Where to Domicile - RV-Dreams Community Forum

luvn2rv · RV-Dreams Community Member

Where to Domicile

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

Start your research on Howard's domicile page. There are many factors to consider not the least of which is how "cleanly" you choose set up your chosen domicile from a legal perspective - an incredibly hotly debated topic on many forums. Howard has a very clean approach.

blijil · RV-Dreams Family Member

We too have been considering the question and are beginning to realise that you have to do the same things anywhere you move. Finding the best fit for your personal financial situation is part of the equation and finding a location that will fit with your style and habits is not a small part of the equation. It seems hardest to make a decision, after all if we really mess up we can change if necessary.

Personally we would like somewhere like the Big Rock Candy Mountain.

Larry and Jacki

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

As we look forward to selling our house in NJ, I found out something this week. If you sell and are moving out of state, and the realtor knows this, you are charged a 4% selling tax that goes to NJ. Another thing our dear ex governor Mc Greedy left us with. You can bet I will keep our official residency in NJ for at least a little while!

D and J · RV-Dreams Family Member

do you have any "existing conditions" in regards to you and your spouse health??

If you change states, the insurance companies do not have to (and won't) cover any existing conditions (including prescriptions)

We just applied for health insurance in SD and basically, because of the high deductibles, it is only "disaster coverage" for hospital or surgery.

My wife and I will never satisfy the deductible with our doctor visits and medications. Unless you have a house address in SD, health insurance is very limited and expensive.

We saved money on our tow truck, rig, and an umbrella policy, but if you rely on health insurance numbers from the internet, you will find out that you need a more permanent address in SD than you get with Alternative Resources, or other mail forwarding services in SD.

We were in SD last week for driver licenses and insurance, so I'm sure my facts are up to date. (but I'd love for someone to prove my wrong about the health insurance stuff!! cry

)

Doug

Darrell and Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

We were looking at Michigan vs. South Dakota vs. Texas for residency. Michigan struck out real early because they basically would not support our fulltime status and seemed to go out of their way to make it a hassle to do anything but pay them taxes. South Dakota was the least expensive route (not withstanding the health insurance issues raised by Doug); however, we chose Texas. The Escapees Club is what made the difference. Money isn't everything and the support that the Escapees provides is unsurpassed by anything offered in South Dakota (besides, if you get called for jury duty in January where would you rather go?). Once we get old and tired we may very well go to the Escapees Care Facility which is one of the most affordable assisted living arrangements in the country and if we do we will already be Texas residents. So Texas it is.

I can't agree with RV Dude more about starting with Howard's page on Domicile. We have done everything we can to demonstrate both desire and intent to establish Texas as our domicile. We registered to vote, got our driver's licenses, registered our vehicles, got our phone service with Texas area code, and established all of our records with our Texas address. We did all of the things that we always did when we moved from one state to another except to buy a house. We are Texas residents and as we travel when someone asks where we are from the answer is Livingston, Texas.

Don't base your decision entirely on the dollars, just do what works best for you in the long run and the dollars will take care of themselves. But whatever you do, do it legally and not just to avoid taxes.

Darrell

wmalefyt · RV-Dreams Family Member

We live in Florida and have thought about changing our domicile when we go fulltime. Since we have to buy both a truck and a 5th wheel, the sales tax on those purchases in Florida will be about $6000.00. However, Florida has no income tax and has excellent programs for "senior citizens".

We plan to spend most winters here in southwest Florida and travel the rest of the year. Therefore, we have decided it's not worth saving a few dollars in sales tax to setup a domicile in South Dakota or some other state.

One thing I hadn't researched yet was the issue with health insurance so thanks to Doug for bringing up that important issue!

emeacham · RV-Dreams Family Member

We chose Texas as our home state for some of the reasons already expressed, i.e., the mail forwarding service offered by the Escapees; no state income tax; reasonable vehicle registration costs. Also, Jim has family in Texas so that meant we'd be frequent visitors anyway. We're very blessed in that our health insurance is offered through our pension fund, in which we both participated. Therefore we got very good national coverage which is reasonably priced.

We're in our first year of fulltiming and haven't been to many states yet, but so far, so good. We especially like the mail forwarding service, it is great!

Escapees provided very good information on all the steps we needed to take in order to establish our residency, and it all went very smoothly.

Happy Travels, smile

Ellie

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

We, too, will become Texas residents through Escapees. Leonard is from Louisiana and he has one daughter living in Houston. But, for the short while after selling the house in NJ, we will maintain NJ residency to save the 4% selling tax I mentioned earlier.

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

TX and SD are both very good states to use as residence. We use SD because, at the time, it was best for us.

As I have stated elsewhere on this forum, I believe the most important thing to do is to make the move completely. Do not try to use different states, for different things, to try to save a few dollars. It more than likely will cause you problems later on. Like RV Dude said, make the move "cleanly".

If you do a search for "residency" on this forum, you will find other comments on this subject.

Good luck

brucedelta · RV-Dreams Family Member

We also are selling a home in NJ. I have never heard of this "leaving the state" tax. Are you sure he does not mean the millionaires tax, which comes into play if the property sells for more than a million. That is a wonderful McGreedy legacy.
If I move to DE, where there is no sales tax and then move to TX a year later, how will registration and tax of the RV be handeled?
-- Bruce

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bruce, I asked twice to people who are selling here in NJ. They both said their Realtor told them that the tax applies if you move out of state within 6 months! Now - just how would NJ track this? One is moving within the state, the other out of state. She is using her mothers address for 6 months.

Anyway, we met with our Realton last night. He knows our plans. He never mentioned the tax nor did I ask. However, we will probably sell to our DD. He even said we do not need a Realtor. Just to get a lawyer to handle to paperwork. Should cost around $800. which is a heck of a savings over a Realtors commission.

Phyllis