@Dave Foster Any info on where my deductions fall into that?  

. :)I had initially asked Verizon to install the new wire, but since it's not a new account they said it's not an option (I can write a whole post about the mistakes and misinformation I was given by their employees in the past week.

By and large, these companies and their employees are leaving high tax, high real estate cost, California.

@Dave Foster great insight!

@Dave Foster thanks for tagging me.

There are a lot of reasons people don't go full out in both...two are;lack of consistent cash flow for living expenses and it becomes nearly impossible to do conventional financing for at least 2 years as you don't have any w2 income and most will require 2 years tax returns for self employeed income.

One of the reasons I got into this in the first place is my foster sister lost both her job and her home to the recession and was forced into bankruptcy.

I also get no employee match at work!

@Dave Foster Dave, thanks for the good point about 1031.

I was a contractor employee there.