People retire in Florida in mass without knowing these things!
Touted as the most popular retirement destination, there’s no wonder people retire in Florida in mass! However, is it all sunshine and rainbows, as many try to make it seem?
The thing that makes Florida such a hot spot for baby boomers who are chasing retirement seems to be the warmer climate; after all, a lot of retirees who have relocated here love the fact that they no longer have to deal with the cold weather.
And if you are looking for a warm climate, why not make your Southeast dream come true with Florida? After all, so many people are moving over, so there must be something that entices them to this state.
The reality is that the Sunshine State is more complicated than good weather, beaches, and easy access to Disney World. The retirement communities are enticing, but before you make the big jump, there are a couple of things you should know.
While we advocated trying out before making the jump, we still brought you some of the things that most people do not consider. Keep on reading to discover the complexities of the Sunshine State and make an informed decision!
Would you like to move to Florida? Why or why not? Share your reasoning in the comments!
It is good for taxes
Many retirees end up moving to the Sunshine State because they want to save money when it comes to taxes.
After all, this state is one of the most tax-friendly ones, and when you factor in the fact that they do not have any income tax, you end up with a great combo for retirees.
What attracts retirees in particular is the fact that they have no taxes on pensions, Social Security benefits, 401(k), IRAs, and other types of retirement income.
If you inherit or plan to leave any inheritance, Floria is an inheritance tax, and if you plan on establishing an estate, then you’re in luck too; there is no estate tax either!
However, if you want to have a dual-state home and still get rid of taxes, it is not easily done.
If you want to escape the cold months for a milder climate in winter but also want to keep the cooler weather for the summer in a colder state, know that you cannot get out of taxes just by having your residency in Florida; to qualify for the little to no taxes, you need to spend more than half a year in the Sunshine State, which means about 183 days.
Tax auditors will also not just rake in your work for it.
You will have to prove that that is the case, and the easiest way to achieve this is by keeping a log or diary of your holidays and movements so that you can prove that you have been in the state as much as is required.
Other things that will help you prove that you are not just taking advantage of the tax but rather that you are serious about being a Floridian resident include:
- applying for and using a library card
- register to vote in Florida and perform any civic duties (including being summoned to the jury);
- open a bank account and always keep your ATM receipts;
- shop locally when you are in the Sunshine State;
- change your license plate and driver’s license for Florida;
- file your domicile with the local county court.
No one says you cannot live in two spots, but you should make sure that if you want to take advantage of the lower taxes, you do this correctly.
Consider the weather
The Sunshine State is known for great weather; after all, where else could it get this nickname? Yet you should not let this fool you and expect to only see sunshine and rainbows all year long.
The state is known to have intense and frequent thunderstorms. And what many people who want to move to Florida forget is that the Atlantic hurricane season lasts for up to six months.
You can expect hurricanes and everything in between from June 1 to November 30, with the peak of the hurricane season being between mid-August and late October!
And this is not just hearsay, as the Floridian coastline has been hit by one hurricane at least since 1850!
The most recent hurricane to hit Florida has been Hurricane Idalia, which was a category 3 hurricane. It brought with it winds of 125 mph and a storm surge of seven to 12 feet before it passed Florida and went to the Carolinas and Georgia.
This hurricane caused a lot of damage, including to people’s houses and snapped trees, and about 300,000 residents were left with no power while the hurricane was passing by.
While a lot of residents move here for the financial benefits and for the weather, it is good to keep in mind that the weather can also be harsh and that you will end up paying a lot more in insurance than you would in other states.
The population is on the rise
If you are preparing for retirement in Florida, know that you are bound to have lots of company. After all, you are not the only retiree who has chosen to move here, in addition to many other residents.
The Sunshine State is the third-most populated state in the nation, and it is only reported to keep on growing.
In 2023, Florida was the second-fastest-growing state, reaching a population of 22,610,726 with a growth rate of 1.6%. Just before that, in 2021 and 2022, Florida ended up increasing its population by 1.9%, which was the highest increase since 1957.
A lot of metro areas in Florida are also growing fast, with the top ten list having four metro areas from this state.
If you are looking for peace and quiet or to escape the hustle and bustle of certain areas, know that depending on where you choose to retire, you may end up not getting rid of that at all!
Not to mention, you have to expect a large population of seniors, with studies showing that by 2023, the state will have around several million seniors and retirees alone!
The good news is that there are a lot of facilities and accommodations made with older people in mind. So much so that transplants are surprised by this!
There is such a thing as too much sun
While many retirees dream about all the sun they can get and how they can escape the cold weather, they know that there is such a thing as too much sun.
And while back in the ’70s SPF was not something many of us paid much attention to, nowadays we need to be way more careful, and little did we know back then how dangerous sun exposure could be.
The sun is more powerful now than it once was, and spending a lot of time in the sun can lead to a number of issues, including changes in skin texture, wrinkles, and other skin issues.
We all know that getting a tan is all about skin exposure, but you need to make sure that you wear SPF. Especially since those of us who move to the Sunshine State for retirement are no longer in our prime when it comes to skin,
As an older adult, too much sunburn and even just too much-unprotected sun exposure can lead to a myriad of issues.
Your skin can become leathery and tough; you can get more wrinkles, which in turn will make you look older than you are; and you can also end up developing sun spots. These sun spots can be red, yellow, brown, or even gray and cover your skin.
The worst thing is that you can end up developing skin cancer. The more sun and sunburns you have, the more chances you have for skin cancer and developing melanoma.
While this can sound like hearsay, studies have both uncovered that the Sunshine State has the second highest rate of melanoma cases and that one in ten Florida residents has developed skin cancer.
So know that if you plan to move here, you need to pick up the habit of using SPF religiously. You need to give up sunbathing between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and make sure you keep in the shade as much as possible.
If you are looking for good and affordable sunscreen, we recommend using this one from Amazon!
While you may have considered all of these things and are still ready to retire to Florida, make sure you know where you are going. There are places that you should definitely avoid, and you can read more about them here!
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