How Much Will I Save Moving From California to Sarasota?
Darren Dowling
Darren Dowling
Updated October 2026 | By Darren Dowling, Founder, Beyond Realty
California taxes income at rates from 1% up to 13.3%, and has no state personal income tax. Most California professionals are in the 9.3% bracket or higher, which starts at roughly $70,000 of taxable income for a single filer, so every $100,000 of income above that point is costing you $9,300 or more in state tax today. Once you are a resident, that state tax goes away on income that is not sourced to California.
Brackets: 1% up to 12.3% on regular income.
The extra 1%: income over $1 million carries an additional 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax, which is how California reaches its 13.3% top rate.
Capital gains: taxed as ordinary income, so a large stock or business sale can land at the top rates.
Income sourced to California, such as stock compensation that vested while you lived there, can still be partly taxable by California after you leave. Plan the timing of a move and any big liquidity events with your CPA.
If you have owned your California home for years, Proposition 13 may have kept your property tax low. A newly purchased home is assessed at today's value, so the first tax bill can feel high by comparison. 's homestead exemption and the Save Our Homes cap, which limits yearly assessed value increases on a homestead to 3% or inflation, whichever is less, help a great deal once you are settled.
voters decide Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026. If it passes, people who are permanent residents by December 31, 2026 would qualify for a much larger homestead exemption starting in 2027, while people who arrive later would wait four years for it.
has no state personal income tax, so there is no tax on capital gains for individuals. Federal tax still applies.
For many of our California clients, yes, both in home prices and in yearly taxes. The best way to know is to compare the full cost of owning, including insurance and HOA or club dues, which our community cost of ownership guides lay out.
Use our Tax Advantage Savings Calculator to compare your California taxes with .
Book a Strategy Session with Darren Dowling. We will compare the Sarasota communities that fit your lifestyle and show you what ownership really costs, so there are no surprises after closing.
Darren Dowling, Founder | Beyond Realty
2170 Main Street, Suite 103, Sarasota, FL 34237
Direct: 941-204-0493 | [email protected] | www.beyondrealtyfl.com
This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Tax rules change and every situation is different, so talk with your CPA or attorney before making residency or tax decisions.
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