🏞🏖 Anyone Living In Virginia and/or Florida?

[SummerIsTooHOT]

I would luv to hear your thoughts on these states and your experiences in them.

At the moment I am living in Virginia while I TRY to "transistion" back to Florida. Left in 2015 and my daughter wants me "closer" to her there.

Thanks,

Nicole  👵

[WarrenH343882]

We moved from Orange County, VA, to Charlotte County, FL, on the SW Coast. Do miss the seasons, don't miss shoveling snow. Miss the hills and mountains. Cost of living here used to be less but in the five years we've been here, it's gone up. No state income tax as you know. Still lots of open areas if you don't need to be on the Gulf or the Atlantic. Look into the interior of Florida if you can live without the seawater.

[SummerIsTooHOT]

🏖  (5/16/24) Hi @WarrenH343882 , nope - not into the beach anymore as I age.

As you have heard from living in Florida, Harris L3 had a surprise mass same day layoff on 4/11/24.

My daughter is still Job Hunting in Melbourne, Florida where she was born.

I went ahead and RENEWED my lease here in Cave Spring, Virginia. We will revisit my relocation AGAIN in 2025.

Thanks for responding.

Nicole  👵

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[*** WARREN @WarrenH343882 wrote:

We moved from Orange County, VA, to Charlotte County, FL, on the SW Coast. Do miss the seasons, don't miss shoveling snow. Miss the hills and mountains. Cost of living here used to be less but in the five years we've been here, it's gone up. No state income tax as you know. Still lots of open areas if you don't need to be on the Gulf or the Atlantic. Look into the interior of Florida if you can live without the seawater.  ***]

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[SummerIsTooHOT]

🏖  (5/12/24) Deadly thunderstorms and strong winds in Florida leave destruction in their wake (NBC News)

ANYONE LIVING IN FLORIDA OR VISITING OR KNOW SOMEONE THAT DOES?  🤔  MY DAUGHTER LIVES IN MELBOURNE, FLORIDA AND SO GRATEFUL SHE IS OKAY. I AM IN VIRGINIA! NICOLE  👵

FROM ARTICLE - SEE ARTICLE FOR MORE.

May 11, 2024, 11:26 AM EDT. By Mirna Alsharif.

Deadly thunderstorms and strong winds have left a path of destruction following a week of severe weather in Florida.

Cities like Jacksonville and Tallahassee saw multiple thunderstorms over this past week, with residents sharing pictures of downed trees and damage to their homes and cars.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/deadly-thunderstorms-strong-winds-florida-leave-destruction-wak...

[WarrenH343882]

Here in SW Florida, no rain at all until today.

[SummerIsTooHOT]

🏖  FLORIDA.

What is YOUR opinion on the Job Market?

Glad I have NOT moved back as yet and delaying my return as long as I can.

I am retired, but like to do FUN Gigs when I want to. Not many in Florida in my opinion.

As far as the youngsters like my daughter who is an Engineer [was in a 4/11/24 Surprise Same Day Mass Layoff], I wish she would return to Virginia. Well paid in my opinion. Too many LARGE companies are downsizing or leaving. Yikes!!!  😱😱😱

Nicole  👵

[Therapist4u]

Should I stay....

  or should I go??!! LOL!

[GailL1]

@SummerIsTooHOT 

When looking for a place to live in Florida, did you check places that were inland like Lake City, Lakeland, Traverse City, etc. Even others although I think Jacksonville and surrounding area is getting rather pricey but not as bad as south Florida - either coast.

What about on the panhandle side of the state?  To me, the panhandle is much, much different than the main body of the state especiallly if not on the coast (Gulf Coast).  

[SummerIsTooHOT]

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[GailL1]

Because Florida attracts a large number of well off retirees, it has a record number of medical providers in and around the big cities - rural areas, as in other places, not so much.

There are lots of 5-STAR rated Medicare Advantage plans in Florida - but even in Original Medicare there is a benefit on having an increase number of providers in the area where you live.

Asset and Resource Eligibility for a Medicare Savings Program in FL is about the same as in most other states - with DC, CT, and a few others being much higher

KFF.org - 2023 Eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs for Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries

Florida’s Senior help center is called SHINE in Florida - (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program provides free and unbiased health
insurance counseling to Medicare beneficiaries, their family members, and caregivers - very similar to other states but just under a state specific name.

[SummerIsTooHOT]

(comment deleted by poster)

[GailL1]

I am specifically speaking about doctors - specialist especially.

As far as the pay of others in the medical field, that depends on what they do, where they practice and the demand for their specialty.

Paid caregivers of the personal care type in FL make a mint if they are working for the wealthy - and there are plenty of those wealth-type in FL - Miami, Naples, etc.

[SummerIsTooHOT]

(comment deleted by poster)

[GailL1]

@SummerIsTooHOT 

Yea, Florida is a great place for Retirees IF they are concerned about state taxes.  Adding to the ones that you mentioned which aren’t taxed - neither are your Social Security benefits tax either - nor any inheritance or estate taxes.

That is why so many wealthy seniors make Florida their record  residence home.   That and it is too hot and too crowded to stay there year round.