About Muskegon

Muskegon is located in Western Michigan on the shores of Lake Michigan. The City covers
eighteen square miles and, with a population of approximately 40,000, is the largest city on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. The City is located in Muskegon County and is part of the Muskegon-Norton Shores MSA.

This site is intended as an introduction to the Muskegon community – especially for those interested in finding a low-cost, highly desirable lakefront community to retire in. We believe Muskegon might be the “right place” to retire for many people. We invite you to explore this website and, even better, come and explore our community in person to see if it might be the right place to retire for you.

Some of the many outstanding sports, recreation and cultural activities available in Muskegon:

• Michigan Adventure Amusement Park, located north of the city, is the largest amusement park in
Michigan.

• Muskegon is home to both a USHL hockey team (Muskegon Lumberjacks). The USHL is the premier amateur hiockey league in the US.

• Muskegon is home to the annual Miss Michigan pageant. In 2007, Kirsten Haglund, was
crowned Miss Michigan in Muskegon and went on to win the 2008 Miss America pageant.

• Pere Marquette beach is nationally recognized as one of the best beaches in the nation and is
the only beach in Michigan to receive and maintain the Blue Wave Certification by the Clean
Beaches Council. The Blue Wave certification identifies the nation’s cleanest, safest and most
environmentally well-managed beaches.

• Muskegon is home to successful summertime festivals that attract tens of thousands of visitors to
the community. These include Muskegon Summer Celebration which brings top name musical
groups to town for 11 days of waterfront music celebration and the Bike Time festival which in
its inaugural year attracted more than 25,000 motorcycle enthusiasts to the city.

• Muskegon is the cultural hub for West Michigan with numerous museums and live performances.
The Muskegon Museum of Art has one of the best art collections in the Midwest, and the Muskegon
County Museum provides insight into the area’s history. The former residences of Muskegon’s
lumber barons, Charles H. Hackley and Thomas Hume, proudly display the glory of the Victorian
ages. The Fire Barn Museum takes visitors back to a 1890s Muskegon Fire Station. The West Shore
Symphony and Muskegon Civic Theater bring the stage of The Frauenthal Center for the Performing
Arts to life throughout the year.

• Muskegon is home to a rich maritime tradition and three historic museum ships that attract thousands of visitors each year:

• USS Silversides, a rare surviving World War II submarine that is maintained in pristine condition;
• LST-393, a landing craft used in the D-day invasion and one of only two such vessels
remaining in existence; and the
• Milwaukee Clipper, a Great Lakes passenger ship built before the Titanic that for many
years served as a cross-lake ferry between Muskegon and Milwaukee.

Important Michigan Pension Tax Law Changes to Know About

A new law governing how retirement income will be taxed starting in 2012 sets up a three-tier system, depending on a retiree's age. All three tiers avoid taxing Social Security income and military pensions. For couples, the age of the older spouse applies. Here's how the system works:

• Residents born before 1946 will continue to get the same tax breaks they have now. Public pensions will not be taxed. Income from private pensions, 401(k)s and IRAs will not be taxed on amounts up to $45,120 for single filers and $90,240 for joint filers. This will affect about 480,000 tax returns.

• Residents born between Jan. 1, 1946, and Dec. 31, 1952, will have all retirement income liable to tax, whether it's from a public or private pension, 401(k) or IRA. Exemptions can be claimed for up to $20,000 for a single filer and up to $45,000 for joint filers. Above those levels, retirement income will be taxed at the state income tax rate of 4.35 percent. When these residents turn 67, the $20,000/$40,000 exemption applies to all income, not just retirement income. If household resources exceed $75,000 for a single return or $150,000 for a joint return, the $20,000/$40,000 exemption is eliminated. The exemption also is eliminated if a taxpayer claims a deduction for a military or railroad pension. This will affect about 230,000 returns.

• Residents born after 1952 will see all retirement income taxed as regular income until they turn 67, at which point they'll qualify for a senior income exemption of $20,000 for single filers and $40,000 for joint filers on all income. If household resources exceed $75,000 for a single return or $150,000 for a joint return, the $20,000/$40,000 exemption is eliminated. A taxpayer can forgo the $20,000/$40,000 exemption and instead deduct 100 percent of Social Security income. A taxpayer claiming the $20,000/$40,000 exemption can't claim the deduction for Social Security or the standard personal exemption. This will affect about 150,000 returns.

Sources: Senate Fiscal Agency, Treasury Department

Michigan Retirement

About Muskegon

Important Michigan Pension Tax Law Changes to Know About

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About Muskegon

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