PA in Money

And, finishing the May and June issues of Money Magazine I'm no caught up with accumulated reading material. Whew! Here are some local or otherwise interesting notes:

In the May issue

p. 74, part of "Best tax strategy for retirees on the move," Pennsylvania is a great state for those with a private pension because pension income isn't taxed here.

p. 22, ever wonder how the cost of a Blackerry breaks down? In "The hot new smartphone" the $400 cost of a Blackberry Storm is dissected in this way:

$87 hardware and packaging
$56 factory costs
$54 research and development, intellectual property
$52 Research in Motion's take
$51 marketing

In the June issue

Breakout box on page 80 from "Rethink your legacy," PA has an interitance tax of 15%, which is lower than the inheritance or estate tax in 18 of the 22 states that have one. Only Kansas, Maryland, and Tennessee have lower rates; Iowa and Oklahoma also tax 15%.