When bills to ban gender-affirming care swept through Texas last summer, Charley and his partner knew it was time to leave. Their move to Minnesota didn’t feel like moving in the traditional sense – it felt like fleeing, they told MPR News.

Since Nov. 5, many more queer and trans people have been planning financially to move to a different state or a different country with laws protecting LGBTQ+ rights and access to healthcare.

Nearly half of transgender Americans – 47% – have considered leaving their home states due to anti-LGBTQ legislation, according to a 2024 National Center for Transgender Equality survey.

President-elect Donald Trump ran on an anti-trans campaign, threatening our community’s basic rights and access to healthcare. The day after his election, Republicans introduced 32 new anti-trans bills, adding to the 600+ that have already been introduced in the last few years.

I’ve been writing about the financial impact of anti-trans legislation on our communities since 2022. I work as a financial coach at Queer & Trans Wealth, where I serve clients who have short-term and long-term plans to move to a safer state. I’ve moved to cities including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to find communities outside of my very Catholic upbringing in the suburbs of St. Louis, Mo.

I know firsthand how difficult it is to pack up your whole life and move to a new city for your safety. Here are 5 money tips for people who need to move before Trump is inaugurated on January 20 — or within a year of his inauguration, because, let’s face it, moving is hella expensive:

To improve your credit score quickly, increase your credit limit

According to online rental marketplace ApartmentList, most landlords look for a credit score of at least 650 to approve a tenant for an apartment without a cosigner. Some landlords in cities with more competitive housing markets require higher credit scores.

One of the fastest ways to increase your credit score is to call your credit card company and ask for a credit limit increase.

The biggest factor that impacts your credit score is your credit utilization ratio, which is how much debt you have compared to your credit limit. To find your ratio, add the total balances on your credit cards and divide by your total credit limits. For example, if you have three cards with the following balances:

Your total balance is $5,500 and your total limit is $10,000. $5,500 ÷ $10,000 gives you a credit utilization ratio of 55%. A credit utilization ratio of 30% or lower yields a higher credit score.

In this example, to lower your credit utilization ratio to 30%, you must ask your credit card companies to raise your limit for a total increase of $8,000. This can look like:

A few caveats:

• You must be in good standing with your credit card companies (i.e., no missed or late payments) and have proof of income to be approved for an increased credit limit.
• This method only works if you don’t increase your credit card balances — that means you have to stop using them altogether.
• If you struggle with compulsive spending or if you rely on your credit cards to bridge the gap between your income and expenses, this method is not recommended. Increasing your credit limit might get you into more debt in the long run.

For trans people who have changed their name legally: Change your name on your credit report

Trans people who have changed their names often struggle with split credit reports. This happens when some financial records are listed under your deadname, while others are listed under your lived name.

It takes some time for your name change to reflect on your credit report, yet you’ll need a clean credit report to get approved for an apartment. Start the process now by creating an account with the three major credit bureaus:

• Experian 1-888-397-3742
• Equifax 1-88-378-4329
• TransUnion 1-800-916-8800

For Experian and Equifax, you only need to send a letter and a copy of your name and court order for your gender marker change using their online portal. TransUnion requires you to change your name with every financial institution listed on your credit report first — extremely transphobic, and quite ironic, given that their name is TransUnion.

You may call the phone numbers listed above to follow up with each credit bureau.

Make a timeline for your move and break down savings goals into smaller milestones

Some people feel the need to move right now, or, at the very least, before Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Again, that’s valid and totally understandable.

However, some people simply don’t have the financial privilege to make that happen so quickly. If you need to wait to move, break down your savings goal into smaller milestones so they’re easier to achieve.

Let’s say, for example, that you need $5,700 to move to a new city. For a single individual with no dependents, that cost breakdown could look like this:

• $3,000 for the security deposit, first month’s rent, and application fees for an apartment shared with a roommate
• $1,250 for new furniture
• $950 to spend on food for the first two months
• $500 for gas

Breaking that goal into smaller milestones can help you understand how much to cut back on living expenses or how much you need to earn in side gigs each month.

To save $5,700 in 6 months, you’ll need to save $950 per month or $237.50 per week. $5,700 in 12 months breaks down to $475 per month or $118.75 per week.

In my financial coaching practice, I notice a lot of clients fall off their savings goals when they don’t have a clear idea of when to stop working extra hours. Some people might take on an extra side gig without knowing when to stop, but they end up burning themselves out completely. Instead of saving the extra money they’ve earned, they end up buying fast food or takeout because they don’t have enough time to cook anymore.

Knowing your exact weekly or monthly goals can help you stay on track in the long run.

Make a speculative budget to account for a cost-of-living increase

Unfortunately, living in a state where queer and trans rights are protected tends to be a little more expensive.

In my newsletter, I recently broke down the average cost of living in the 23 safest states for trans people. From numbers in the Bureau of Economic’s Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Report for 2023, I noticed that the cost of living in safe states increased by 6.6% compared to 4.2% for the rest of the country.

I recommend comparing the cost of living in your current state and the state you’re planning to live in. For example, if you’re moving from Montana to California, prepare for a cost-of-living increase of 17%.

Here’s how to do that math:

• Find the cost of living in your current state on this map. (Montana: $55,264)
• Find the cost of living in your new state on this map. (California: $64,835)
• Find the difference between the two states: (California $64,835 – Montana $55,264 = $9,571)
• Divide the difference by the cost of living in your current state: (Difference $9,571 ÷ Montana $55,264 = 17% increase)

Next, make a list of your monthly living expenses. For example:

• Rent: $950
• Utilities: $100
• Food: $650
• Gas: $225
• Fun & entertainment: $250
• Total: $2,175
• Total without rent: $1,225

Take all the categories besides rent and multiply that amount by 117%. ($1,225 x 1.17 = $1,433.25)

Add that to the amount that you expect to pay in rent. For example, maybe you found a new place with a roommate that costs $1,400 per month. Your new total monthly expenses accounting for a cost-of-living increase is about $2,850.

This means you need to increase your monthly income by at least $675 to cover the cost of living in your new state.

Budget for temporary housing

If you don’t have a job or any cash savings that can help you secure an apartment, be prepared to pay for temporary housing, like a hostel or an Airbnb reserved for at least 30 days.

Alternatively, make a list of shelters in the city you plan to move to. For example, in Los Angeles, the LGBT Center has a housing program for youth ages 18 to 24 who are experiencing homelessness. Reach Across LA provides a list of organizations that support queer and trans folx experiencing homelessness.

Lastly, find apps, forums, or sites that can point you to safe parking lots where you can sleep in your car for a few nights, if you’re really in a pinch. In Los Angeles, there’s an organization called Safe Parking that has a map of safe overnight parking you can use.

Leo Aquino (he/they) is an award-winning independent journalist covering anti-capitalist personal finance at Queer & Trans Wealth. Leo is also a trauma-informed financial coach and educator who provides affordable services for queer, trans, and BIPOC communities.