People who think cruising will be lollipops and unicorns...

[Delancey]

Recently got a personal property tax assessment on my boat. Half the amount will go to local schools. Wife and I never had kids. Local schools are crap. Wealth extraction from the wealthy?

We're not wealthy, we live on a boat for cripes sake. Marina already pays property tax and we pay the marina...

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Recently got a personal property tax assessment on my boat. Half the amount will go to local schools. Wife and I never had kids. Local schools are crap. Wealth extraction from the wealthy?

We're not wealthy, we live on a boat for cripes sake. Marina already pays property tax and we pay the marina...

I think the theory is that all of society benefits from educating children. The reality may be that just getting them off the streets during the day is worth the cost for some.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Recently got a personal property tax assessment on my boat. Half the amount will go to local schools. Wife and I never had kids.
..

I bet lots of childless people helped pay for your education.

And those that you pay to educate will pay to educate the next generation as well, whether they have kids or not.
That's the way it works. You are just paying it back.

[Zven]

Originally Posted by rockborn

im w softdown. kids left, 30k taxes. schools mediocre, cops,town , county, state bloated pensions, good luck not on my dime. no real estate taxes for me. the number two reason to weigh anchor.

Unless you are American, cruising can also make a big difference for income taxes.
For many European citizens, their taxation depends on how much they stay in their own country - and where else they go.
It gets complicated real quick, but if you have taxable income and could use a bit more money, this is worth looking into.
Again, this does not apply to US citizens.

[Larry Florida]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Taxes did to some extent drive me to cruising.
We saved $500 a month to pay property taxes each year, and the land was if anything depreciating in value, as was the house on it. Yes it was to us our dream home, 3500 sq ft on 100 acres, but to have to pay $6,000 a year in taxes for the privilege to live in your paid for home is I think wrong.

Cheer up!! Someone has to pay for the government workers (unionized) to have a sweet retirement while real workers struggle. 😊

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Zven

Unless you are American, cruising can also make a big difference for income taxes.
For many European citizens, their taxation depends on how much they stay in their own country - and where else they go.
It gets complicated real quick, but if you have taxable income and could use a bit more money, this is worth looking into.
Again, this does not apply to US citizens.

Well, if you are going to have a four trillion dollar budget, and keep growing it every year, you can't be cutting any taxpayers any breaks.

[estarzinger]

On the OP . . . . It is a fact that the actual reality of cruising comes as a surprise to most people who take it up. The magazines and books generally do a poor job preparing people for what it is really like.

We were a bit surprised even the second time we went out (after a rtw and then a break ashore), we had forgotten the vividness of both the good times and the bad.

I will comment on one of the OPs sub points, that we were generally treated better in the "3rd world", than in the 1st and 2nd. They are used to helping each other in the 3rd because they know how tough life can be.

[a64pilot]

I want you guys to understand, this wasn't a rant, just with all the taxes being the way they are, if we didn't sell the house and land and go cruising, we would have to continue working for years, largely to pay the taxes.
FL doesn't tax boats, and I hope that taxes will ease way off on me now.

I have never shirked taxes, I did not play the games many do, I feel that is dishonest, legal yes, but dishonest. So as someone that lived frugally and didn't have a home loan etc., I believed I was being taxed unfairly as in I was paying more than I should have.
I believe the system if it is to be prejudiced, should reward people for living frugally and being debt free, but it is just the opposite.

So we sold it all, Retired early and have set out cruising.

By the way, don't think that we didn't pay taxes when we sold the house either, or when we bought the boat.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I want you guys to understand, this wasn't a rant, just with all the taxes being the way they are, if we didn't sell the house and land and go cruising, we would have to continue working for years, largely to pay the taxes.
FL doesn't tax boats, and I hope that taxes will ease way off on me now.

I have never shirked taxes, I did not play the games many do, I feel that is dishonest, legal yes, but dishonest. So as someone that lived frugally and didn't have a home loan etc., I believed I was being taxed unfairly as in I was paying more than I should have.
I believe the system if it is to be prejudiced, should reward people for living frugally and being debt free, but it is just the opposite.

So we sold it all, Retired early and have set out cruising.

By the way, don't think that we didn't pay taxes when we sold the house either, or when we bought the boat.

Of course the reality is that you're still paying taxes. Sales tax, fuel tax, registration fees, etc... And as was pointed out earlier, when not paying them directly their cost is often still passed on to you indirectly. There's no free lunch here, taxes are necessary for a modern society to function. Personally I'd like to see corporations pay more, the middle class pay less, less money spent on the military & more spent on dredging the ICW. And I'd like to see pigs fly but until pigs start hiring lobbyists I'll probably never see that.

[softdown]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

On the OP . . . . It is a fact that the actual reality of cruising comes as a surprise to most people who take it up. The magazines and books generally do a poor job preparing people for what it is really like.

We were a bit surprised even the second time we went out (after a rtw and then a break ashore), we had forgotten the vividness of both the good times and the bad.

I will comment on one of the OPs sub points, that we were generally treated better in the "3rd world", than in the 1st and 2nd. They are used to helping each other in the 3rd because they know how tough life can be.

Good point about being treated better in LDC's (less developed countries). That is important of course. Just wanted to point out that some miss the high tech services of more developed countries.....better internet, cell service, television choices, shopping.

I built a large, good looking building in some ways. People think I must be living in luxury. Inside of it, I am pretty much camping with protection from the elements. That is why I am infuriated by my property taxes. I opened it up for the inspectors to see. They never stepped inside to see that I am camping. They simply measured the exterior and taxed me on that. By their criteria, barns should be taxed at tens of thousands of dollars.

I think we have lost many of our wholesome values as a culture. It is all about the plutocrats, we even elected one....which may turn out fine. We shall see.

[a64pilot]

I know I am paying taxes, you know the saying, Death and Taxes, just think maybe now my tax level is more appropriate to my use of infrastructure.

On the way we are treated, I am in S Fl now, and can tell you, as a whole sailboaters are thought pretty poorly of, and that coming from a dock manager that they admit all they can afford is a small center console.
According to her, we are the worst, and Trawler people are only slightly better. I find that attitude pretty prevalent, even when you are somewhere to spend $25K.
Pull up to the fuel dock, buy $100 of fuel and they roll their eyes when you ask where the dumpster is, next time I guess I'll just stuff the trash in the dock side cans?

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

I think the bigger question is why do people experimenting with their OWN lives, affect yours? Why do you care so much what other people are doing?

Because we're primates, and like the rest of the group, we're EXTREMELY interested in our fellow beings. The curiosity is endemic. We're hard wired for it.

The one to whom you are responding probably wonders if it were a failure of intelligence, self-delusion, or of planning.

Ann

[mjgill1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Taxes did to some extent drive me to cruising.
We saved $500 a month to pay property taxes each year, and the land was if anything depreciating in value, as was the house on it. Yes it was to us our dream home, 3500 sq ft on 100 acres, but to have to pay $6,000 a year in taxes for the privilege to live in your paid for home is I think wrong.

I couldn't agree more. Modern serfdom is an appropriate description of property taxes IMO. Try not paying those taxes and defending your paid for property from the govt. (Mafia) and see what happens. They'll swat team you, kill you, call you a terrorist and take it from you. You are a slave. Like it or lump it.

[softdown]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I know I am paying taxes, you know the saying, Death and Taxes, just think maybe now my tax level is more appropriate to my use of infrastructure.

On the way we are treated, I am in S Fl now, and can tell you, as a whole sailboaters are thought pretty poorly of, and that coming from a dock manager that they admit all they can afford is a small center console.
According to her, we are the worst, and Trawler people are only slightly better. I find that attitude pretty prevalent, even when you are somewhere to spend $25K.
Pull up to the fuel dock, buy $100 of fuel and they roll their eyes when you ask where the dumpster is, next time I guess I'll just stuff the trash in the dock side cans?

I am still looking for a group that is highly thought of. Preferably with the statistics to back it up.

[a64pilot]

I can tell you the yard I'm in loves the big sportfishermen. One on the hard right now is paying about $30K to have the stern painted to look like teak and have a Marlin painted on it.
Local teak guy came over and gave me an estimate on my teak, $9,000 and he didn't understand why I didn't jump on it.
South Fl is another world is all I can say.