worst state to retire in

This is probably not a surprise for anyone who lives (and pays taxes) in New York City. The Big Apple is home to nearly half of the state's residents, and the city's high taxes and cost of living has pushed the entire state into the very bottom of Bankrate's ranking of worst states for retirees.


Besides the hefty tax bill, residents also deal with the fourth-highest cost of living in the country. The government also gives New York relatively low scores for health care quality, and New York received low scores in the Gallup-Healthways' wellness survey.

What a surprise

No surprise really and it is a reason, despite pleas from New York State, I plan to get out when I retire or am out of my current job.  Hanging around NY after retirement is for suckers.  Besides, I have squirreled away a hefty 401K and I'll be damned if I am turning any of it over to New York State.  The only danger is dying before I get out of New York which means they get their hands on it.



As for the health care comment, I would like to know does the Fed look at the state as a whole (which I assume is true)?  If you break out downstate, we are close to tops in medical care.  Several hospitals in the NYC metro area are at the top of many lists in specialties.  There are more doctors, especially specialists in just about any field, around here than in most areas of the country excepting the major U.S. cities.  The building that my own physician is located in, in Lake Success, is packed with all kinds of doctors and there are tons of specialties all up and down Marcus Avenue in that area alone (being near NS-LIJ is one reason).

+1 (to Aardvark) on the healthcare thing.  I mean, NY sucks satan's dick, but the best hospitals for pretty much anything are right here in NYC.

Sloan Kettering is the ONLY place I would go if I had cancer.

A family member was contemplating relocating to Florida.

He asked about taxes.  The realtor told him what the taxes on the home would be.

He was shocked and speechless.  Wow!   That's expensive- more than twice NY!

The realtor noted his expression and guessed what he was thinking and said:

"that's annual taxes, not monthly."

They moved.

NJ transplant I was talking to at a bank in GA last week said the same thing. Him and his wife thought the $1200 in taxes they were told were monthly not yearly.

In Rochester we have the Strong System that is taking over most of the healthcare up here when you consider the URMC (University of Rochester Medical Center) is part of that, you have a pretty good setup. And there's still one or two smaller hospitals that have shorter wait times for emergency. We are also getting quite a few of those urgent care/after hours places that are giving people with minor issues someplace other than the emergency room to go.

They are opening up all over here on the island. I have 2 less than a mile from my house.

 

Unless you move to a state with no income tax.

I'll pay them gladly in GA.