The taxes beyond your paycheck — and what happens when you move states.
Sales tax — the invisible extra at every tillThere is no national VAT. Instead, states and cities add sales tax at the register — rates differ street to street across a state line, and a few states charge none at all.Property tax — who pays it and where it goesProperty tax is levied by counties and cities, funds local schools and services, and varies enormously by location. Homeowners pay it directly; renters pay it inside the rent.
Moving states mid-year — the tax consequencesMove from one state to another and you'll usually file part-year returns in both. High-tax states are notoriously reluctant to let go — so document the move properly.