Yeah, it is expensive as hell here - oh well, great area. Our state and local sales tax here is 9.5 percent. I am surprised your dad didn't employ one of the many tax dodges commonly used to avoid estate taxes, like putting assets in his children's names, or establishing a trust, or creating a charitable foundation. The base is fairly high here in the US, for taxing estates, over a million something, so it is just the rich who jump through hoops, to avoid it.
---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <fairfieldlife@yahoogroups.com> wrote: On Tuesday, October 15, 2013 9:47:25 AM, "doctordumbass@..." <doctordumbass@...> wrote: Consider yourself lucky, Ann. My property taxes are about $9000 per year, for an 1800 sq. ft., 65 year old house. Whoa! That is an inordinate amount. That is waterfront-type property taxes up here. We also have GST tax on all services plus that is added to our 7% Provincial tax on virtually all retail goods. So we pay 12% sales tax on most items we buy. I can't remember how our income taxes compare but Canada does not have any inheritance taxes. My father looked into becoming a Canadian citizen before he died just to save the 55% inheritance taxes on his estate. I wish he had! ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <fairfieldlife@yahoogroups.com> wrote: ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <fairfieldlife@yahoogroups.com> wrote: An old couple I know down in San Antonio live in the family home that they inherited from his auntie. The guy says he pays about $100 per month in property taxes. Sounds like pretty cheap rent for a 1200 sq ft place on the south side of town. A lot of his property taxes go to local public schools. And, he doesn't even have any children! Go figure. Yes, he is subsidizing your children just as I subsidize all those children I don't have up here in Canada with my property taxes. So, it appears we both live in Socialistic countries after all. Unfortunately, my taxes are over $5000 per year for a 2900 sq foot house and a horse barn and hay barn. "According to what I've read, a family shouldn't spend more than 31 percent of its pre-tax income on housing." Using those calculations, these 10 metros are the least affordable: 'Places Where The Middle Class Can’t Afford To Live Anymore' http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing// http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2013/10/where-even-middle-class-cant-afford-live-any-more/7194/
