OT: Working virtual, where to live on the East Coast

[DJ Spanky]

Was having an interesting conversation with a friend of mine: the premise was that if someone had a job where they worked virtually and had to go in the office maybe every 3-4 months, assuming the job was in NYC or northern NJ, what state on the east coast would be the best to live in given taxes, cost and availability of housing, car insurance rates, etc. Assume you need to be within an acceptable driving distance, so figure Maine down to Virginia. States that would be covered would be Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, DC and Virginia.

 

[Rhuarc]

Pennsylvania and New Hampshire do not tax social security. Not sure if that's part of the equation though.

 

[MulletCork]

Not New Jersey !

 

[fsg2]

Honestly, if you've cut the geo ties of a job, move somewhere you really enjoy living, not just the cheapest place you can nickel and dime.

Just my thought.

 

[tom1944]

Pennsylvania and New Hampshire do not tax social security. Not sure if that's part of the equation though.

NJ doesn’t either

 

[tom1944]

Do you have school age kids?

 

[Plum Street]

These questions are so stupid . It depends on a lot of factors outside of job . Your age , have kids in school, where is your extended family , the type of demographics you’re looking for (and yes that matters to everyone even when they say it don’t )
And you want us to narrow it down by state?its hard to narrow a question like that down by county . Life is a lot different in the things you mention like housing and insurance in Cranford NJ than 10 minutes away in Elizabeth, NJ.
Give us the profile of the person looking

 

[Rutgers Chris]

Was having an interesting conversation with a friend of mine: the premise was that if someone had a job where they worked virtually and had to go in the office maybe every 3-4 months, assuming the job was in NYC or northern NJ, what state on the east coast would be the best to live in given taxes, cost and availability of housing, car insurance rates, etc. Assume you need to be within an acceptable driving distance, so figure Maine down to Virginia. States that would be covered would be Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, DC and Virginia.

Bucks county PA checks a lot of the boxes. I know single family homes particularly in New Hope has been pretty crazy the last 1-2 years. Highly ranked school, lower taxes, drivable to NYC when needed or easy access to the train. Houses in desirable neighborhoods still going for all cash, well over ask in a matter of days.

 

[Plum Street]

Bucks county PA checks a lot of the boxes. I know single family homes particularly in New Hope has been pretty crazy the last 1-2 years. Highly ranked school, lower taxes, drivable to NYC when needed or easy access to the train. Houses in desirable neighborhoods still going for all cash, well over ask in a matter of days.

Again you need the profile of the person looking. . Maybe the person wants a walkable community ? Or doesn’t have kids

 

[Rutgers Chris]

Again you need the profile of the person looking. . Maybe the person wants a walkable community ? Or doesn’t have kids

Or I can just answer some of his question and let him dig though the answers/info as he chooses

 

[Plum Street]

Or I can just answer some of his question and let him dig though the answers/info as he chooses

No . Ask for the profile . Trust me you will give Better and more meaningful advice that way

 

[ClassOf02]

Bucks county PA checks a lot of the boxes. I know single family homes particularly in New Hope has been pretty crazy the last 1-2 years. Highly ranked school, lower taxes, drivable to NYC when needed or easy access to the train. Houses in desirable neighborhoods still going for all cash, well over ask in a matter of days.

Bucks County is 100% in my future. Probably 5-7 years from now.

 

[RU Cheese]

@Plum Street Look, I agree with you whole heartedly, but the fact is you're just too advanced for these simpletons and this board. It's a blessing ajd a curse. Hang in there.

 

[RU Cheese]

And I'm not being sarcastic. Hey, pick one of these 13 states to live in. Go.

Dynamite question. Not.

 

[RUPete]

Delaware or PA would be my recommendations, but that would be based on how honest management is being about their expectations of being in the office.

 

[mdk01]

Taxes is New Hampshire hands down. No income or sales tax. The rest depends on individual needs and preferences.

 

[Will Scarlet]

Taxes is New Hampshire hands down. No income or sales tax. The rest depends on individual needs and preferences.

New Hampshire is great for nonexistent income tax, not so great for property taxes and numerous other state transaction fees that are considered taxes everywhere else in the union. Also, anyone with kids would need to think long and hard about location. While rapidly dwindling, there are still a tangible number of ‘“free’-loaders,” who can feasibly legitimately negate 100% of taxpayer funding for any form of public education. This is still the sort of state where Republican candidates for office openly oppose not only access to abortion, but the right to contraception, access to IVF treatment, etc. Despite the monicker, “Live Free or Die,” nearly half the state legislature is of the opinion that matters such as pregnancy should be regulated by politicians, not a womanin consultation with her god and doctor. Think twice, if you care about anything other than a nominal net tax savings.

 

[mdk01]

New Hampshire is great for nonexistent income tax, not so great for property taxes and numerous other state transaction fees that are considered taxes everywhere else in the union. Also, anyone with kids would need to think long and hard about location. While rapidly dwindling, there are still a tangible number of ‘“free’-loaders,” who can feasibly legitimately negate 100% of taxpayer funding for any form of public education. This is still the sort of state where Republican candidates for office openly oppose not only access to abortion, but the right to contraception, access to IVF treatment, etc. Despite the monicker, “Live Free or Die,” nearly half the state legislature is of the opinion that matters such as pregnancy should be regulated by politicians, not a womanin consultation with her god and doctor. Think twice, if you care about anything other than a nominal net tax savings.

The law that just went into effect this year is 24 weeks, about 3 weeks shorter than Roe said minimal restrictions. You're being somewhat deceptive. And schools vary, just like any other state.

 

[Plum Street]

Delaware or PA would be my recommendations, but that would be based on how honest management is being about their expectations of being in the office.

Who are you recommending this for ? A 60 year old with grandkids in NJ ? A 25 year old just out of law school ? A 35 year old with a wife and kid ?
I think profile is important in recommending.

 

[T2Kplus20]

NJ doesn’t either

Sorry, New Jersey, but you're the least tax-friendly state in the country for retirees. And, once again, it's the property taxes that are crushing retirees. The Garden State has the highest median property tax rate in the country. If our first make-believe couple bought a $250,000 home in the state, they would pay an eye-popping $6,178 in property taxes each year based on our estimates. Our second couple would pay a sky-high $8,649 on their $350,000 New Jersey home. The state does offer some property tax relief for seniors, though. Homeowners age 65 or older can claim either a tax deduction for up to $15,000 or a $50 refundable credit on their New Jersey income tax return for property taxes paid for a primary resident in New Jersey. There's also a program (the "senior freeze") that reimburses eligible seniors for property tax increases. And a $250 property tax deduction is available for senior citizens with an annual household income of $10,000 or less.

10 Least Tax-Friendly States for Retirees

Retirees in these states are likely to have a higher overall state and local tax burden than retirees in other states.

www.kiplinger.com

 

[RUTGERS95]

Was having an interesting conversation with a friend of mine: the premise was that if someone had a job where they worked virtually and had to go in the office maybe every 3-4 months, assuming the job was in NYC or northern NJ, what state on the east coast would be the best to live in given taxes, cost and availability of housing, car insurance rates, etc. Assume you need to be within an acceptable driving distance, so figure Maine down to Virginia. States that would be covered would be Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, DC and Virginia.

run from liberal $hitholes and head south young man. if you only had to go in every 3-4 mos then get a hotel

 

[RUTGERS95]

Sorry, New Jersey, but you're the least tax-friendly state in the country for retirees. And, once again, it's the property taxes that are crushing retirees. The Garden State has the highest median property tax rate in the country. If our first make-believe couple bought a $250,000 home in the state, they would pay an eye-popping $6,178 in property taxes each year based on our estimates. Our second couple would pay a sky-high $8,649 on their $350,000 New Jersey home. The state does offer some property tax relief for seniors, though. Homeowners age 65 or older can claim either a tax deduction for up to $15,000 or a $50 refundable credit on their New Jersey income tax return for property taxes paid for a primary resident in New Jersey. There's also a program (the "senior freeze") that reimburses eligible seniors for property tax increases. And a $250 property tax deduction is available for senior citizens with an annual household income of $10,000 or less.

10 Least Tax-Friendly States for Retirees

Retirees in these states are likely to have a higher overall state and local tax burden than retirees in other states.

www.kiplinger.com

bottom 5 for business friendly as well. Growing up we were IN the top 5! Retiring in NJ is literally throwing money away

 

[T2Kplus20]

bottom 5 for business friendly as well. Growing up we were IN the top 5! Retiring in NJ is literally throwing money away

TRUTH! How far this state has fallen.

 

[Knight Shift]

TRUTH! How far this state has fallen.

Our business has done extremely well. The talent pool in NJ is outstanding. Might pay less taxes elsewhere, but would likely make a lot less money.

 

[MulletCork]

These questions are so stupid . It depends on a lot of factors outside of job . Your age , have kids in school, where is your extended family , the type of demographics you’re looking for (and yes that matters to everyone even when they say it don’t )
And you want us to narrow it down by state?its hard to narrow a question like that down by county . Life is a lot different in the things you mention like housing and insurance in Cranford NJ than 10 minutes away in Elizabeth, NJ.
Give us the profile of the person looking

 

[newell138]

I can’t imagine being forced to live in PA let alone willingly move there

 

[ru66]

Sorry, New Jersey, but you're the least tax-friendly state in the country for retirees. And, once again, it's the property taxes that are crushing retirees. The Garden State has the highest median property tax rate in the country. If our first make-believe couple bought a $250,000 home in the state, they would pay an eye-popping $6,178 in property taxes each year based on our estimates. Our second couple would pay a sky-high $8,649 on their $350,000 New Jersey home. The state does offer some property tax relief for seniors, though. Homeowners age 65 or older can claim either a tax deduction for up to $15,000 or a $50 refundable credit on their New Jersey income tax return for property taxes paid for a primary resident in New Jersey. There's also a program (the "senior freeze") that reimburses eligible seniors for property tax increases. And a $250 property tax deduction is available for senior citizens with an annual household income of $10,000 or less.

10 Least Tax-Friendly States for Retirees

Retirees in these states are likely to have a higher overall state and local tax burden than retirees in other states.

www.kiplinger.com

as for retirees, believe it or not,the best places to live have an awful lot to do with access to medial care, amenities like the arts, etc and other conveniences and not just dollars---and NYC is in the top 20

 

[retired711]

Pennsylvania and New Hampshire do not tax social security. Not sure if that's part of the equation though.

As @tom1944 says, New Jersey does not tax social security either. In addition, the state allows those with taxable incomes below $150,000 to exclude their pensions and some of their other retirement income. But, of course, a lot more has to go into the decision than state income taxes.

We don't have any plans to leave South Jersey. The area is a reasonable compromise. Real estate prices aren't as crazy as in other parts of the state. We have access to the cultural scene in Philadelphia, and we can go to NYC or Washington D.C. every so often. Having the shore nearby is nice -- we're an hour away from Ocean City -- and there's much more natural beauty in the state than most people think. The Philadelphia and South Jersey areas have excellent medical facilities, which is important at any age. The climate isn't wonderful, but we seem to often dodge the worst of the snowstorms, and we're close enough to the ocean for it to moderate both heat and cold.

But so much depends on individual tastes. I don't think there are any right or wrong answers.

 

[knightfan2000]

My business did exceptionally well in New Jersey - client base very strong and employee base even better. Social security not taxed here will make retirement comfortable while proximity to family and to Rutgers athletics, NYC, shore, Philly and outstanding health care will make retirement in NJ a great place to be.

 

[ashokan]

Well you have loons running the world and shutting down energy, fertilizers, security, supply chains etc (while stoking wars) so its nice to be able to grow your own food and keep chickens etc. Crazy political leaders are good to avoid (the ones that want to take your kid and/or drive costs up like its good.

The coming food catastrophe

War is tipping a fragile world towards mass hunger. Fixing that is everyone’s business

www.economist.com

‎The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast: 274. Cometh the Horsemen: Pandemic, Famine, War | Michael Yon on Apple Podcasts

‎Show The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, Ep 274. Cometh the Horsemen: Pandemic, Famine, War | Michael Yon - Jul 28, 2022

podcasts.apple.com

https://www.rutgers.edu/news/nuclea...ine-and-kill-billions-rutgers-led-study-finds

 

[mildone]

Given that the job is remote, income is a constant. Income dictates location, but, unless one‘s income is very low, one can find a decent place to live in any state. Depends on what you want.

So the factors that probably matter most, to most people, are where family lives, where close friends live, and what sorts of lifestyle one wants. Want to live rurally or in a big city? Somewhere in between. This stuff is all very personal with no right or wrong.

After that comes stuff like population density, quality of public schools if young, access to high quality healthcare if older.

Taxes should be among the lowest of priorities because it’ll vary based on income. If earning enough to pay a lot in taxes, then you’ll have plenty of money all the time anyway and all the other stuff mentioned above matters more and makes the cost of living worth it.

 

[RUPete]

Who are you recommending this for ? A 60 year old with grandkids in NJ ? A 25 year old just out of law school ? A 35 year old with a wife and kid ?
I think profile is important in recommending.

Actually, I don’t care enough about this topic to specify. Thanks for checking though. I’m out.

 

[Section124]

Taxes is New Hampshire hands down. No income or sales tax. The rest depends on individual needs and preferences.

New Hampshire has property taxes like NJ but this would be my pick as well. I actually fit the profile of the OP in reverse. Remote based and live in northern NJ. Although I do have an office in JC, no one in my business line works there. Most of my direct reports are in an office in NH or MA so I go up there once per quarter. I stay here because my wife works in the city but otherwise I would move up there to be close to the ski areas.

Boston is about an hour away. Housing not the cheapest but good schools. Everyone in NH has a 2nd house/cabin up north (by the ski areas) or place at the cape.

 

[ruinac]

Odd question. I’ve always been able to live wherever I want. I’m not a coal miner who has to live where the coal is.

 

[Rhuarc]

Sorry, New Jersey, but you're the least tax-friendly state in the country for retirees. And, once again, it's the property taxes that are crushing retirees. The Garden State has the highest median property tax rate in the country. If our first make-believe couple bought a $250,000 home in the state, they would pay an eye-popping $6,178 in property taxes each year based on our estimates. Our second couple would pay a sky-high $8,649 on their $350,000 New Jersey home. The state does offer some property tax relief for seniors, though. Homeowners age 65 or older can claim either a tax deduction for up to $15,000 or a $50 refundable credit on their New Jersey income tax return for property taxes paid for a primary resident in New Jersey. There's also a program (the "senior freeze") that reimburses eligible seniors for property tax increases. And a $250 property tax deduction is available for senior citizens with an annual household income of $10,000 or less.

10 Least Tax-Friendly States for Retirees

Retirees in these states are likely to have a higher overall state and local tax burden than retirees in other states.

www.kiplinger.com

It’s funny but I think I subconsciously eliminated NJ from the start because I never even thought of it as an option in this case.

 

[RU205]

I can work virtually but I am staying in NJ.
When I retire I may stay in NJ but I am not sure. A few things I will consider before thinking of costs.
Where will my kids or grandkids live will be first. Next would be convenience to grocery stores, quality doctors/hospitals, and services provided in the town I live.
I may stay in NJ and add a 2nd home in a southern state for winters. Maybe NC, SC or GA. I wouldn’t go north of NJ.

 

[tom1944]

I can work virtually but I am staying in NJ.
When I retire I may stay in NJ but I am not sure. A few things I will consider before thinking of costs.
Where will my kids or grandkids live will be first. Next would be convenience to grocery stores, quality doctors/hospitals, and services provided in the town I live.
I may stay in NJ and add a 2nd home in a southern state for winters. Maybe NC, SC or GA. I wouldn’t go north of NJ.

I would like to leave NJ for the month of February

That is the winter break I need

 

[Unionst]

If you have money, why let taxes drive your choice? Maximizing those last digits in your accounts is an odd - though not uncommon - priority. There is so much more to life.

 

[Plum Street]

I would like to leave NJ for the month of February

That is the winter break I need

January 2nd to may 15 !!

People forget April usually really sucks here as the spring activities get prematurely forced on you . Always hated being at a spring sport event or cutting the grass dressed for the North Pole

 

[Scarlet1984]

I really am missing the point of this question.

I choose to live in New Jersey.