Recent Tribune articles have addressed the state’s policy of taxing Social Security.
Given that Social Security recipients are essentially withdrawing taxes they’ve already paid, all but 11 states exempt Social Security from taxes. My wife and I are both Salt Lake City natives. I am retired; she continues to work. My desire for her to retire as well necessarily involves an important financial element.
The more Social Security income to us is reduced by state taxation, the more I feel a desire to move elsewhere.
We have strong, thankfully very strong, family ties to the area, which complicates the question of moving, but I’ve actually calculated what it costs us, literally, to stay here. Trust me, the number is nontrivial.
Between that and the inland port, the balance may tip persuasively toward some fairly nearby locale imposing no state income taxes on us.
Tom Walker, Salt Lake City
