Been thinking of tunneling under the wall to WV...

[casualmadness]

Howdy WV'ns. So like pretty much everyone in MD, I'm looking to tunnel rat my way out of the gulag and into the USA. Was pretty set on PA but the wife actually (surprisingly) said "why not WV?" Sounded good to me.
But a couple things confuse me so I'm hoping I can get it from the horse's mouth (i.e. someone who actually left MD for WV) and can give it to me straight. I've read through a lot of threads here but still haven't found what I'm looking for.

Lot's of transplants come on here and swear they pay much lower taxes in WV after escaping MD. But according to all the research I've done: site's like How Money Walks and Freedom in the 50 states, and several others; WV has a heavy tax burden and lot's of state debt and other fiscal issues. Seems the only improvement is the 2A culture.

I found a tax calculator online today where you plug in your age, income, current state and state you're considering moving to and it shows the difference in taxes. According to the site, if I moved to WV I would pay an additional $269 per year in taxes. Now I know the cost of living is cheaper and housing is cheaper...but according to a lot of research I'm finding, it seems I would be paying higher taxes. Is the research wrong? Maybe I'm not factoring in all of the little taxes marty O has graced us with in his reign?

Don't know...just looking for someone who might see the big picture a little more clearly than I'm seeing it.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

Howdy WV'ns. So like pretty much everyone in MD, I'm looking to tunnel rat my way out of the gulag and into the USA. Was pretty set on PA but the wife actually (surprisingly) said "why not WV?" Sounded good to me.
But a couple things confuse me so I'm hoping I can get it from the horse's mouth (i.e. someone who actually left MD for WV) and can give it to me straight. I've read through a lot of threads here but still haven't found what I'm looking for.

Lot's of transplants come on here and swear they pay much lower taxes in WV after escaping MD. But according to all the research I've done: site's like How Money Walks and Freedom in the 50 states, and several others; WV has a heavy tax burden and lot's of state debt and other fiscal issues. Seems the only improvement is the 2A culture.

I found a tax calculator online today where you plug in your age, income, current state and state you're considering moving to and it shows the difference in taxes. According to the site, if I moved to WV I would pay an additional $269 per year in taxes. Now I know the cost of living is cheaper and housing is cheaper...but according to a lot of research I'm finding, it seems I would be paying higher taxes. Is the research wrong? Maybe I'm not factoring in all of the little taxes marty O has graced us with in his reign?

Don't know...just looking for someone who might see the big picture a little more clearly than I'm seeing it.

If you are looking at property and income taxes, your tax rate is lower. I would personally save at least 1k a year in state income taxes, by moving to WV. Property taxes are much lower too. Fuel is cheaper in WV, due to the gas tax rate in WV. There are taxes in MD you aren't thinking about, like the rain tax, flush tax, etc... Bring those into play and you will see how much cheaper it is in WV.

 

[Norton]

Fuel is cheaper in WV, due to the gas tax rate in WV.

Not where my place is. It's 10-12 cents higher than Maryland and as much as 40 cents higher than just over the line in Virginia.

I make it a point to avoid filling up down there if at all possible.

 

[Chriss]

Not where my place is. It's 10-12 cents higher than Maryland and as much as 40 cents higher than just over the line in Virginia.

I make it a point to avoid filling up down there if at all possible.

This is what my co worker told me. He has a business in Hinton, WV (southern) and he says gas is 10-15 cents higher always in the boonies.

 

[Norton]

This is what my co worker told me. He has a business in Hinton, WV (southern) and he says gas is 10-15 cents higher always in the boonies.

That's within 20 miles or so of my stomping grounds.

 

[sxs]

Taxes and land are, from my observation, lower in West Virginia. However, other costs, especially in the boonies, are significantly higher....and the more remote the location, the higher those costs. That's largely due to a lack of competition as well as higher transportation costs to move goods (groceries, gasoline, hardware, home improvement supplies, etc). Furthermore, you may have to drive a distance to acquire good that are not locally available. If you live closer to someplace like Harper's Ferry, Frederick is not so long a run, but then housing cost are much higher than elsewhere in WV due to people living there that commute to DC and nearby suburbs (often via Marc Train) as well as those who wish to retire in a lower tax area but they still want relatively close access to shopping and hospitals. FYI, I've spent most of my time in WV in the eastern panhandle or East - Central WV (Pocahontas, Hardy and Pendleton counties).