Comment by bluedino | Hacker News Reader

Comment by bluedino | Hacker News Reader

People need to move to where the work is. Maybe the government could offer a tax break or stipend to get people to move (and somehow try not to let that get abused), I'd be surprised if the transportation industry isn't lobbying for it already.

For generations, people moved. To Oregon/California just because the east was too crowded and didn't have much opportunity. To the midwest to work in the tire, steel, and auto plants. To the south for the new auto and manufacturing plants.

And now it will be to the plains for jobs in the construction and energy industries.

How long can people use the excuse "I can't afford to move", when you can't afford not to? How long will they use the excuse "I'm upside down on my mortgage?" when they aren't going to be right-side up anytime soon and aren't working as it is?

Pack your shit up and move and send money back home to your family if you don't want to bring them. The long-lasting unemployment benefits just keep 'workers' stuck where they are, and as a result it keeps their families and future generations stuck in the same place.

> How long can people use the excuse "I can't afford to move", when you can't afford not to?

For this post, I will be a hypothetical long-term unemployed person.

Moving to even a low-cost area is going to be at least $1000 for deposit on an apartment and utilities, plus the first month of rent. I'll also need groceries and transportation or gas.

Keep in mind that my credit, assuming I even have any, is maxed out because I have already been using it to supplement my living expenses and job hunt for the past few years.

I can't afford to move, and that is not a fucking excuse.

As a frequent mover, it is interesting that people just say "move!" without considering such things. If you don't have the capital to move, then it's likely not going to happen. Thankfully we're not to the point of people moving to a new area to essentially be homeless in hopes of finding a job.

> Thankfully we're not to the point of people moving to a new area to essentially be homeless in hopes of finding a job.

Depends where you are.

The UK has a problem with migrant workers getting stuck - they come here for work, don't get work, can't afford to go home, can't get help to get back home because of legal complications.

You are correct, I'm speaking of the US. Although I guess it's fair to say we have a touch of that with our immigrant friends here as well.

The government does offer a tax dediction for job related moving expenses. In practice that means the government pays for X% of your moving costs where X = your federal tax rate.

So it doesn't help people who already pay no federal taxes, which is almost everyone we're talking about here. But anyone who lives in the US and pays no federal taxes is getting a pretty amazing deal to begin with.

See: http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455.html

If your new work is more than 50 miles from your old work, you can write the moving expenses off your taxes. I'm not a tax expert, but I believe that is still correct.

The long-term unemployed do not have taxes to write off against, since they are not making any money. A write-off does not help them pay moving expenses in the least.

It could be used against their new income if they get a job to move to if both were done in the same year. Assuming they generated enough income for that year to be taxed. So, moving early in the year for a new job would be ideal.

But the problem is getting the job before you move there.

The problem is getting the money to move when you have no job. A hypothetical future tax write off doesn't pay for the gas to get across the country today.

Even if I have a good job waiting for me, if it doesn't pay -- in advance -- for relocation, I'm stuck.

Well, I agree, I'm just saying in case the move is possible.

Maybe there's some sort of loan business opportunity using the future tax write off as collateral or means to help pay it off?

Go listen to some Woody Guthrie, sir.

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