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Melissa Batai

Where Is the Lowest Property Tax in California?

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Lowest Property Tax in California

When you think of the cost of living in California, you likely think of hefty property taxes and expensive properties. While California offers beautiful scenery, pleasant temperatures, and a diverse population, owning a home is out of reach for many thanks to the high cost of real estate. If you have flexibility, a good choice may be to discover which county has the lowest property tax in California and move there.

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What Is the Effective Property Tax Rate?

While the cost of living in the Golden State can be high, surprisingly, California’s effective property tax rate at only .74 percent is below the national average. New Jersey has the highest effective property tax rate at a whopping 2.13 percent. Illinois follows closely behind at 1.97 percent.

The national average is 1.1 percent of the home’s value.

Even though California has a low effective property tax rate, because property is so expensive overall, homeowners pay thousands, or tens of thousands, of dollars in property tax every year. When you compare the amount of property taxes homeowners in California pay compared to their income, you can see that the property tax burden is a heavy one for many homeowners.

Where Is the Lowest Property Tax in California?

The county with the lowest property tax in California is Modoc County. Situated in the Northeast corner of California, near the Nevada and Oregon state lines, this county has less than 10,000 residents and is the third-least populated county in California.

Lowest Property Tax in California

The main reason this county has the lowest property taxes is that homes are extremely affordable. The median home price in Modoc County is $142,500 (Best Places). Compare this to the median home price in the entire state of California, which is a whopping $818,260 (NY Times). Because housing prices are so much lower in Modoc County, the overall amount paid in property taxes is also lower.

For What Is Modoc County Known?

If moving to Modoc County for the lowest property tax in California intrigues you, you should be a person who enjoys small-town living. Modoc County is known as “the place where the west still lives” (UpStateCA).

The county has ranches and farms as well as a fair amount of federal land. Therefore, the federal government is one of the largest employers in the area. Other residents have settled here from various parts of California and telecommute.

In contrast to much of the rest of California, Modoc County is a conservative area that votes overwhelmingly Republican. In 2013, Modoc County voted to secede from the state of California (UPI).

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for the lowest property tax in California, look no further than Modoc County. In this small county, housing prices are cheap, which makes California’s .74 percent property tax rate more affordable than in most other areas of the state. If you’re conservative and like small-town life, Modoc County may be the perfect location for you. Check out Credit Karma to know more about your credit score. 

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Is Target Closed on Columbus Day 2021?

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Is Target Open on Columbus Day?

Columbus Day is a federal holiday that Americans celebrate on the second Monday in October. President Roosevelt first made Columbus Day a national holiday in 1934, and  Americans celebrated it every October 12th. Then, in 1972, President Nixon changed the day of the holiday to the second Monday in October. In modern times, some schools observe this holiday and are closed. If you and the kids are out and about on that day, you may wonder, “Is Target closed on Columbus Day, too?”

Columbus Day Controversy

Columbus Day is a federal holiday, which means government offices close on that day. However, in recent years, 18 states have opted not to celebrate Columbus Day. Instead, these states celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on the same day as Columbus Day. While many states call Indigenous People’s Day something different, such as Discovers’ Day in Hawaii and Native Americans’ Day in South Dakota, they are celebrating the same thing—the long history of Native Americans in the United States.

Is Target Closed on Columbus Day?

While federal offices and some schools may close for Columbus Day, Target does NOT close on Columbus Day. Target will be open regular store hours on Columbus Day.

Target often only closes for Easter and Christmas Day, but that has changed. In 2020, amid the pandemic, Target opted to close on Thanksgiving Day to show appreciation to their employees for working so hard during the pandemic. Target has since announced that it will also close on Thanksgiving Day 2021.

Are There Sales at Target on Columbus Day?

This year, Columbus Day falls on October 11th, which also happens to coincide with Target’s holiday season kick-off sale.

Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, Target, like many other retailers, doesn’t want to wait until Black Friday to kick off holiday sales. First, they don’t want to have that many shoppers in the store at one time due to health and safety concerns. Second, thanks to pandemic shipping delays, Target wants to make sure everyone has enough time to buy their gifts for Christmas.

This year, starting on October 10th and running through October 12th, Target will have “Deal Days.” During this sale, Target will offer deep discounts on electronics, kitchen appliances, and TVs, among other favorites. They will also start their holiday price match guarantee on October 10th. From that day to December 24th, if you buy something at Target and later it’s on sale for a cheaper price, they will refund you the difference.

Final Thoughts

If you’re wondering, “Is Target closed on Columbus Day?”, the answer is no. In fact, Columbus Day might be an excellent day to stop by your local Target or place an order online so you can enjoy the deep discounts during their Deal Days. Get a jump on your holiday shopping.

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Here’s How to Retire Well on $50K a Year

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How to Retire Well

The rule of thumb for retirement income is that you’ll need at least 80% of your pre-retirement income to retire comfortably. If you make around $63,000 a year, you will need at least $50,000 a year to retire comfortably. For people who make more than $63,000 a year, retiring on $50,000 a year may sound challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. While you may have to make some lifestyle changes after you stop working, these strategies can help you learn how to retire well on $50K a year.

Pay Off All Your Debt Before Retirement

The first strategy is to pay off all your debt before retirement. Do this, and all the money you have monthly in retirement can be used for your current needs, not servicing debt. By paying off your debt before retirement, your money will stretch much further. For instance, if you’re retiring on $50K a month, you’re living on approximately $4,166, minus whatever taxes you may have to pay. If you have a $1,300 a month house payment, you’re down to $2,866 a month to live on. Add in a car payment at $450 a month, and now you’re down to $2,416 a month. Add in credit card payments of $200 a month, and you have only $2,216 for all of your other monthly expenses. You can also try Tally, they are an automated credit card payoff app that works for people who want to retire debt-free.


By entering retirement without any debt, you’re increasing the amount of money you have to live on because it’s all yours to use in the present. In the above scenario, by paying off debt, you recoup $1,950 a month not going to service debt. That makes a huge difference in the amount of money you have to utilize each month.

Delay Retirement as Long as Possible

If you’re still healthy and enjoy working, try to delay your retirement as long as possible. This helps you in several ways.

Increases Your Social Security

For each year you can wait to retire beyond your official Social Security retirement age, you can increase your Social Security monthly amount by 8%. Every little bit helps, and if you wait three years beyond your official retirement age, you can get 24% more in Social Security benefits every month. For instance, perhaps you would earn $2,300 a month when you retire at the age of 67. However, if you don’t retire until 70, you will then earn $2,852 a month. If you live to 90, delaying your retirement earned you an additional $132,480 in Social Security benefits.

Gives Your Retirement Savings Longer to Grow

The longer you work and don’t tap into retirement savings, the more that money can continue to grow thanks to compound interest. Not only do you benefit from interest compounding, but you also benefit because you’re able to continue to contribute to your retirement.

Less Time to Use Your Retirement Money

If you retire at 63 and live to 90, your retirement funds need to stretch for 27 years. If you retire at 70 and die at 90, your retirement funds only need to stretch for 20 years. Assume you’re retiring on $50K a year. By retiring at 63 instead of 70, you’ll need an additional $350,000 to maintain the same standard of living throughout your retirement.

Move to a Lower Cost of Living Area

Another way to stretch your retirement is to move to a lower cost of living area. If you live in a high cost of living area like New York City or San Francisco, you know that you will not be able to retire on $50K a year. Moving is a necessity. However, you can choose to move within the United States or to live abroad

How to Retire Well in the United States

How to Retire Well

How to retire well on $50K? Choose a location that meets all of your needs and fits within your budget. Luckily, within the United States, there are many options to choose from.

Many people immediately think of the deep South, and the cost of living there is cheaper. However, if you don’t want to move to the South, Yahoo! put together a list of places in every state where you can live for $50K or less. If you currently live in San Francisco and don’t want to leave the Golden State, you can move to somewhere like Tulare, California to live comfortably.

How to Retire Well Abroad

If you’re more adventurous, you may want to consider retiring abroad. Many Americans choose this route to stretch their retirement dollars. In some locations, especially in Eastern Asia, such as Vietnam and Malaysia, you can live comfortably on $30K a year.  International Living suggests the 10 best countries for Americans to live in. Surprisingly, France makes the list (it is affordable outside of the big cities) as well as a few other European countries and some South and Central American countries.

However, retiring abroad isn’t for the faint of heart. You will likely need to learn a second language to communicate with the locals, and you have to be open to new cultures and traditions. You also need to ask yourself if you can be far away from your kids, grandkids, and friends for months at a time.

Before taking the leap to retire abroad, take an extended trip to the location you are considering to see if you like it.

Final Thoughts

You can absolutely retire well on $50K. The secret to doing so is to pay off your debt before you retire, work as long as you’re able to, and move to a lower cost of living area if you currently live in a high cost of living area. After you’ve figured out how to retire well, enjoy your retirement. You deserve it after years of hard work!

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What Are the Best Paying Jobs in Alaska?

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Best Paying Jobs in Alaska

Do you dream of going to Alaska? The state is still the last great American frontier, and many Americans dream of going there to live a life in a beautiful setting that challenges their living skills.  However, Alaska has a high cost of living in part because shipping goods to the state is expensive. If you want to live a comfortable life in Alaska, surrounded by natural beauty, make sure you’ve already attended college and received your degree because the best paying jobs in Alaska often require decades of education.

The Best Paying Jobs in Alaska

Like the rest of the United States, the best-paying jobs in Alaska require advanced degrees and a specialized skill set. Here are the top seven jobs.

Family/General Practitioners

A family physician in Alaska can expect to make between $180,000 and $310,000 a year. However, in part because Alaska has a small population of around three-quarters of a million, there are less than 500 family practitioners in Alaska.

Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist in Alaska can make between $200,000 to $400,000 a year. However, there are even fewer psychiatrists in the state than family practitioners. The state has approximately 100 psychiatrists.

General Dentists

According to Forbes, Alaskan dentists are the second-best paid in the country, earning on average $259,350 a year. Like other medical professionals, dentists are a small group, with less than 300 in the entire state.

Internists

Like a family physician in Alaska, an internist can expect to make well over $200,000 a year. On average, internists make between $227,000 and $287,000 a year.

Pediatricians

Pediatricians in Alaska earn on average $268,000, which makes Alaska the highest paying state for pediatricians in the United States. Of course, a pediatrician who is just out of school may make $100,000 or a little less.

There is a shortage of pediatricians in Alaska and an even greater shortage of pediatric psychiatrists. If you’re looking for an in-demand career in Alaska, these two offer excellent options.

Judges

Judges play a vital role in maintaining order and safety. On average, judges in Alaska make approximately $200,000 a year. There are 45 Superior Court judges in Alaska and many more in the lower courts of Alaska.

Airplane Pilots

Best Paying Jobs in Alaska
©mkopka/123RF.COM

Even though general dentists and judges earn more per year than pilots, there are far more jobs for pilots available in Alaska. That is partially because the state is so remote. Pilots are needed to reach those settled in isolated, remote areas of the land. However, the pay isn’t bad for pilots in Alaska. They make between $136,000 and $178,000 a year.

Final Thoughts

Having one of the best-paying jobs in Alaska means you will be financially comfortable, but you’ll never be short on adventure. Due to the limited number of skilled workers in the state, if you’re a doctor, pilot, or judge, know that no day will ever be the same and that you’ll be challenged in ways that you wouldn’t if you practiced in the lower 48 states. 

Do you want to go to Alaska? You can buy Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to avail of the lowest fares to Alaska.


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How to Disclaim a Timeshare Inheritance

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Disclaim a Timeshare Inheritance

Some people love their timeshares. These people go once a year to their timeshare location and enjoy the sights and the property. For others, a timeshare is an albatross, something they want to get rid of, but can’t seem to get out of. If you have avoided a timeshare all your life, but you inherit one when a relative dies, you can choose to disclaim a timeshare inheritance.

Timeshare Expenses

If you inherit a timeshare and choose to accept it, you will have non-negotiable fees to pay.

Maintenance Fees

You’ll need to pay maintenance fees every year. These typically run $1,000 or more per year and increase two to four percent per year, which means in 10 years, you could be paying much more in maintenance fees than you’re currently paying.

Special Assessment Fees

In addition to yearly maintenance fees, you may also have to pay a special assessment fee. This occurs when there is an unexpected repair or expense that the timeshare company needs to cover.

How to Disclaim a Timeshare Inheritance

If you inherit a timeshare that you don’t want, take these steps to legally refuse it.

File a Disclaimer of Interest

A disclaimer of interest demonstrates that you do not want to inherit the property. You will likely need to hire a qualified estate attorney to do this properly.

Send Copies to Interested Parties

You should send the disclaimer of interest to the executor of the will and the timeshare company. To be safe, you should also send it to the probate court. Send all of these documents via certified mail.

When you send your copy to the timeshare company, you will also want to include a copy of the death certificate.

Take Action Quickly

If you inherit a timeshare that you don’t want, take action quickly. You only have nine months from the time you inherit the timeshare to file a disclaimer of interest. If you’re under 21 when you inherit the timeshare, you must file within nine months of turning 21.

Caveats When You Disclaim a Timeshare Inheritance

Keep in mind these two important pieces of advice as soon as you learn you’ve inherited a timeshare:

Can’t Stay at the Timeshare

Dislaim a Timeshare Inheritance

Some people may want to stay at the timeshare to see what it’s like before they decide to accept or refuse the timeshare. Do not do this! If you go to the timeshare and stay, the timeshare now becomes yours officially, and you can’t disclaim the timeshare.

Can’t Reverse Your Decision

If you disclaim a timeshare inheritance, this decision is permanent. You can’t reverse your decision, so be certain before you file the legal paperwork.

Final Thoughts

If you inherit a timeshare, you can choose to disclaim it. However, this does require some time and money on your part. If you want to avoid this problem all together, make sure your timeshare owning relatives knows that you have no interest in inheriting their timeshare. Perhaps they can then choose to leave it to a relative who actually wants it, rather than someone like you who does not care to own a timeshare.

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Most Unusual But Valuable Collections

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Unusual but Valuable Collections

Do you have a collection? Many people do. Some of the most common collections include coins, stamps, dolls, stuffed animals, comic books, and trading cards. While popular items may have sentimental value for the owner, they often have little financial value. To make money, you’ll need to have unusual but valuable collections.

How to Determine How Much Your Collection Is Worth

One of the easiest ways to determine how much items in your collection are worth is to consult eBay. Look for items that are the same or similar to yours and search both for how much they’re listed and for how much they were sold.

If you’d like a professional evaluation of your item, you can send an image to a professional collector or store in your area and see how much they are willing to pay for it. You can also visit a reputable antique dealer to get an estimate.

Obtaining an estimate can help you both if you decide to sell the item and if you want to insure it for safekeeping.

Most Unusual but Valuable Collections

If you’re into collecting these items, you may have in your possession items that are worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Watches

Most people wouldn’t think to collect watches, but they are one of the unusual but valuable collections. Look for watches made by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Universal Geneve, or Enicar.

If you inherit a watch collection from your uncle, don’t immediately donate them to the nearest thrift store. Instead, use a site like Chrono24 or Watchrecon to determine the value of the watches.

Medals and Badges

Calling all history buffs! Collecting medals and badges can be fun and financially rewarding. Old military medals can be worth significant money, especially if the medals are from the Civil War. Even though Confederate medals are harder to find, Union medals are worth more.

Don’t forget old badges for policemen and firefighters as well as toy badges.

This is one field where reproductions are common, so you’ll want to check with an expert to determine if you have an original.

Legos

Unusual but Valuable Collections

Who doesn’t love Legos? If you play with them, they aren’t worth as much unless you keep every piece and keep the box and directions in mint condition. Unopened boxes of Legos are even more valuable.

The most valuable Lego sets include any Star Wars sets, especially the large ones like the Star Wars Millennium Falcon. But don’t forget about the mini-figures. Those can also be worth some serious dough. Mr. Gold, a minifig that originally sold for $2.99 in blind bags in 2013, is valuable now in part because only 5,000 of them were made.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to begin a collection, consider some of these unusual but valuable collections. And if you’re inheriting a collection from your great uncle or aunt, don’t immediately donate what you receive. Take the time to determine if the collection is valuable. You may be pleasantly surprised.

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