ. It really has everything I enjoy (hiking, outdoor activities) and is beautiful but it doesn't have the more laid back attitude i was looking for. Where I am now, everyone works hard but they also play hard; very refreshing.
Happy Homemaker Left Jersey almost 3 years ago , Should have done it sooner . We do miss good pizza, Italian food, bagels, bread, diners , good sandwiches and the Jersey shore. There are plenty of problems here also in east Tennessee ,including poverty, crime and drugs are out of control, Some people down here just hate northerners, especially Jersey and New Yorkers.
Not leaving...lived in Bergen county, Passaic country, upper east side. Upper west side. Palms in Los Angeles. Wanaque. And now Allamuchy.....Nevah moving again...love it here
4catmom 
boobalaa Dreaming of Florida. Warmth, the ocean and half the property taxes. Would love to leave the fascist state of N.J. Real Estate has gone up, in the last year, in Florida, while N.J. has been pretty stagnant.
sparksjbc1964 We are on the 3 year plan. We love the area just north of Charleston, SC and will retire there. As soon as my wife can collect SS and her pension we are out. The tax bite here is impossible for a normal retired couple as far as I am concerned.
MK Thank you to all of you non working African American people. Thank you to all of you illegal immigrants who suck the life out of us. NJ is nothing like it was a decade ago. You ruined NJ.
Plusgirl If we want to save New Jersey, we should cut welfare Medicaid benefits in half. Then people who moved here to enjoy our wonderful benefits would leave.
Plusgirl , how about the non working white also , pretty racist statement on your part
Cowgirl1 
LisaAnn 
Hot corner I thought PA was not that much cheaper anymore? Plus don't want they have a city tax of 1% on any income?
RAS 
iRun 
botheredbyuu2 My wife and I are enjoying a cup of coffee right now in Hobe Sound FL, it's 57 right now and heading for 74 this afternoon. Going out to play golf shortly (there are courses everywhere) and we're heading to the beach - 1 mile from the house, this afternoon. The pool heat goes on Mar 1 and we use the pool for 9 or 10 months a year. Sure it gets hot for few months, that's why you have a pool - gets hot up there too. Taxes are 3k on a bigger house and NO income or estate/inheritance taxes. This why we left the fascist state of nj.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/02/christie_pension_commission_calls_for_public_worke.html
Cuts are coming, hold tight folks :)
iJay If I could take my job with me I would have already left. The day I retire is the day I leave.
Cuts may be coming but also an increase of local property taxes if I understood the article correctly.
kb2755 Left NJ for NY, PA & TN.. Came back to Jersey every time! No place like it.. Never leaving again!
curious in town The only problem with moving to PA is, well, you end up living in PA. And unless that means one of the few nice spots like Bucks county, you may as well be in backwoods West Virginia.
Eperot In PA they can raise your school taxes as much as they want (it's done by units called mils which are a proportion of your overall tax bill). So, if people continue to stream across the border they will continue to build schools and hire teachers, and increase your property taxes. There's no cap in PA.
So you'll be paying Jersey prices very soon.
jimmysmommie247 By shifting to the local level towns will HAVE CONTROL over pension, healthcare, and retirement healthcare. The game will be over soon (I hope)...
"The only problem with moving to PA is, well, you end up living in PA. And unless that means one of the few nice spots like Bucks county, you may as well be in backwoods West Virginia."
I'm not sure if that's an insult to PA or to WV.... but it's bigotry nonetheless.
"And unless that means one of the few nice spots like Bucks county, you may as well be in backwoods West Virginia."
Since my grandparents were from Bucks and my father was born there, I can tell you it's no picnic. The real estate prices aren't so great, and the taxes are plenty high and growing. Not to mention some of Bucks has all the urban blight you think you're moving away from.
Since I was born in one of the apparently not nice spots of PA, I can also say you can hardly tell it from NJ other than the IU's and State Stores. That means NJ might as well be the backwoods of WVA if it were true. Stereotyping.
iJay - you've got it wrong again. PA is an entirely different situation.
GC I can't wait to leave...and I don't even own a home. I was house searching for many months and decided to stop because it was just too irritating. I'm from NJ and always defended it but I just can't anymore. There are some really nice areas of PA, they aren't all bad!
80's fan I own property in both NJ and PA, and if it were not for my wife having to live in NJ for her job, I would have moved to PA by now, totally different world as soon as you cross the border, and so much more relaxing.
PA has a little thing called forest preserve, and if you have 10+ acres and agree to never do any commercial building on your property (you can still build a house, garage, or anything you want that is not commercial) your property taxes are a fraction of the normal taxes.
Now that I own property listed as forest preserve, any other property I buy, even if it is under the 10 acre requirement, can be registered as forest preserve since I already own more than 10 acres elsewhere in PA.
Darrin It really depends on where you moved from and to. I've done the math and moving to Lehigh Valley doesn't save me a whole lot. Maybe the cost of fuel for commuting 100 miles a day (which isn't trivial) but that is quickly offset by the 1% local income tax - something we don't pay here in NJ.
I question where exactly the OP moved to to take his/her taxes from $12K to $3K.
emaxxman Really GC? I have a friend who owns a company in NJ and lives in the New Hope area in a 1 million dollar home and his taxes are the same as mine valued at 1/2 this? He also has our high school principal retired there too as a neighbor. So much for poor old teachers! Tell me what I got wrong GC?
Some parts of the Lehigh Valley experienced huge population growth and those areas had to build schools, etc. and the taxes are not much less.
Bottom line is that big changes are needed now. I am tired of the whiners who have excessive total compensation. The gravy train is over...
So what, iJay, a former school principal (an administrator, likely with a individual contract, and not covered under a collective bargaining agreement) is not allowed to manage his/her money well and retire to a nice home? Perhaps the spouse had a good income too? Not that it's any of your business.
Damn, you just can't pass up a chance to blame teachers for anything can you?
I guess in your little world you want those evil public employees to retire, live in trailer parks, and survive on dog food?
JerryG The guy is gay but maybe he has a partner...
Not evil JerryG. I previously admitted that it is human nature to accept "gifts" in life.
It is difficult for people to give up "gifts" that have been given for so long but it is no longer AFFORDABLE for the state and its citizens. Is this such a hard concept to understand JerryG???
You got it JerryG, always a one trick personal grudge on the self-admitted dumping ground.
The plan to shift those responsibilities local will never fly and I can't believe that even you are buying into it iJay. All that's going on is the state is saying "the responsibility for this is now on the local schools". Municipal taxes go down, school taxes go up and "it's up to the schools to implement these changes". That's a blatant passing the buck to the local level and saying "whoops! Not our problem at the state level anymore"
If schools don't implement or have trouble implementing the changes, you're looking at increased taxes and more scapegoating of teachers. You're going to find more communities in trouble because of this proposed change.
I understand you and many others are for major overhauls, but this is like looking at a house on fire and saying "let's put the fire out with wood and straw!"
btownguy I don't understand the whole plan but moving health care to a gold-like plan to sabe money seems like a no-brainer.
Strangerdanger I am here for at least another 10 years as long as my job holds out that long.
behappydaily If I left NJ, it would be to Florida to escape the cold. I would never leave NJ for any other reason, this is a great state! I love Hackettstown!
If you leave, good riddance. I can never understand why people stay somewhere they hate and whine about it. It's like all those liberals who complain about America but still live here...
1988LJ Strangerdanger - A no-brainer unless you were fighting tooth and nail against ACA, refusing exchanges, and calling it "a failed federal program" but now your tax saving plan is based on it. ;-)
No need to leave!!! Jersey is still a great place to live!!! It's what you make of it... People try to live beyond their means.... Yes taxes are to high but we elected these crooks who did this to us all !!!! As far as the pension obligations pay them!!! The state has negotiated , non funded and stolen from the pension systems!!! They broke the system so why should the employees get screwed?? Mabel Chris Christie should have the state pay their fair share before he starts this pension reform crap again!! I plan on staying in New Jersey till the end...
Mr. Tone We retired and downsized big time, we went from 3500 sq ft home on 2 acres to a 1400 sq ft home on a 50 x 100 lot in West Chester in Chester county about 40 minutes from Philly. West Chester is home to West Chester University and also the county seat. As a result they have a thriving downtown with over 50 restruants and many local owned stores. We are only a few blocks from the down town area, all within walking distance. Many times we do not use the car for a week at a time. So many things to do between downtown parades and fairs to concerts at the university.
We went from a food desert to so many choices for food and entertainment. Since we are retired we pay NO taxes on our pensions, 401K, IRA unlike if we were in NJ. We get trash pick up as part of our taxes. We are also close to our kids and family. So yes we are happy by moving to our new home. Washington was a great place to raise our kids.
Regarding Flordia, we are spending the winter in Tampa area. Traffic all the time on the interstate and local roads. Traffic lights wait times are 3-5 min, and they have red light cameras all over the place. Food is expensive compared to what we paid at ShopRite. Every place we go is crowded from beaches, to stores, roads, etc. MANY out of state vehicles on the road. But heck it was 74 and sunny today!
Just wait til Christie leaves. BETTER NOT ELECT A DEMOCRAT! Item #1 for a democratic is to raise those taxes b/c throwing money at problems is all they now to do. And the BEST thing Christie did was stand up to the gross greedy UNION pigs. Would leave NJ in a heartbeat but for my husband and MIL..
LVres Notin: My son went to WCU, graduated, and still lives in West Chester. It is a pretty high-end place compared to most of PA. Yes, the restaurant, beer and shopping scenes are hopping and maybe even....OK - definitely..... better than Hackettstown.
West Chester is like a chunk of the better part of Philly carved out and transplanted.
The Stroudsburg and West-End areas of PA are a bit like the Tampa area on some roads, and quite a bit colder in the winter.
Anyone looking for greater economic and personal freedom in PA will likely find it in some areas. You will also find a lot of dumbass, archaic regulations and odd taxes (including the yearly local earned income tax and emissions inspection farce fee in some counties on top of the required safety inspection fee.) Our new taxocrat governor, and his republican opponents also want to raise, or shift (like the "you'd really be better shopping in NJ if the republicans get their way" shift) some taxes.... so no-win there unless you live near the NJ or DE border.
My 2 cents....except that I wish Warren county could be annexed by a free-er state so that I could move back there.
jjmonth4 Exactly, doing for the 800,000 who are public worker insiders at the expense of the other 8,160,000 residents of this great state...
Best thing I ever did, just being honest. BTW speaking of gas I pay 1.38 a gallon plus food stores down here (way better than up there) have $50 gas cards for $40 on a regular basis. Saving money left and right. Plus the good weather and friendly people. It's great.
Bryan_NC LOL no i'm not Jay. But my $300+ a month (total for both of us) up there is now $100 a month at most down here. I know gas prices have come down and my commute is much shorter but still a huge difference.
Bryan - You must be buying over the border because I was down there two weeks ago and the cheapest place anywhere was a Kangaroo by my brother's place. And it was still over $1.50. Only thing better was Costco if you were a member, and that's the cheapest in the entire state and was just below that at $1.48.
JJ
As you know WC is 20 mins from DE, another plus, all major purchases stove, washing machine and dryer, TV, etc all purchased in DE with free delivery to PA with no tax.
Daughter also went to WCU, that is how we fell in love with the town. We looked at many places in PA and DE comparing it to WC, we kept coming back to WC as the place to live. We were lucky we sold our home in Washington in a month.
I understand many can not move 2 hours from Warren County because of work. But as a retired person that did not hold us back. Work is so overrated.....lol.
Yeh GC i'm in SC actually. Just over the border, gas taxes much lower. Gas is typically 20-30 cents a gallon cheaper.
You did your research Bryan. Personally, my area is Hendersonville to Asheville. Not practical for a Charlotte commuter but a damn nice place to retire...
Just north of Rock Hill (in Fort Mill). Definitely love the Hendersonville-Asheville area. For us with younger kids though I like this area for now. Could be a different story once we're ready to retire.
"It's like all those liberals who complain about America but still live here..."
or like all those conservatives who complain about America and still live here...
eperot, conservatives are more patriotic than liberals, and want to protect the flag and the nation. Many liberals support flag burning and many don't think america is the best nation on earth.
But let's not make this a political discussion, I was just making a comparison.
I hate to tell you, 1988LJ...America isn't the best nation on earth. By what matrix are you comparing us to other countries and coming up with that conclusion?
We are 24th in literacy, 35th in math, 27th in science, (WHO) 37th in healthcare, (PEW research) 167th in infant mortality 26th for life expectancy (CIA) and 27th in median income (Fortune).
If being patriotic means sticking your head in the sand and repeating "America is the best nation on earth" like it's a mantra, then yes, I suppose that might be a conservative stronghold. Most liberals I know, including myself, would like to see those numbers change for the better.
Oh, and you turned this discussion political, not me.
"167th in infant mortality...(CIA)"
Um... higher numbers are GOOD on that list.
Reading comprehension matters...
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html
Also note, that at least on the few charts I looked at, the differences in the "top" countries are minimal while there is a big drop off/cliff further down the lists. A bit of picking nits for which country is the "best".
We have the largest & best military, the most powerful music, film & television industries, plus we are the world's ONLY superpower.
We also are first in human development and have more firearms and cars per capita than any other nation.
What the heck is "powerful music" some new superweapon??? perhaps we should blast "gangsta rap" at isis, that would really scare them.
Folks how does this political bull sh*t have anything about moving out of NJ??
1888, Mark, epert
Back on track... I have posted this before but a good starting place for retirement and taxes. A lot depends on your requirements for housing, spending, income etc. as to how you approach the different states. If you are severely downsizing your property, perhaps a higher property tax isn't as important; likewise for income tax depending on you income sources and amounts. Spending might be interesting too since you may not care about a high sales tax if it does not include the things you buy most like food. So grain of salt and be sure to account for you personal spending habits.
Likewise, there are more of these out there covering other taxes per chance and other spending affects not to mention weather, crime, demographics, housing prices, --- whatever. Use a bunch.
But for taxes, a good start: http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/retirement/T055-S001-state-by-state-guide-to-taxes-on-retirees/
FYI: PA and WV both look pretty good, tax wise.
cynic- No, I mean the industries. As in, the most successful around the world.
But NotinNJanymore is right. I apologize for bringing politics into the conversation.
Maybe politics have something to do with people leaving... you know, taxes, regulation, all that...
I want to but DH said he's not ready. Huh? OK then I will just go without him. LOL
1988LJ, so your definition of greatness is that we have more guns (and more gun violence, btw) and make great movies? That's some yardstick you use there.
And as for superpower, you ever hear of China?
CraftBeerBob Trying to figure out where to retire. Interested in a few different areas. We will visit them as the time nears. If you have any experience with the following, please fill me in.
-Charleston, SC
-Somewhere in Texas, Arizona or Nevada
-Colorado City or Denver, Colorado
GetTheFacts Get
I have been to them all, I would say Texas and Nevada would be low on my list. With Charlston, Colorado City and Denver being very nice places to live. Beautiful views, many things to do, you still have the change of seasons. Texas, Arizona and Nevada very hot and dry places, not much green unless you water, outside city limits very brown and flat, no trees. Being from the northeast you will find you will miss green, and hills.
I have been to the lower 48 and you must travel and check places out, the US is a beautiful country. Out west is simply amazing, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, the Rockies, are places are must see. Really any of the national parks are just amazing.
Once our son goes to college, my DH and I are outa here. I have lived in two countries and 3 states and NJ is the worst. However, I do love Hackettstown. If it wasn't for this town, I would have been gone eons ago.
My husband loves to ski and I love the beach so we are compromising. We are buying land in Vermont and will have a northern home and a southern home. We own a few lots in Florida but I might sell those and consider the Carolinas. I have some exploring to do first.
NJ has excellent schools which is the main reason we are staying here. I consider my property taxes to be a good investment while my child is receiving an education. Once he is done with public schools, there will no longer be a reason for getting financially raped.
Jazzykatt We really looked around different states to live. BUT honestly EVERYONE I know that has moved in those places have said don't do it stay in NJ!
BUT we will see. We were looking into Virginia.
Christine If you leave and expect to go somewhere the same as NJ just cheaper, you'll probably be disappointed. Those are the kinds of people that bring NJ politics with them, and vote for things they "miss"... and guess what happens? Taxes go up, politicians become just as crooked, etc.
Go somewhere, embrace the differences, and become a part *of that place* without trying to make it NJ south/west.
"Once he is done with public schools, there will no longer be a reason for getting financially raped."
If he's getting a quality education, then you're not getting raped. In fact, based on the per student cost, you're getting a downright bargain since your taxes don't actually cover all of it. The only people that are getting "raped" are those that are homeowners and never had kids.
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I agree with Mark's last comment above. Everyone tries to make it seem like you're getting an apples to apples experience when you move to another state. You're not.
Look at the OP's original post and clarification. They downsized their home by more than 50% and reduced their land from 86K sq ft to 5K sq ft. Sure NJ taxes might be more than PA for an equivalent lot but it's not the savings alluded to by the $12K to $3K new tax bill.
I'm not saying the OP was trying to hide something or be deceitful but people need to look at things as apples to apples when comparing. If you're happy to exchange your apples for oranges, than no problem but like Mark stated, make sure you accept that you're getting oranges.
Not sure if you're just trying to be a smart ass because you hate everything I post here, or if you're really in dis-belief that people bring their politics with them (or end up not liking the new place and moving back)...
Ask people from Colorado what happens when a lot of Californians move in (just search for Californication for a lot of opinions ...)
I moved to get OUT of NJ, not to bring it with me.
I think Flagstaff, AZ may be a bit greener, you just have to appreciate a totally different landscape to live out west, don't make it into what you left. Same goes when you travel to different countries, embrace the culture, don't expect what you have at home, or else there is no point in traveling in the first place.
Nature Lover Leaving come June for Pa, Can't wait.
It's been real Jersey, It's not you it's me..
No wait, It really is you.
No I only hate the dumb stuff :>)
I can understand not liking somewhere and moving back but somehow a NJ-ian expecting NJ politics in another state seems like asking for a sharp stick in the eye. That's what I was asking about since I couldn't imagine expecting NJ politics anywhere but NJ. Like asking for home turf advantage when playing an away game. Just never contemplated it so wondered what you meant and you clarified it well.
Colorado and Californication is more about viewing people coming in, not you going there and finding it strange. Beyond politics, long time residents often do not like new comers in general who they see as "invading" with differences and believing this threatens their very way of life. Yet there seems to be no problem selling that land, selling those goods, putting up those developments, and building massive new suburban cities like they have in CO. Give me a break. It's a free country. You sold it, they bought it, get over it.
Similar thing happened to me in Warren County a few decades ago and I was born in NJ. I mean I was born in the real NJ, not this cow field. By then I had a Southern accent, not exactly blue collar, and I just sounded different. I have lived in a lot of places moving almost every 5 years before returning to NJ. The one constant I find is that once you break the ice, people are people and most often, in person, will respect differences and enjoy commonalities. But you have to get to know them.
That and the fact that country folk are the biggest gossips.
CO is interesting in that it's got some pretty rigid borders separating the liberals from the conservatives and the urbanites from the classic westerners. From what I perused, the first migration from CA to CO were Orange County conservatives which pissed off people with their voting for OC conservative laws. Then it was a wave of young liberals for the high tech expansion voting for their types of laws.
I can even take it a back a generation earlier. A friend grew up in Orange County when there were actual orange groves. His CA family hates CA city folk who changed their very way of life. Darned Disneylanders.
But one thing everyone in CO agrees on: those folks in Boulder are just bat-shat crazy.
So sure, people bring their politics, things change, things can change back and sometimes an area's "culture" may not be to your liking. I get what you were saying now that you clarified. I have lived in many places in my life and just never judged them by the area politics before I moved in. Not on my radar.
But I do understand folks not liking newcomers and that feeling that you're the stranger in a strange land. Most often it passes. In the country, just say "howdy" a lot, wear trucker's hats, flannel shirts, mud kickers and have at least one old car, preferably a truck.
We moved to PA thinking same thing cheaper.Guess what were back in Jersey after 3yrs.Nothing like home.Never will move out of Jersey.
patricia Nj is not our home, So nothing to miss..
Been here for 6 years, So unbelievably ready to get out and blessed to have the opportunity.
emaxxman
I don't think you fully understood my statement. While I have a child in the school system it is a good investment. Once my child is out of the school system the thousands of dollars I pay in property taxes each year will be better invested in a higher quality of life elsewhere.
I understood the statement. My point is, your kid is in a public school system for 13 years. Based on my analysis of the school budget (from a few years back), the average student cost is $15K a year. I believe the average taxes at that time were about $7500 per year (some homes less, some more). At that rate, it would take you 26 years to pay off the education your child received (give or take a few years.) That doesn't take into account the approx. $2K a year for the non-school related town costs that comes out of the annual taxes.
Whether you feel that the education received is worth $15K per year, that's a different story. I have my criticisms about how educator performance is managed but that's another thread.
Now, I'm certainly with all of those who can't wait to get out of NJ. I work an hour away in PA so just reducing my commute (even if the cost savings are minimal) would lead to a higher quality of life. Like most, I'm only here until my son finishes HS. After that, I'll have some real decisions to make.
Conservatives don't support flag burning? Uhhhhhh, the late Justice Scalia sure did in Texas v. Johnson! Look it up 1988LJ.
Just took my fist trip to fl. Speed limits 70 and they fine you 121$ min for not moving out of the fast lane if your driving slower.(think of how your commute would be without the idiots in the fast lane doing 60) Every ones carrying guns you can make u turns buy beer at almost any store fireworks are legal and it all works flawlessly. Never thought jersey sucked more in my life. Almost like I'm free here?
Flordia drivers are the worst drivers, NJ gets a bad reputation , FL are far worse. After being here for 6 weeks this is what I have noticed.
-NO ONE uses turn signals, they just pull in front of you.
-They pass on the right while doing 85
-If you are in the fast lane you better be doing 85-90
-The traffic lights are 5-8 minutes of waiting time, they are every 10' and many have red light cameras.
-You can not be pulled over for texting or talking on your phone. As a result everyone is talking and texting while they drive. Very often at those 5 min traffic lights, they are texting, not paying attention and do not notice the light has changed. When you beep they take off, through the the yellow light and you have to wait another 5 min for the light to change.
-Thet allow left turns from the left lane and will stop in the left lane to turn while you are doing 60 mph, so much fun.
- I have not witness a cop pull anyone over, or any monitoring traffic. They are just not around.
- Trucks drive in the left lane all the time, doing 50 in a 70, or 90.
- Motorcycles weave through traffic at 100, pass on the right and do not wear helmets or shirts ,often with a passenger.
-They have traffic ALL THE TIME, regardless of the time of day
- So many travel trailers going 50 in a 70, or doing 90 up your back side.
Other then above, driving in FL is a so much fun.
I cannot wait to be part of the leaving nj crowd. Unfortunately I have to stay hear for 10 more years until my daughter finishes school. Every year when I get my taxes done I pick my accountants mind while I'm there. The thing he always tells me is we have to leave nj before both my wife and I die. He said if one of us passes here there is no hefty tax. If we both die here my daughter will get whacked with the death tax on her inheritance. In 10 years I have seen our property taxes more than double.
My wife and I use to spend 1/1 to 3/31 in florida before my daughter started kindergarten. We absolutely love it there. I would love to buy a piece of property down there and change my residency status, but I own a small business in NJ and it would be tough to convince the government I am working from down there. My wife works from home so she can work from anywhere. She would actually get a pay raise for switching down there because there is no income tax. My accountant said I would have to register my vehicles down there, register to vote down there, etc.
So it looks like NJ has 10 more years to siphon money from my wallet.
M & K "In 10 years I have seen our property taxes more than double."
this is the real tradgedy of living in NJ and you can lay this squarely at the feet of an entrenched out of control public sector and the domination of NJ politics by the democrats in trenton.
the only play these state legislators know is tax more so they can spend more, they will never stop reaching further and further into your pockets for more of your hard earned money.
they will keep raising taxes here at every opportunity.
the inheritance tax needs to be eliminated, pronto, that's a no brainer,
you can count me in as one of the ones needing to get out of NJ before it's too late, this state is broken and imo can not be fixed, too many voters just blindly pulling the lever for the 'status quo'
wake up and smell the coffee fellow NJeans, make some substantive changes, don't just vote for the incumbents in Trenton, get involved, send people to Trenton that will actually do some good.
BrotherDog NotinNJanymore - I feel for you, seriously. Jacksonville has got to be the worst traffic horrors ever. Miami has jams you can watch from miles away elevated on the highway for easy viewing. When I've gone to clients there they say they watch and leave early the minute they see it getting bad which only makes it worse. Alligator alley is the pits, a cop on either end and lawlessness in between. Been there, done that.
M&K, passing to a spouse or child is not too bad. When someone dies and it goes to say a brother and/or sister; that's when the taxes apply a healthy NJ dose of whacking...
GC, been in A1A jams since the 90s but I like the area as you move a bit north towards Jupiter...
What I find myself doing is reverse-engineering retirement choices. I have X dollars per month for everything and how far does it go and what quality does it get me...
I jay if I remember correctly my accountant said 11% tax passing onto my daughter once you hit 675k.
Ijay: be careful; there's both estate and inheritance tax in NJ. While what you said is true for inheritance, for estates left to children, you will pay estate tax under the 2001 federal exclusions on the first $675K. With a house, that's pretty obtainable in today's NJ environment. If you leave estate to kids, and it's worth over $675K, you pay a progressive fixed amount and a progressive rate depending on the estate size.
So over 675K to 840K, it's 19K right of the top plus 4.8% of the estate amount over $667,175 to 840,000. At 840K, pony up 27.6 plus 5.6% of the amount over 840K to about 1M.
http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/other_forms/inheritance/itestate.pdf
Personally I can't tell the difference between estate and inheritance tax. Both feel like some strangers hand in my back pocket. And not in a good way.
Plus, and I am not sure of this, I think NJ is not a 'self-serve" state meaning you really need a lawyer to get through all that. Another hand in the old pocket I say.
Some states are 'self serve' where normal humans can actually work through the probate process and file ally the necessary paperwork.
Just remembered in PA we did not need a lawyer or a surveyor to close on the house, everything was handled by the title company, more $$$ saved moving to PA.
Old Gent Yes, the estate tax. Federal does not kick in until over about 5 million but NJ is at 675k?
Yes, NJ stuck with the 2001 Federal standard. Idiots.
For retirees, NJ is the most unfriendly state in the Union.
I will add this. PA is reviewed are fairly friendly for retirees on taxes and has made some recent changes to make things better. But their inheritance tax is 4.5% to lineal heirs. No state tax. When I went through probate in PA I swear there was a sign in the Register of Wills stating (and I paraphrase) "We don't answer questions, get a lawyer." It was a taxing process to say the least.
I wont be able to afford to stay in New Jersey when retire. People from outside of the state come here to work, but even if they fall in love with the state, few can afford to stay once their work is done.
texaskeystone 
Louise 
MeisterNJ Louise
Sold the house we lived in for 28 years in Washington and moved to Pa. Went from country life to city life, loving it, so glad we made the move. We relocated to the outside of Philly to a university town of West Chester. WCU has about 16k students on campus.
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