Moving out of the state that you grew up in, does not need to be a daunting process. Even moving to the state that you grew up in is not difficult either. Moving is a process, as you know, which involves planning, organization, and a bit more. There can be some aspects that may have slipped your mind, and that is what this article is for. A reminder of what to keep in mind when moving from one state to another.
Planning is the first and most important part of any process, certainly when it comes to moving out of state. You would want to start planning as soon as you are sure that you want to live in a different state. You would have to make a detailed plan which will involve a budget, timing of the moving, packing process, turning off utilities, and more. This is not your first rodeo but having a list is great to keep you on track, and make sure that you do not miss anything. You should plan the following:
Something else to consider when moving to a new state is the cost of living. How far will your retirement fund stretch? How expensive or cheap is the state you are moving into? Do you need to get a part-time job, or do you want to get extra work? What can you do while living in the new state?
Answering these questions and more can help you create your planning schedule to include all that you can and to keep up to date with everything that you need for your moving process to be successful. A schedule can help you stay on top of the workload, but remember to include breaks for rest, and to eat healthy while the moving process is happening. It is best to give yourself more than enough time to get the job done without adding stress to your body. Take it slow and look after yourself during the process.
When you are planning on moving to a new state you would want to consider where you will live. You can opt to downsize your home since that is the “in thing” now. Another factor to downsizing is that you will save money when it comes to property tax, and utilities, and you will have less to clean, maintain, and manage when the home is smaller. If you are a gardener, you can even find a house that has a small garden for your green thumbs to play in.
One more thing that you would want to consider when moving out of state is if you would like to live in a Retirement Village with your future peers. Here you will have access to activities, medical help, and services, and to be around like-minded people. This can be worth looking into.
Taxes do not go away but some states make this less of a burden to handle, certainly for those in retirement. You would want to look into the tax situation of the state or states you are planning on moving to. This, alone, can help narrow down our choices if we are indecisive. The states that do not have a state income tax for example are:
There are also different types of taxes for you to be aware of. You should research this situation so that you know which state is more tax-friendly for you.
Outside of taxes, another factor to pay attention to is home insurance. This can be added to your research list if you are on the fence about one state versus another. The thing with home insurance is that it can catch you off guard if you are not aware of it. The average annual premiums can be vastly different from state to state.
An example would be that the annual premium in Hawaii is around $376, in Florida it jumps up to about $1, 353 and in Oklahoma, you could be looking at $3, 519. It is best to speak to a professional about the home insurance costs of the states you plan to move to.
You would also have to take into account the weather of the state. This is not just for your personal pleasure, but it can impact the cost of home insurance such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. A conclusion you can gather so far is that you would have to look into your future home state in terms of taxes, and home insurance.
Planning your out-of-state move will require you to take into account the shutting off of your current utilities, as well as starting up your new utility services in your new home. It would be best for you to organize with your service providers when your current utilities should be shut off. You can also speak to them if there is a way to transfer your services from one state to another such as a bank, or phone for example. It is worth asking. Either way, you can get help with the process.
When you have decided which state you are moving into you can aim to set up your new utilities such as electricity, gas, or water by the time you unlock the door to your new home. You can do this over the phone, in person, or even online depending on the city or state. Retirement Villages may have these utilities covered already, but it would not hurt to check in with them and make sure they are on before you move in. The same applies to living outside of a Retirement Village.
Some state or city governments may oversee aspects of utilities such as sewage, water, and even garbage pick-ups. In other states, you can choose which gas, electricity, or phone service you want to go with. You should speak to your state utility commission since they may have a list of service providers in your new state. This will make your life that much easier than you having to search around for them.
On the potential downside, and only if you have a poor credit history, then a new utility company may ask you for a security deposit, or/ and a letter of guarantee. The latter letter will be from someone who agrees to pay the bill if you cannot (such as a co-signer). If your credit history is good, then you would have nothing to worry about.
When you move into your new home in the new state it would be a wise idea to check your initial bill. You can check if the charges or fees make sense to you, and if not, you can contact your utility or service provider to get more information.
Do not forget to change your postal address. You can do this by notifying the post office, or you can visit the USPS website to change it online. This will charge you a fee of $1 to your credit or debit card for identity verification. You will get an email that confirms your change of postal address.
All this information may lead you to ask “how do I move out of state?” A solution to this question is by using AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft. Shyft is a moving organizer that does the organization for your moving process from start to finish. It is a company of real people who do all that they can to make your state-to-state move a success while also saving you money. Shyft will save you time by finding you interstate, experienced moving companies, and will also give you comprehensive coverage tailored to your every moving need.
You can find out more by visiting the site or by calling 1-888-838-5981 to speak to a representative of Shyft. The process of using Shyft is that Shyft will provide you with a Move Coach. This is someone who is there to make the organization of your move go easier while being there for you at every junction of your moving process. The Move Coach will contact you through the Android or iPhone mobile app, Shyft Next which is free to download.
This call will be a video chat where you can see who you are working with. The call will happen at the time that you state. The call will give you more information about the process, and the Move Coach will create your inventory list for you, right there and then through the app.
The list will be sent to you within half an hour from the end of the call. This initial inventory list will be 95% accurate, and you will fill in the gaps to make it 100% by adding items, making notes, or even removing items. This is all done without the Move Coach stepping foot into your current home. It will save you a lot of time. When you are happy with the 100% inventory list you send it to the Move Coach. They will take the updated list, and your moving details, excluding the personal ones, to Shyft’s secure move board.
This is where vetted moving companies can bid on projects, which can include yours. It is through this process that Shyft finds the moving companies that can take on your project. The moving quotes (three or more, from different movers) are sent to you along with information about each moving company. You decide which one to work with.
The moving quotes are fixed. The price will not change even if you add more items to your inventory list. If you are an AARP member then you will save a further $250 on your move by working with Shyft. What is more, is that Shyft is on call to you. Seven days a week whenever you have a question or need updates. Get moving to your new state with Shyft’s help.
