Where to retire on your military pension?

[exNavyOffRec]

To include the highest booze taxes of any state in the Union . . . a per-ounce liquor tax, and then on top of that, a 20% sales tax. But yeah, they get their money in taxing everything else but income for sure.

I seriously wonder whether or not we (WA State) have reached a tipping point where the electorate is just frankly fed up with all the platitudes and no action. Especially after all the utter buffoonery that went down in 2020. Witness the last election, where the three-ring clownshow that is the City of Seattle electorate elected a centrist Democrat mayor and (gasp! Grab the smelling salts, Gertrude!) a centrist ex-Democrat Republican as City Attorney. Now if they could just get the Trotskyist off the City Council, there may yet be hope.

I momentarily forgot about the alcohol tax.

That is something I have been wondering, I think we are getting close or are about the tipping point I won't call it until we see a few more positive changes happen such as all the drug RV's gone, people not smoking heroin on the street, etc....

I had some coworkers that came up from San Fran to visit Seattle, their comments were that it was a smaller, cleaner, and safer version of San Fran and I am thinking "oh god".

 

[nittany03]

I momentarily forgot about the alcohol tax.

That is something I have been wondering, I think we are getting close or are about the tipping point I won't call it until we see a few more positive changes happen such as all the drug RV's gone, people not smoking heroin on the street, etc....

I had some coworkers that came up from San Fran to visit Seattle, their comments were that it was a smaller, cleaner, and safer version of San Fran and I am thinking "oh god".

My company is scattering to several smaller campuses throughout the region and leaving only about 25 percent of the headcount downtown. Something something head tax. That said, we had an abortive return to office in the fall/winter (long story better told over beers than a public forum), and the city really seemed to be a shell of what it was even pre-pandemic. Most of the landmark high-end places like the Met and such weathered the storm, but almost all my old lunch haunts were wiped out.

To be fair, it's still mostly property crime and not violent crime, not that tweakers sawzalling catalytic converters off people's cars is anything approaching OK. Though the latter is ticking up.

 

[Brett327]

I found this helpful...

State and Local Tax Burdens, Calendar Year 2022

Tax burdens rose across the country as pandemic-era economic changes caused taxable income, activities, and property values to rise faster than net national product. Tax burdens in 2020, 2021, and 2022 are all higher than in any other year since 1978.

taxfoundation.org

Also, there are places to live in WA that aren't Seattle. I'm considering Walla Walla due to the wine industry/education presence and outdoor activity stuff... plus it's basically on the Oregon border, snake river and blue mountains close by.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

My company is scattering to several smaller campuses throughout the region and leaving only about 25 percent of the headcount downtown. Something something head tax. That said, we had an abortive return to office in the fall/winter (long story better told over beers than a public forum), and the city really seemed to be a shell of what it was even pre-pandemic. Most of the landmark high-end places like the Met and such weathered the storm, but almost all my old lunch haunts were wiped out.

To be fair, it's still mostly property crime and not violent crime, not that tweakers sawzalling catalytic converters off people's cars is anything approaching OK. Though the latter is ticking up.

I am hybrid now and only required to go into my office in Seattle once every 6-8 weeks, I try to get in there about every 4 weeks though. I have found the same, most of the places I used to know of for lunch are gone.

Gangs are becoming more prevalent and most of the shooting you hear of in Seattle are gang, drug, or gang and drug related. In most cases though if during the day no issues.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I found this helpful...

State and Local Tax Burdens, Calendar Year 2022

Tax burdens rose across the country as pandemic-era economic changes caused taxable income, activities, and property values to rise faster than net national product. Tax burdens in 2020, 2021, and 2022 are all higher than in any other year since 1978.

taxfoundation.org

Also, there are places to live in WA that aren't Seattle. I'm considering Walla Walla due to the wine industry/education presence and outdoor activity stuff... plus it's basically on the Oregon border, snake river and blue mountains close by.

There are some nice places in Eastern Washington, for me when or if I go somewhere else will depend on how things go with the state over the next several years. I am tied to where I am due to job, older parents, etc... but that too will alter with time.

 

[nittany03]

Gangs are becoming more prevalent and most of the shooting you hear of in Seattle are gang, drug, or gang and drug related. In most cases though if during the day no issues.

That's not just Seattle; that's the US in general if you actually dig into the data. The average American homicide victim and perpetrator all tend to be young men with significant amounts of arrests and convictions, usually involving street gangs and the drug trade. And Seattle's murder rate is still below the average as far as big cities go, if higher than a few years ago.

There are some nice places in Eastern Washington, for me when or if I go somewhere else will depend on how things go with the state over the next several years. I am tied to where I am due to job, older parents, etc... but that too will alter with time.

I have the opposite issue. Family is on the East Coast, and as they get older, it's a question of if/when I end up bailing to help out. My desired retirement spot is the family property in Eastern PA we've had for about 90 years, though I've always wanted to supplement that with a place in the PacNW.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

That's not just Seattle; that's the US in general if you actually dig into the data. The average American homicide victim and perpetrator all tend to be young men with significant amounts of arrests and convictions, usually involving street gangs and the drug trade. And Seattle's murder rate is still below the average as far as big cities go, if higher than a few years ago.

I have the opposite issue. Family is on the East Coast, and as they get older, it's a question of if/when I end up bailing to help out. My desired retirement spot is the family property in Eastern PA we've had for about 90 years, though I've always wanted to supplement that with a place in the PacNW.

That was what I have gathered from various articles but I have heard that directly from some friends in LE here in WA so I only mentioned WA, I think Chicago is one of the top places with issues.

My wife's family was all from Eastern PA but they have all left or passed away.

 

[Gatordev]

If having immediate access to a MTF is your thing, then by all means, but I have wanted nothing to do with military medicine after having to use it a bunch the last few years before I retired. "Private" medicine has been far more efficient and at least as good care. Yes, it costs a little more, but it's not out of this world and with a little planning and saving each year, it's not a huge impact unless you have something major that's ongoing. And even then, there's a cap.

It can be hit and miss with the VA, but I've found the VA in my location to be no better than a MTF for access, and often worse.

There is another option as an active-duty retiree and that's Tricare Prime Remote. You pay the Prime annual fee, but then go to local providers because you're too far from an MTF. However, there can be a catch...if you're in a more rural area, rural healthcare is not good.

I'll day dream when flying about having some land and a nice house in a county adjacent to a city center. But a concern that I can't shake is having to rely on either a local medical facility for emergent treatment, or having to have a long ride to a more capable facility. While emergent medical care isn't necessarily a concern today for me, it could be as one gets older.

 

[Hozer]

Ultimately?

Costa Rica...





Or El Sal, the US dollar is the currency, roads are good, and of course, waves..

 

[taxi1]

Military base access is good.

That’s one thing I don’t have, with at least a 1.5 hour drive to an ID card place or an exchange.

 

[Griz882]

My mother, soon to hit 92, lived the two home life for about 15 years during her 60’s/70’s with a summer place in Florida and her home in California. In the end she said she really didn’t like it that much - never wanting to leave either place once she settled in. She was actually quite happy once she gave both up (California had simply over-developed around her). Now she tells me the best plan is to have one small home, take lots of vacations, live within 15 minutes of a good hospital and 10 from a good grocery store!

 

[GroundPounder]

I am hybrid now and only required to go into my office in Seattle once every 6-8 weeks, I try to get in there about every 4 weeks though. I have found the same, most of the places I used to know of for lunch are gone.

Gangs are becoming more prevalent and most of the shooting you hear of in Seattle are gang, drug, or gang and drug related. In most cases though if during the day no issues.

Every gang shooting leave behind a cohort of people more willing to shoot their rivals the next time they have a chance. If violent gangs get a foothold, violent crime numbers will continue to grow there. In my experience, a lot of people don't get too worked up about it, as they figure they are immune due to the fact that they are not in gangs.

It isn't until a purely innocent victim** gets in the crossfire that the hand wringing starts, but at that point it is too late.

** as opposed to those that are engaged in the lifestyle. They still don't deserve to be victims of violent crime.

 

[webmaster]

I haven’t been to a MTF since I retired over 9 years ago. I have used my location and lack of ANY MTF near me to my advantage with Prime and having my private practice PCM give me referrals to local specialists. During COVID I knocked out a whole slew of high end check ups/testing and paid little for all of it.

 

[villanelle]

We’ll…the tax part limits it to Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. They all have military health care facilities but I’d have to dump AK (the sunlight thing weirds me out) FL (humidity and alligators), and SD (just because), and probably TN (because the MMF is really in Kentucky). I lived in NH and liked it, but my wife hates it for no logical reason. That leaves me Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Or just pay the state taxes! California would be nice, but I’d need a lottery win.

What happened to Nevada?

Assuming my dreams of lottery winnings don't come true (and given the fact I don't buy tickets, that's a pretty safe assumption), the Coronado dream will die and Nevada is a likely contender. I worry somewhat about the water situation at some point, but since I'm not deciding this right now, I can wait and see.

 

[villanelle]

If having immediate access to a MTF is your thing, then by all means, but I have wanted nothing to do with military medicine after having to use it a bunch the last few years before I retired. "Private" medicine has been far more efficient and at least as good care. Yes, it costs a little more, but it's not out of this world and with a little planning and saving each year, it's not a huge impact unless you have something major that's ongoing. And even then, there's a cap.

It can be hit and miss with the VA, but I've found the VA in my location to be no better than a MTF for access, and often worse.

There is another option as an active-duty retiree and that's Tricare Prime Remote. You pay the Prime annual fee, but then go to local providers because you're too far from an MTF. However, there can be a catch...if you're in a more rural area, rural healthcare is not good.

I'll day dream when flying about having some land and a nice house in a county adjacent to a city center. But a concern that I can't shake is having to rely on either a local medical facility for emergent treatment, or having to have a long ride to a more capable facility. While emergent medical care isn't necessarily a concern today for me, it could be as one gets older.

Don't forget that at some point, Medicare kicks in to supplement Tricare (or Tricare may be considered the supplement). My parents (retired AF) live about 45 minutes from a large base with significant medical facilities. They see private docs and pay relatively little. It's not worth it to them to drive and deal with an MTF because the savings aren't huge.

Access to an MTF has zero bearings on our plans for where we end up. I'd much rather throw a little money at the problem and get decent, timely, reliable care.