58 and retired for 3 years, just not rich in $$ but rich in life.

[waianaegal]

Hi there, neat forums, great communities, still searching...

Retired St of Ca employee and very lucky. Moved to Wash state in June 08, no income tax there... moved to Astoria Or after divorce Feb '11... now may have to pay quarterly income tax to Or cuz CA doesn't take it out of pension.

My whole family, starting with my Father, have retired at 55, brother and sister also, I was 56, still had a couple of projects at work to finish up...

I love retirement, as I say not rich in $$, but getting by... and loving life and doing volunteer work.

I'm heading back to the forums to search out more related topics.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[DFA]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[travelover]

Welcome to the forum. I have relatives down Manzanita way.

 

[knucklehead 61]

astoria is a nice area, we have traveled through there many times in our motorhome. your have a great maritime museum & the view from atop the column is amazing! i am jealous! i want to leave cal & move to oregon very badly! i need to keep w@#king a few more years though...

 

[Readysoon]

The best of both worlds, as you know is to live in Washington State (no income tax) and go shopping in Oregon (no sales tax). Astoria is a beautiful place to live however. A similar clime/culture is right across the Columbia in Washington on the Long Beach Peninsula, cost of living is very low in Ocean Park, Klipsan, Nachotta.. Congrats on retiring at 55!! The item you mention about California and the pension tax i don't understand, i mean you don't live in California why do you have to pay taxes, unless it is a paying of federal taxes that california never did in some manner, i don't understand.

 

[NW-Bound]

... across the Columbia in Washington on the Long Beach Peninsula,...

You mean this Long Beach?

We passed by this area late last summer on our motor home.

 

[waianaegal]

The best of both worlds, as you know is to live in Washington State (no income tax) and go shopping in Oregon (no sales tax). Astoria is a beautiful place to live however. A similar clime/culture is right across the Columbia in Washington on the Long Beach Peninsula, cost of living is very low in Ocean Park, Klipsan, Nachotta.. Congrats on retiring at 55!! The item you mention about California and the pension tax i don't understand, i mean you don't live in California why do you have to pay taxes, unless it is a paying of federal taxes that california never did in some manner, i don't understand.

Readysoon, I did live in Ocean Park since June 08, bought there with soon to be x in 2006. The divorce will be final sometime next month. So have spent the last few years up on the peninsula in Washington. He's keeping the washington place. Lovely place to live, just not much to do. If you can be there for July 4th it's 29 miles of arials going off just amazing. They know how to celebrate America's birthday.

We were spending winters on Oahu but then I've had a run it with melanoma skin cancer so I'm staying away from the tropics.

My CalPers pension doesn't take any state tax out unless you live in CA and then it's Fed & Ca income tax deducted. But they won't take out for other states. Leaving me to pay Oregon income tax. Which could mean quarterly if I make too much. Haven't figured it out.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Astoria is a cool place. We like visiting. Weather can be dreadful, though. Develop inside activities like quilting.

Is there enough to do there?

How is the health care there? It looked somewhat limited.

 

[waianaegal]

astoria

Ed the Gypsy, thanks for the post...
You are right about the weather but then it's the Pacific Northwest, there's no getting away from it except leaving...LOL. Yesterday started out sunny, first sunfilled day is 10-12 days... I was outside walking thru town and just out and about the whole day... Didn't make it to the gym knowing that it would be gone today...yep... clouds etc are back today. 50 degrees yesterday felt blamy...
So far the only medical issue I've run into with problems is dermatology. With melanoma skin cancer excised in Hawaii a year ago I get checked every 3 months. So I head to Portland about 1hr 45 min, door to door. Once you find your way around Portland, which isn't easy, getting there and back isn't that bad.
Everything else has worked out, the interist I found in Ocean Park is wonderful. There are a few small hosptials in the area but ppl I talk with, mostly seniors find that there are enough resources here.
Have a great day...

 

[Midpack]

Welcome aboard, glad to have you here. You sound like a breath of fresh air...

 

[haha]

Astoria is a cool place. We like visiting. Weather can be dreadful, though. Develop inside activities like quilting.

Is there enough to do there?

How is the health care there? It looked somewhat limited.

Long Beach and Ocean Park also will have ringside seats for any future tsunami. Imagine evacuating from there!

As far as things to do, I have at times given it some thought as I love jetty fishing. I'd say get a local BF/GF, learn to like country-western dancing and music, and fish, fish, fish!

The shellfish bag limits have become so absurdly small and enforcement so Gestapo-like that I am only attracted to fishing not yet on the fish cops radars.

Ha

 

[knucklehead 61]

we spent a 4th of july in long beach. parked our motorhome right smack dab in the center of town in a small (like 10 spaces) rv park. the fireworks were awesome!
it looks kind of like this:
YouTube - Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot Night Shoot
if you ever get a chance to visit the area, you REALLY want to be there on the 4th!

 

[waianaegal]

the 4th

Yes it is truly amazing on the 28 mile long beach, which you can drive on with vehicles only, no quads... only street legal.
They sell arials... alot of self funded fireworks shows... almost don't need city or community shows... then there is the beach clean up on the 5th.. been to that also... you never know what you're going to find... cell phones... mostly and alot of plastic.

I'll love Astoria more once Mother Nature allows spring and summer to show up... next winter already planning for indoor activities... ALOT!!

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Ed the Gypsy, thanks for the post...
You are right about the weather but then it's the Pacific Northwest, there's no getting away from it except leaving...LOL. Yesterday started out sunny, first sunfilled day is 10-12 days... I was outside walking thru town and just out and about the whole day... Didn't make it to the gym knowing that it would be gone today...yep... clouds etc are back today. 50 degrees yesterday felt blamy...
So far the only medical issue I've run into with problems is dermatology. With melanoma skin cancer excised in Hawaii a year ago I get checked every 3 months. So I head to Portland about 1hr 45 min, door to door. Once you find your way around Portland, which isn't easy, getting there and back isn't that bad.
Everything else has worked out, the interist I found in Ocean Park is wonderful. There are a few small hosptials in the area but ppl I talk with, mostly seniors find that there are enough resources here.
Have a great day...

Whoo-eee!

I am glad you found what you needed there. And you certainly won't worry about too much actinic exposure in Astoria.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Long Beach and Ocean Park also will have ringside seats for any future tsunami. Imagine evacuating from there!

As far as things to do, I have at times given it some thought as I love jetty fishing. I'd say get a local BF/GF, learn to like country-western dancing and music, and fish, fish, fish!

The shellfish bag limits have become so absurdly small and enforcement so Gestapo-like that I am only attracted to fishing not yet on the fish cops radars.

Ha

In Astoria, you can run up the big hill, which is right there. Long Beach and Ocean Park are neat, too, but you have to run a long ways to get away from the wave. I prefer Astoria. For this and other reasons.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

we spent a 4th of july in long beach. parked our motorhome right smack dab in the center of town in a small (like 10 spaces) rv park. the fireworks were awesome!
it looks kind of like this:
YouTube - Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot Night Shoot
if you ever get a chance to visit the area, you REALLY want to be there on the 4th!

Mucho Willie Peter! What was this? A Rambo screen test?