NEBRASKA TAXPAYERS FOR FREEDOM ISSUE PAPER:
NEBRASKA TAXES HIT OUR RETIRED CITIZENS HARD.

 BACKGROUND.  Retired citizens in Nebraska, especially those living on fixed incomes, find that taxes eat an increasing part of their household budgets, persuading many to move to other states having lower taxes.  Kiplinger’s Magazine developed a retiree tax map to show the total tax burdens for a typical retired couple in each state plus D.C.  Many erroneously believe that no state income taxes means lower overall taxes.  The tax map includes sales, income, and property taxes.  The study assumed an annual income of $60,000, of which $24,000 is Social Security benefits, $21,000 from pensions, $10,000 from IRA distributions, and $5,000 from taxable interest and dividends.  The typical couple owns its own home and does not make mortgage payments. 

 NEBRASKA RETIREES.  A typical retired couple in Lincoln, NE. pays about $994 per year in income tax, $2,345 in property tax, and $910 in sales tax, thus a total of $4,249 in taxes.  Their median city house price is $115,180.  For retirees, Nebraska rates 41^st highest of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  All of the surrounding states are cheaper for retirees to live, particularly Wyoming at #8 and Colorado at #10.1