new to area
 

My husband and I vacationed here for years when our kids were young. We were lucky to be able to retire early and we decided this was where we wanted to be. We moved up to Alton last October. We survived our first winter and it was beautiful but a bit boring. This winter we are hoping to find activities, groups, clubs something to do that is close by. We fish and loved all the Bob houses on the lake but we know nothing about it. Is there a group out there to teach us? We also play cards, enjoy going out for dinner and drinks. What do you do to pass the winter other than going to Hannaford?

Welcome
 

to the area and the forum. I hope you enjoy the stay. The forum is a great place with great people. Some times you have to have some salt around though just in case you need to take something with a grain or two.:)

ToW

Congrats on your move to the lake. My wife and I are also planning to retire up there in about 14-15 years when I am done here in NC...ya a ways, I guess.

My family had a house on the lake in Moultonboro since 1960 or so. It was sold last January after both my grandparents had passed. My family is in search of another now. Anyway, as far as winter goes, there is ice fishing, snowmobiling, skiing for winter activities. Maybe you can look into joining the Meredith Rotary that holds the ice fishing derby every February. Both of my grandparents were very involved with the Rotary for years.

I can see how a long winter could get a little dull. If you have not snowmobiled before, I suggest renting a couple this winter to see if you like it. If you like it, go buy one (or two) and join a local club. Most of them do weekend rides, poker runs, progressive dinners, and even off season activities. Don't forget that Boston is only a couple hours away, so you two could always have a weekend trip there to break it up some.

Maybe consider volunteering at an animal shelter or senior home. Both of my Grandparents eventually lived and passed away at Goldenview senior home in Meredith. They had volunteers who would come in to do all sorts of stuff with the residents. Just brainstorming here. Again, congrats on your move to the lake.

Two weeks in FL starting around 2/1 will help. :coolsm:

Skiing at Gunstock. If you don't know how go and take a lesson. If you are over 65 you can get a weekday season pass for $129.
http://www.gunstock.com/winter/passes/

Winter hiking, get some microspikes http://kahtoola.com/product/microspikes/ Or snowshoes at Piche's
http://www.piches.com/products/winter_equipment

http://i44.tinypic.com/1499wms.gif NJ Pat, I was just browsing through the forum and noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

You soon will know everything, well almost everything about ice fishing from the members and there be others that will help you through the winters with different activities. Have fun and good luck.:)

http://i54.tinypic.com/2e56yqf.gif

I agree with the skiing at Gunstock. I started skiing late (50). I did the 3 day mountain magic pass at Gunstock and it was worth every nickle. Also, pay attention to this forum and the local newspapers. Besides pond hockey, sled dog races, ice fishing derby, you'll find something to do almost every weekend.

Wolfeboro also has a Senior Citizens Club and a Newcomber's Club. Both seem to do quite a few things. The Newcomber's might actually be an area club. Besides the obvious volunteer options such as the hospital and schools, places like the Wright Museum is always looking for volunteers and the Boat Museum group does a lot too. As mentioned in another thread the Village Players (a theatre group) always seems to need some help even if you don't want to actually be an "actor".

We were brand-new to Gilford one year ago, also retired for a couple of years. We found a really great group of friends through pickleball, which we play indoors year-round in Laconia on Mondays at 6:45 p.m. and in the summer we also play on Thursdays at 6:30 at the Gilford tennis courts. Yes, many of them leave for Florida in mid-October, but not all, and most of those that do leave are back for a month over the holidays! I also go to a knitting group on Wednesday evenings. The local libraries have interesting lectures as well as book discussion groups. There are also lots of volunteer activities in the area. So we extend to you a hearty welcome and we hope you love this area as much as we do!!!

Hi Pat - We also moved up to Alton Bay last October & are NJ natives. Please check out the Lakes Regions Newcomers Club at www.lrnc-nh.com. A group of wonderful people from throughout the lakes region. We have many different Special Interest Groups as well planned events on a regular basis. A great way, not only to make new friends, but to learn about all the region has to offer.

"Newcomers Club" is misleading, as most folks join and never leave :) Please feel free to PM me if you'd like more information. Welcome !!!

I too recommend the Newcomers Club. I moved here in 2001 and it was the source of meeting many people who have become wonderful friends. There are many recreational activities and special interest groups within this club. You might be especially interested in the Dining Group.

There are so many volunteer options, particularly in Wolfeboro. Many Alton residents volunteer in organizations in Wolfeboro that serve both communities. Some of them are Lion's Club, Rotary, Hospice, Huggins Hospital, Food Pantry, Lakes Region Humane Society.

Welcome to the lakes region. We absolutely love it here.

Gilford Community Church
 

We are part-time resident year-round and have found a lot of activities through the Gilford Community Church which is a non-denominational church. They have a men's group and a ladies' group that meet with different discussions/presentations and dinner along with other groups very active in the community.

Dinner: If you like turkey, Hart's Turkey Farm restaurant is in Meredith and has been open for over 60 years......starting in November through April, they have an all-you-can-eat buffet on Friday nights, including prime rib.....it is a great buy.

We will be retired at the lake full-time in two years.....can't wait.

Have fun....I'm envious!

You beat me to the punch but I was going to suggest two months. :D

2nd Gilford Community Church. We are active in the church for many years.. lot's of wonderful events and just a great bunch of people.

I've only been ice fishing once or twice......just kidding, I'd be happy to show you the ropes come January 1st (pending favorable ice conditions)! And I'm sure River rat ( a forum regular as well) would show you a thing or two as we both set up shop close to the bandstand in the Bay!

Welcome to NH!

Calling cindido....
 

Hey, was wondering what part of Jersey you hail from?? oops....excuse the allcaps, didn't realize it was on, but too lazy to retype.....hahaha!
We are from Jersey, with a long, long, part time lake history, I was going to pm you, but cant, so feel free to pm me if you want to keep it private, or just put it here, if you answer my babbling fool butt at all!!! I would love to hear where you were from, and what your history with the lake is!!

For sure come out to the Bob house (usually the first one on the right as you come down the ramp and before the bandstand)I'll show you how to ice fish and cook dinner and play cards. It's all about fun.

If you are of a religion then join a church (or whatever your religion is).

If there is a Men's Club or a Women's Club - join in.

Join the Lions Club.
You will always have something to do with the Lions Club.

If a veteran, join the American Legion/VFW or whatever is available.

The snowmobile clubs are quite active in New Hampshire.

If time permits - do some volunteer work.

And finally, go down to town hall and volunteer for the multitude of committees.

new from NJ
 

Hey NJ Pat, We also just moved up here from NJ. My husband always love this place, so when he retired we took the leap. I am now working, have made some great friends but am still looking for more people to do things with. We would love to go to dinner or a movie. We are in Laconia, I am looking into the welcome club, it seems great.
Mary

Two or three months would be better!

What!!? And miss most of ski season??? Who in his right mind would do that?

One can ski in FL, albeit on liquid water with stuff that can eat you in trail. :eek:

I am a season pass holder at Attitash./Wildcat but the older I get the more I think about spending a few months in Florida or Arizona playing golf in lieu of skiing.

You want the truth?

Meet the President and the Governor
 

Of course, you don't know who the next President will be, but the 2016 campaigns are already starting. We take this "First in the Nation" stuff seriously, and you really can't vote for somebody if you haven't shaken their hand at least twice. Go to the rallies, or host a meet n greet. Get your picture taken with every candidate. One of them will win and you can display the picture of you and the President. Your friends from NJ will be impressed. (Your friends from NH will have their own picture with the President.)

I heard that Alton is pretty conservative. If that doesn't fit you, then the FL option is still available. haha.

Vote for your neighbor, Walt Havenstein for Governor and you'll have a friend in the corner office. Only a few days left. I hope you're registered to vote. If not, you're missing tons of junk mail. Forestry products are big business in NH so use the paper, we'll grow another tree.

Water Temperatures
 

I don't know what would make that Florida idea seem the least bit interesting!

Today's Southwest Florida water temperatures:

Fort Myers, FL 78.1 °F
Naples, FL 82.0 °F

Hmmmmm.............

Im over Florida; it has become a third-world paradise....

I am spending s couple of weeks in Pompano Beach. It was cloudy for four days, but now it will be beautiful for at least 5 days.

Port St. Lucie for me

Been there, done that. Owned a lovely condo right on the beach on North Hutchinson Island (between Vero Beach and Fort Pierce) for eight years, and in '13 we sold it and moved full-time to NH. Don't regret it for one second. We missed the four seasons. We missed the rolling hills, the mountain views, the charm. It's another world down there full of snakes, alligators, sinkholes, hurricanes, and shopping malls.

Ya but BBQ?

we BBQ
 

year round :-)

The "novelty" of Florida wears off, as does the warm (hot) weather 12 months a year. At first it was a real kick, and as time went on -- not so much. Wicked hot and humid in the summer. We didn't like riding the elevator up to our condo ten times a day. We didn't like all the board-controlled rules and regulations. We didn't like the idea of 56 condos all squeezed together in one big building. So we left.....and no one loves the lakes and mountains and the life style up here more than we do!!!

Wait a minute!
 

Would you feel differently if you had the lake in the summer and Florida in the winter?

Would you feel differently if you had a one floor house in Florida and there wasn't an elevator involved?

Would you feel differently if you were not in a building with "56 condos all squeezed together" and had some space?

Just saying: Your view and experience of Florida, and the lifestyle, is not what everyone experiences. What if you could spend 6 to 8 months in Florida, miss the humidity, didn't have an elevator, had your own home and pool, and summered on Winnipesaukee? Would that make it a totally different experience for you?

I realize that it is not something that everyone wants, or can afford, but the negatives you cite may not be what everyone who enjoys both Florida and Winnipesaukee experiences.

I thought the same thing. It seems like Jean made a bad (at least for her and her husband) real estate decision. If and when I go I'll rent for a year or two to figure out the lay of the land.

Soon I'll be "new to the area". We'll sell our home in CT when our youngest heads off to college next August.

We have homes in NH and FL. Despite the tax implications, we plan to make NH be our primary residence. Plenty of our time will be spent in FL, especially in the winter months.

Everything in moderation...:D

Tax implications
 

8qv,
This implies that the taxes in NH are more onerous than FL. If you spend time in both places, sales tax and property tax aren't impacted by where you claim residence. No general income tax. Is the interest and dividends (income) tax the problem? What tips the scales in either direction?

Should this be a new thread?

Yes, I think if we had owned a single-family home, we might have felt a bit differently about Florida. But the flip side is that we never could have afforded to live right smack on the ocean if we didn't live in a condo. Actually, we did do the six-month thing -- we spent six months on the beach in Florida and we rented a one-bedroom camp on Winni for six months (five summers we did that.) But each year when it came time to leave the lake, we were oh so sad. We also missed our kids who live in nearby Mass. We have definitely made the right decision!

Being retired I have no wages or salary. NH taxes my income, FL would not.

The property taxes on my FL place are about $1,000 lower. The homes have equal value.

Lake in the winter
 

Having spent the first 45 years of my life wintering in New Hampshire and the last 20 here on the Gulf Coast of Florida with summers in New Hampshire I highly recommend the best New Hampshire winter idea is to LEAVE .
When you have to try all that hard to have a good time somethings wrong !

Come on down the waters great and we have room for a few more in the pool !!!

I see you're in TV. Our condo is on the Bayway across from Billy's!

Wifey gets more use out of it than I do. Lately it seems that I only go south to fix stuff...grrrrr!

It is kind of cool cruising down the canals looking at all the Christmas lights on New Year's Eve. :coolsm:

NH doesn't have an income tax. If you have a business it has a business profits tax and an enterprise tax if you are a professional. Is that what you mean? Fl. has no dividends and interest tax.

From Kiplinger:

http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/retire...rees/index.php

"New Hampshire doesn’t have an income tax. But there’s a 5% tax on dividends and interest in excess of $2,400 for individuals ($4,800 for joint filers)."

If this is the primary source of one's retirement income, FL is cheaper.

What about estate taxes. Those taxes can be large. How do NH and Florida compare?

Fl. has no estate tax and NH has no estate tax.

Welcome to lake livin' where
 

outdoors is where it is at here. If you don't like downhill skiing/riding, I'd check into cross country @ Gunstock until the lake freezes over. We usually don't do that much because we're wiped out from the days affairs in the snow. You might want to think about picking up a couple pairs of sled (snow mobiles) and becoming a member of one of the many clubs around.

All the best.

p.s. We're usually too wiped to do anything at night after a day of riding.

Actually, I just did a little research and found that New Hampshire is the only state in the northeast without an estate tax. In Massachusetts for example estate taxes are substantial.

Even if you don't have a dollar to your name when you die but you have $1,500,000 in life insurance your heirs will pay a substantial estate tax in liberal, tax heavy states like Massachusetts. While the federal estate tax exemption is $5,000,000 per person, indexed to inflation, in Massachusetts the personal estate tax exemption is just $1,000,000 for state tax purposes and it isn't indexed to inflation.

The unfair tax burdens in states like Massachusetts, NY, etc. will continue to result in folks with money changing their state of residency to states like Florida when they retire.

You are really worried about taxes after you are dead ! The idea is to have a great time while you are alive , Florida or New Hampshire ,
Why would death taxes play any role in where you live.

Also that 1.5 mil is per person , 3 m husband and wife , If you have that much left you didn't do it right . Die in debt , that way you will be remembered !
also if you want to save money when you are dead the ground here dosent freeze so it should be less expensive to dig the hole ( that was terrible )

:emb::emb:

Or, you could just wait for a sink hole...problem solved.:laugh:

Estate Tax
 

I wouldn't use the "joint" exemption for any tax planning. Unless you die at exactly the same moment, you each have only $1.5 mil. Even if you were both in an auto accident and you die 5 minutes before your wife, you get a $1.5mil exemption but everything then goes to her estate, then she only gets $1.5 mil before going to her heirs.

I definitely agree with your comment to die in debt......lol.

Time of death...

Simultaneous! :laugh:

Not to derail this further but you can set up a bypass trust so that your heirs can get the full $3M

Mr. V.
 

too funny!!