Moving Tips
Paying taxes isn’t any fun. Unfortunately, there really is no way around paying some taxes. Of course, tax rates aren’t all created equal among the states that make up America. Some states have income taxes, while others do not. Also, property taxes and sales taxes can vary widely. This difference could increase your income by 10 to 30%, simply by reducing your tax burden. Therefore, if you would like to reduce the amount of taxes you owe, you might want to consider moving to one of the following states:
Alaska
The picturesque and remote state of Alaska has a minuscule 4.55% property tax rate, no sales tax and no income tax. While the tax benefits might interest you, the natural, raw beauty of the state will make becoming a resident a pleasure. Of course, isolation is a factor you must consider before giving Alaska serious consideration.
Florida
Beautiful sunny Florida has more going for it than palm trees and sandy white beaches. The Sunshine State, which is the home to Disney World and the Kennedy Space Center, also has a 3.45% property tax, small 6.00% sales tax and no income tax. Gas is even priced affordably at $.36 a gallon.
Montana
Big Sky Country boasts no sales tax, low income tax ranging from 1.00% to 6.90% and property taxes of 3.74%. You can get a gallon of gas for $.28 a gallon. Not only will you save money by moving to this beautiful state, but you can also take advantage of many outdoor adventures and opportunities for exploration and rejuvenate your pocketbook and your soul simultaneously.
Wyoming
This state represents another of the nation’s most naturally beautiful. Within its borders, you can explore the Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, not to overlook Jackson Hole. You will also enjoy no income tax, 4.54% property tax rates, and low 4.00% sales tax when you become a resident of Wyoming.
New Mexico
Known as the “Land of Enchantment” this state is replete with a vibrant cultural blend of the Old West, American Indian, Spanish and Mexican heritages. It also isn’t bad when it comes to taxes. As a resident of New Mexico, you will enjoy the low sale’s tax rate of 5.13%, an income tax rate ranging from 1.70% to 4.90% and 1.93% property tax rate.
South Carolina
This state has plenty of old-world charm and sprawling estates with historic cities like Charleston but also boasts a blossoming tech community/industry in Greenville. Add to that the fact that residents will enjoy paying income taxes of between 3% and 7%, property taxes of 3.09% and a low 6% sales tax, and you will understand the vast appeal South Carolina offers new residents.
Utah
The Cowboy State of Utah provides equally appealing activities in both the summer and winter months. It’s winter appeal includes world class skiing along with scenic drives, and in the summer, residents can enjoy breathtaking views of Monument Valley and Zion National Park. Of course, the perks for residents don’t end with the natural beauty of the state as Utah is also pretty tax-friendly with low sales tax of 5.95%, income tax of 5% and property tax rates of only 2.72%.
The above states are seven of the most tax friendly in the United States. Making a move to one of them can help you keep more of your hard earned money in your own pocket by reducing your tax burden.
Moving Tips
Every time of year has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to organizing a move. The following will breakdown each season of the year and why you might want to choose it or avoid it when planning your next move:
The Fall:
- Why It’s a Good Time: The weather is incredible this time of year in most parts of the country. Therefore, this is a big advantage to consider. A fall move also means you will be able to get settled into your next place before the holiday season hits full force.
- Why It Might be a Bad Time: If you have school-aged children, a fall move can be challenging as the school year is just getting started. This is especially true if you move involves changing schools.
The Winter:
- Why It’s a Good Time: Moving during the winter season can be substantially cheaper than peak moving seasons (warmer seasons). Due to less demand on their schedules, you will likely find a lot of flexibility as far as your preferred moving dates.
- Why It Might be a Bad Time: Snow, rain, ice, sleet, etc. all make up some convincing reasons a winter move might not be ideal. Not only do you have to handle boxing up belongings, but winter moves, taking place from December through February, means you have to salt, or clear walkways and driveways, waterproof boxes and go to extra effort just to counteract the frigid temperatures.
The Spring:
- Why It’s a Good Time: Many areas of the country enjoy mild temperatures during the spring time, making the process of moving easier. Also, though the demand does pick up the end of May, the months of March, April and the first part of May are usually pretty slow, meaning you will enjoy some flexibility as far as your preferred moving dates.
- Why It Might be a Bad Time: End of the year school activities and testing can make moving difficult in the spring when families have school-aged kids. In addition, it you wait until the last part of May, you may run into some difficulty getting your choice of moving dates due to demand.
The Summer:
- Why It’s a Good Time: Summer is peak home-selling season. This makes it the best time to sell your home and make a move. It also is ideal for families with school-aged kids as they are out of school during the summer. The longer days of summer also provide additional daylight hours in which to pack, sort and clean.
- Why it Might be a Bad Time: Because summer is such a popular time to move, the rates go up, making it more expensive to pay for movers. Keep in mind, some 70% of all moves occur between Memorial and Labor day, so this is a popular time to move, meaning you will likely struggle to get your preferred moving date. Also, the heat and humidity can make moving difficult and even dangerous in the heat of the summer.
The above information explains some reasons to choose and some to avoid each season as it relates to planning a move. Suffice it to say, you do what’s best for your family, but know there are advantages and disadvantages to any season you select.
Moving Tips
Packing for and completing a move is not an easy task, no matter the time of year in which you are attempting one. This task becomes that much harder when attempting your move during winter. The following are nine tips to keep in mind when moving in winter to make it as safe and event free as possible:
1.) Be Flexible and Prepared: In the winter, the weather is anything but predictable. It can be sunny and clear one day, and dumping snow or rain the next. In addition, you can add wind, hail and other extreme weather into the mix. Therefore, you need to be prepared for this and remain flexible. Your planned moving day might turn out to be a bad weather day. Therefore, be aware you may need to reschedule your move.
2.) Don’t Wait to Start Packing: This tip holds true no matter when you plan on moving, season wise. Pack in advance, not waiting for moving day to arrive. This will make the moving process easier and quicker all the way around.
3.) Prep Your Home: If snow is regularly on the ground where you live, you will want to shovel the walkway and driveway, ensuring the path from your home is clear of ice and snow. This will cut down on the slip and fall risk you and/or your movers face while moving your belongings.
4.) Protect Your Belongings: If you decide to store some items in storage containers while preparing for a move, you need to keep the cold temperatures in mind. Breakable items, like glass and dishware are especially susceptible to temperature changes, which can lead to breaks and cracks. Double wrap these items in thick blankets to cut down on the extreme temperature transition when moving from a heated space to cold and back into heated spaces.
5.) Allow For Extra Travel Time: When moving in inclement weather, such as snow, you need to be aware that your travel time will likely be longer. Allow for this extra travel time.
6.) Prepare Your New Home: In the same way you cleared the walkways and driveway of your existing home when moving, you need to ensure the home you are moving into has the same treatment. Make sure movers are safe transporting your items from the truck to your new home.
7.) Take The Short Days Into Consideration: In addition to the cold temperatures , icy and snowy walkways and roadways, you also have to deal with shorter days when moving in winter. Make sure you account for this when planning out your move so you have time to properly unpack your belongings during daylight hours.
8.) Take Care of Your Movers: Prepare hot apple cider, cocoa or even coffee for your movers. Encourage them to come in out of the cold and get warm on occasion, especially when temperatures are below freezing.
9.) Hire Professional Movers: Speaking of movers, especially when moving in the winter, you should seriously consider hiring professionals to complete your move. They have experience dealing with the weather and moving your belongings safely, despite the conditions. Therefore, when such conditions are present, you need to consider bringing in professional movers.
Keep the above essential tips in mind when moving in winter.
Moving Tips
When it comes to storing your stuff, you have a few options. Get rid of it, store it in off-site storage or use portable or on-demand storage, also known as a moving pod. It is this last option we will discuss at length below:
What is a Moving Pod? How Does it Work?
A moving pad is basically a large storage container that is brought to your home and left for you to fill. You can store virtually anything and everything safely inside and keep pods set up at your home for as long as necessary. This means you can access any items stored inside at your convenience. Once items are inside you can either leave them on site or have the pod moved to a storage facility or other location. Virtually all major moving companies provide pods and there are also companies that specialize in moving pods. More on this later…
Benefits of Using a Moving Pod
- You don’t have to haul items to a storage facility.
- If you leave the moving pod on site, you can access the items stored within without having to leave your home.
- It provides easy, optional storage for excess items.
- Pods are placed on ground level, which means they easy to load and unload.
- It can allow you to prepack items when preparing to move, making moving day easier.
How to Find The Right Moving Pod Company: What to Look For And Ask
When contemplating what company to use when renting a moving pod, consider the following…
- How old are the pods, what is the condition of the pods? Will they keep your possessions safe?
- How much does the pod weigh? You want to know this because some moving companies/pod companies charge the fee based on the weight of the pod. Consequently, it’s good to know how much the pod weighs before you load it.
- How much does it cost? What is included in your monthly rental cost?
- When can you have your pod delivered?
- How long can you rent a pod, is there a long-term rental discount?
- Does the moving company provide any moving supplies or a lock along with your pod rental?
Moving Pod Companies to Consider
Here are a few companies you can consider when renting a moving pod:
- U-Pack: You pay for a trailer space or a container to use and can have it moved it anywhere within the U.S. in three to five business days. They provide instant online quotes and no deposit is required. The negative is no lock for your containers and no local moves.
- PODS: PODS in this sense stands for Portable on Demand Storage. This is likely the most well-known company as it relates to portable storage. PODS are available for local and long-distance moves, there are many container sizes available and there are weatherproof containers. The negative aspect is the fact that you have to finalize your PODS quote via the phone.
- 1-800-PACK-RAT: This portable moving company provides free locks, orchestrates long-distance moves, has multiple container sizes, has weatherproof moving containers, and provides $10,000 in moving protection. This company does require a phone call to finalize quotes and has less availability when compared with PODS and U-Pack.
Moving pods can be a great solution to a storage problem and make your move much easier overall.
Sources:
https://www.move.org/best-moving-container-companies/
Moving Tips
When it comes time to move, you have a lot to consider. One such item is whether or not you should obtain moving insurance. Sometimes, moving insurance is money well spent, other times you can save money by passing. The following will explain more about moving insurance covering the types and worth. This information will hopefully give you a better idea whether or not moving insurance is worthwhile in your situation.
What is Moving Insurance?
Put simply, moving insurance is insurance coverage protecting your obsessions during a move.
Basic Limited Liability Protection: Moving Valuation
This type of moving insurance comes along with a signed contract and is federally regulated. In other words, if you sign a contract with a moving company to transport your possessions, you have this basic coverage. Unfortunately, the value of your belongings and the coverage amount often do not match. The rate of value provided by the moving company is called moving valuation. The valuation amount provided typically begins around $0.30 to $0.60 per lb for local moves or per item or article per long distance move. This type of coverage is not actually moving insurance as valuation only provides replacement or loss for goods damaged within a move, not punitive damages. For this reason and the fact that it often does not provide “enough” coverage for lost or damaged items, many people opt for additional moving coverage.
Additional Moving Insurance
Various moving companies label this type of insurance differently. Some call it Declared Value Protection others label it Full Value Protection (FVP). However it is labeled, it means you are paying an additional amount of money in order to protect your items during transport. Full value protection works like other forms of insurance. There is an amount of coverage provided and most coverage features a deductible. You can determine the amount of coverage you would like and where you what your deductible set. The valuation given to your items will again be based on the items’ weight. If you do not want this and would prefer to instead have your coverage determined on cost of replacement, you can choose Lump Sum Value coverage. With this, you simply insure your items up to a certain amount. Be sure any additional insurance coverage is added to your Bill of Lading agreement with your moving company before allowing them to move one item.
Third Party Insurance Options
If the moving company you choose doesn’t offer additional insurance options like Full Value Protection, you can buy your coverage from a third party. The rates will vary based on which company you use and the amount or value of coverage you need. Be aware, some third party companies will evaluate the moving company’s damage history before providing you will moving coverage. Obviously, if a moving company has had a negative history in terms of accidents and damage claims, you might have to pay a higher rate to be insured if you choose to use them.
As with any type of insurance, moving insurance is something you hope you never have to use. However, having the coverage present can be a life saver if something does occur to your items/possessions during transport or during the loading or unloading process. Ultimately, you have to decide if additional coverage is worth the money. In general, though, the more valuable your possessions, the more seriously you should consider obtaining additional insurance on your move.
Sources:
https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/moving-insurance-types-cost/
