Taxes in MI? How about in TX?

I'm considering a position in Lansing, MI but would like to know about how much of my hard earned dollars the state will be taking. It looks like the cost of living is less (how's the quality of living though?) which could help... I already tried searching online and only got some vague information (about 4.5% taken by the state I believe)... Is this about right?

Also, what's the home brewing situation like out there? IF it sucks, via stupid state limitations, then that's a ding against taking the position...

I'm also interviewing for a position that's going to at least start local to me, but since the company is closing this location in the next few months, it could shift to Texas... As much as I'd rather stay where it's cool most of the year, I need to be realistic for jobs. It's with a major name company (household word) so I know it's not going anywhere. I did see that Texas is good for the home brewing laws, but how are the taxes and such? That's another area where the cost of living would be less than where I am now, so if the pay stays the same, I should be better off...

Hate being out of work this long. Makes me really have to consider moving to different parts of the country, which I wouldn't have done even a few months back...

Texas ROCKS.. state tax is roughly 8.25% (maybe slightly more or less in certain areas of the state)

Im not sure about the homebrewing laws really. If you living in a big city like Houston or Dallas, then your cost of living will be less but your Real Estate/School taxes are going to be higher. I live in a small suburb south of Houston.

Well, I believe the company location would be in Houston, but that doesn't mean I need to live IN the city.. Actually, I prefer to live in the suburbs/more rural areas...

Also looks like something good could happen with a job in NH... Another state I've been looking to move to... At least I won't need to worry about long, hot, summers in NH...

Cost of living in Michigan is very low, but Lansing is probably more expensive than other places in Michigan (college town, lower unemployment, more expensive housing) and you're correct- income tax is about 4%. Sales tax is 6%, but not on food. Homebrew supplies like grains are food. Since the recession, housing prices have fallen dramatically although they were comparatively low to begin with.

Homebrew laws are great. No real restrictions at all, and a good LHBS near Lansing.

In Texas (where we spend colder months), there is a higher sales tax, but no income tax. Housing is quite a bit more, but gasoline is a big cheaper.

I'd say that since those are my two chosen states anyway, that those are good choices!

Thanks Yooper...

The job in MI is a 6 month contract... Found out that it's only a 35 hour work week... So two dings against it there.

The one in Texas would be perm (before I accepted moving)... While local it would be contract.

More stoked about working in Portsmouth, NH though.... :rockin: I think Texas could be a good second choice for me... I hear their gun laws are more in line with what I like...

Texas "gun control" = 'hit your damned target'

I live in Michigan, and for the most part its not too shabby. City taxes are 1% if you live in the city, and .05% if you work in the city but live elsewhere. I personally think its crap, but that's me. I think you're right on the State taxes for MI, but I filed those a bit ago, and haven't looked back They do have the 'Use Tax' for buying things online, which is disappointing, but it seems thats the way most States are going. Mostly what I disagree with is the notion that if you earn more, you spend more online (which while the trends may be true, its a correlation/causation issue for me).

There's a couple of home brew shops within a 20-30 minute drive of Lansing. Red Salamander in Grand Ledge is the smaller of the two, but almost always has what I need. Things Beer, part of Michigan Brewing Company in Williamston is pretty good, and that's where I get my bulk grain from ($30 2-row bags!). I wish one or the other were closer, but for now its fine.

And without knowing the costs of living in the other places you're looking, I have to say that I just put in an offer on a house for $10k. I suspect it needs less than $5k worth of work to be in pretty good shape, and its not in a bad location - just needs a little bit of love. So.... housing is cheap. There's also a few nicer communities around and in Lansing, but you pay the price to be there. Property taxes are, in my opinion, high - especially in Lansing. There are definitely some areas in Lansing I wouldn't live, and avoid driving through, but some of those fears are irrational. We did look at one place where we never got out of the car, and about two months later drove through showing some friends and were greeted by at least 5 cops hiding in the bushes working on some sort of bust. We didn't get pulled over or anything but the fact that they were present was enough to reassure us that we made a good decision not living there.

But as far as I know Michigan is pretty decent for homebrewers. I believe its the typical 100 gal per adult in the residence, up to 200 gal limit. No sales or anything like that but otherwise I haven't had any problems with homebrewing and havent heard of anyone having difficulties.

Just keep in mind the property tax in Texas, that and the sales tax is where the state gets it money. Property taxes will vary by county and should not be too bad in Houston relative to say Austin. You get really nice winters but yes the summer sucks. Brewing beer here does not seem to be an issue that I am aware of but have not checked the specific laws.

4%?! No income tax!?

good ol' WI, for most people ($26k to $200k married joint return, or 20-151k for individual), tax is $1444 (yes, a base tax) + 6.5% for everything over $26k

sales tax is 5% (and most counties add 0.5% on top of that)

motobrewer, WI isn't in the scope right now...

So far, states in contention are (in order of preference due to jobs): NH, TX, MA, MI...

Getting a phone interview lined up for the job in NH, that my resume was sent over for just yesterday (afternoon)... Keeping my fingers crossed for that one... Would LOVE to move to NH soon... Nice gun laws, home brewing laws, good weather, close enough to family, but still far enough away... Oh, and there's a guy that's started a mead making company that I'll be reaching out to in the next couple of weeks... So, I might have a part time job too... Going to see if he has any interest in also offering beer. :rockin: If not, then I'll still see about working there. Even if it's for free initially, or maybe in exchange for some ingredients for myself to use, or just to use some of the hardware there...

I live in a suburb of Dallas and LOVE it! My income taxes are 0%, sales tax is 8.25%, and my property taxes are about 3%

Golddiggie said:

More stoked about working in Portsmouth, NH though.... :rockin:

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Love to live in a state (NH) where your state motto is "Live Free or Die".

Golddiggie said:

I think Texas could be a good second choice for me... I hear their gun laws are more in line with what I like...

Texas "gun control" = 'hit your damned target'

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Michigan has an "open carry" law. It doesn't get any better than that. Or you can easily take the proper steps for a CCW permit.

Golddiggie said:

More stoked about working in Portsmouth, NH though.... :rockin: I think Texas could be a good second choice for me... I hear their gun laws are more in line with what I like...

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NH is said to have some of the most relaxed gun laws in the nation. Also no income or sales tax. Portsmouth is a nice town.

You couldn't pay me enough to move into the humid stenchland that is Houston.

Portsmouth is a superb little city. Great food and beer too!

So many reasons why going into NH is the better choice, IMO... Texas may be good/great for some people, but I'm a New England native, and enjoy the winters up here. I was a miserable F'er while living in FL and GA...

I've been to Portsmouth, NH about two years ago, in July, for a vendor sponsored event... Loved it up there. We had one warmer day out of the three, but it was still great.

I'm already looking at which towns will be good options to live in, and still have a decent commute to Portsmouth... I'd still end up being about the same distance from my sister/mother's place, but that's not a bad thing...

I know that property taxes are higher in NH, to offset what they don't get from sale and income taxes. From what I've been able to find out, it's still a cheaper place to live. :rockin:

Another bonus to moving up there... I'll no longer be a Masshole... :rockin:

MI is great, although I much prefer NOT living in any large city. And we have fairly relaxed gun laws, but they could be improved, so come on over and bring your votes!

Sometimes during the year we get together and have some HBT Homebrew buddies get together and brew beer and party. It's a blast!

And we have the U.P., so there ya go!

If you are looking for cool weather, Texas ain't it. Houston in particular is very humid.

That's what I was thinking... Never know, someone might have come back with "but it's a DRY heat"...

I had the phone screen/interview this morning for the job in Portsmouth, NH... Got my fingers crossed that I get called in for the in-person interview and get offered the job... I could get more money by going into Boston, but I'd rather go into NH... :rockin:

We're about to get something that would terrify most Texans... 6-10" of snow between tonight and end of day tomorrow... :rocking: Good weather to tend to my brews/fermentations... Just wish I had more of them to attend to right now. Did most of it last week/weekend... Well, I could check on the 1 gallon Mocha Madness batch... It's had a vanilla bean in it for about 1-1/2 months now.

MI is quite nice. I keep watching my company's job board to see when an admin spot comes open in one of our offices there. It is the first state that has had me seriously thinking about leaving Chicagoland. I was working there last summer.

Good luck to you where ever you do end up being.

Golddiggie said:

Thanks Yooper...

More stoked about working in Portsmouth, NH though.... :rockin: I think Texas could be a good second choice for me... I hear their gun laws are more in line with what I like...

Texas "gun control" = 'hit your damned target'

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I've lived lots of places (including Texas), and New Hampshire is hard to beat (although Feb/Mar can suck, but no worse than July/Aug down there), and Portsmouth is about the best of the best here. I lived there for a little over a year, and then had to head down just above the Mass line, but still in Rockingham County.

We have no sales tax, no income tax, and a hefty-yet-reasonable (IMO) property tax. Hell, we don't even have to wear seatbelts! As for guns? If the wind blows right I can hear the local range at my house. I don't own but plenty of friends do and I can't imagine that we're much different from Texas.

Not a plethora of LHBSes here - mine is Jasper's over in Nashua and that'd be over an hour from Portsmouth, but there's got to be something up there. I'm probably 80% online, 20% local. But, I seem to have started a brewing trend in my neighborhood and we're having a blast brewing, experimenting, trading, and drinking. You'll find similarly good people up in NH.

Good luck in your job hunting and your brewing.

Golddiggie said:

That's what I was thinking... Never know, someone might have come back with "but it's a DRY heat"...

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No, Texas -- at least East Texas through Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth -- is humid and it is worse the closer to the gulf you get.

Dry heat IS different. Your body normally uses sweat to cool itself. Humidity prevents that process from working properly so you end up wet and hot. Humidity also makes it very sticky feeling and keeps more crap in the air to bother allergies.