So I'm thinking of moving to Vegas... help? (some kinda-tax stuff)

[TheMetetron]

Background:

I make at least $150,000 per year as a professional poker player (at least $100k/yr) and casino/poker affiliate (at least $50k/yr). It is quite possible that my true yearly earn is $50-100k more than this, but this is the minimum level I am absolutely sure of.

I currently live in San Jose, CA.

My lease expires in July 2006 and I intend to move somewhere else at that time. I have one half of a two bedroom apartment, that costs $550/mo for my share.

The other option is moving to SoCal... likely Santa Monica, Westwood, Manhattan Beach, West LA, or something similiar.

If I move to LA, I will move in July. If I move to Vegas, I will move in January.... because:


Am I correct in my understanding that Nevada has no income tax and that the California income tax is 9% of your income for the year as reported on your federal taxes? This would seem to be a big incentive for me to move to Vegas, and do so at the beginning of the tax year. What happens if I move part way through the year as far as state taxes go?

Am I going to be bored out of my mind in Vegas? Are there good concert/show venues besides the flashy strip stuff? What is there to do out there? My experience outside of the strip consists of driving bugstud home to his place in Henderson. One of the reasons I hate San Jose is a lack of stuff to do, though I'd be willing to accept at least a comparable level of crap to do in a Vegas move.

What can I get in Vegas apartment-wise? Either a really nice 1 or 2 bedroom would be good. I'd like to be in an upper-middle class type of neighborhood, but middle-class wouldn't be undoable, as that's the area I live in now. Probably in Henderson I'm guessing?? Any other areas? A really big incentive to a 2 bedroom would be having a separate office and bedroom. One room for poker, one room for sex. It'd be great.

I am looking to buy a house in 5 years or so (probably not in Vegas), but I figure a few years of no state income tax would be an awesome way to help finance this little endeavor. Also, LA being 3 1/2 to 4 hours away is awesome as weekend trips there wouldn't be that hard at all.

I am also considering going back to school if I move there (I probably have a year at a JC first to make sure all my GE crap is knocked out)... I assume there is somewhere to do this? I wouldn't be opposed to a UNLV undergrad degree... assuming they have Economics?

Oh, and weather... how bad does it get? I figure summer will be one AC (house) to another (car) with the ocassional dip at the pool. Winters are... cold, but not terrible? I know spring/fall are nice.

Ummm, that's about all I have right now. Taxes aren't the main reason for moving to Vegas, but it turning out to be a huge incentive if I have everything right. I can definitely use an extra $15k a year in my pocket.


Thoughts?