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23-12-2011, 08:34
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#1
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One of Those
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Colorado
Boat: Catalac 12M (sold)
Posts: 3,218
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Do American Liveaboards Have To Be State Residents?
We've got a question. We are presently US citizens who are residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands. We pay a butte-load of US Federal income taxes. We don't pay any state income taxes, and minimal property taxes in the US.
We are working toward a situation where we spend two months a year in the US travelling around in an RV, and then sailing around between the TCI, Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America for about six months of the year, and the rest of the time on our property here. If we could drop our residency here, it would save us some money.
So I am curious as to what full time liveaboard Americans do when on the boat and out of the USA for most of the year. Do you still have to pick some state to be your residence?
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23-12-2011, 08:55
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,514
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Well........ no one ever asked, but we did have a mailing address, I imagine that's all you would need. Who would check any further?
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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23-12-2011, 09:33
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Vancouver, Wash.
Boat: no longer on my Cabo Rico 38 Sanderling
Posts: 1,810
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
As with everything else in life, it depends.
If you drop your residency in the T&C do you then become a toursit, unable to either work or own property in the T&C?
I don't know of any state that would issue you a drivers license without a valid address in that state. Upon returning from cruising I found that to prove residency in the state of Washington I had to produce two months worth of two different utility bills to prove that I lived in that state.
Dealing with banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, and verious levels of Government that you are a citizen of, is easier with a US mailing address.
You should be aware that Federal and State tax offices trade data with each other. And with the increased cooperation between foreign countries and the Dept. of Homeland Security nothing is secret anymore.
I had a mailing address in States and officialy was on a vacation.
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23-12-2011, 10:18
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#4
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CF Adviser Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Virginia
Boat: Island Packet 380, now sold
Posts: 8,942
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
No, you don't have to be a resident of any state, unless you want to vote and/or have a US drivers license. We live outside the US and travel back for visits totally maybe 2 months per year. We don't own any real estate in the US. We chose to be residents of Florida so we could legally get Florida drivers licenses and vote in federal and state elections by absentee ballot. To do that we signed up with St Brendan's Isle, a mail forwarding service located in Green Cove Springs, FL. If you're not a legal resident of any other state, you can be "domiciled" in Florida with all the privileges of a resident who physically lives there. The good thing about Florida is that it has no state income tax, no tax on investments, and no death taxes. Having the mail forwarding address there allows us to have US credit cards, and other financial accounts that require a US address.
__________________
Hud
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23-12-2011, 11:46
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Boat: Mason 53
Posts: 652
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
G'day, mate. Unless, you denounce your citizenship to the U.S.A. you are always liable for the appropriate amount due to them. When we left our former state, we sent a letter to them formally ending our domicile in that state. Each state has different guidelines to determine if you are still domiciled, so you have to do some careful research. Maybe you can get your citizenship in the T&C. Happy Holidays. Cheers.
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23-12-2011, 12:32
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#6
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Lived aboard & cruised for 45 years,- now on a chair in my walk-in closet.
Boat: Morgan OI 413 1973 - Aythya
Posts: 8,464
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Like Hud3, we have our legal residence with St. Brendans Isle in Green Cove Springs, Florida. This has been our address for the last ten years and it's on our driver's license, passports, voter's registration.....everything. We have had no conflicts and no concerns.
__________________
Take care and joy, Aythya crew
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23-12-2011, 12:47
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#7
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Moderator... short for Cat Wrangler
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: San Francisco
Boat: Cal 28 Flush Deck
Posts: 5,559
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Would an international drivers license be one element of working this out perhaps?
Some military personnel select states with no personal income tax for residency.
Interesting puzzle!
__________________
Sara
ain't what ya do, it's the way that ya do it...
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23-12-2011, 13:00
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#8
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CLOD
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: being planted in Jacksonville Fl
Boat: none
Posts: 20,415
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
you all need to move to New Hampshrine - no income tax, no sales tax
state motto; Live Free or Die
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
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23-12-2011, 13:23
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#9
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,616
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Lucas
you all need to move to New Hampshire - no income tax, no sales tax
state motto; Live Free or Die
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Wits the 'Illegal Immigrant Policy...?'
__________________
You can't beat a people up (for 75yrs+) and have them say..
"I Love You.. ". Murray Roman.
Yet the 'useful idiots' still dance to the beat of the drums.
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23-12-2011, 13:28
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#10
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CLOD
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: being planted in Jacksonville Fl
Boat: none
Posts: 20,415
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Quote:
Originally Posted by boatman61
Wits the 'Illegal Immigrant Policy...?'
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hey, we need our lawns mowed just like everywhere else so come on over
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
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23-12-2011, 14:25
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Boat: Research vessel for a university, retired now.
Posts: 10,406
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Quote:
Originally Posted by matauwhi
G'day, mate. Unless, you denounce your citizenship to the U.S.A. you are always liable for the appropriate amount due to them. When we left our former state, we sent a letter to them formally ending our domicile in that state. Each state has different guidelines to determine if you are still domiciled, so you have to do some careful research. Maybe you can get your citizenship in the T&C. Happy Holidays. Cheers.
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I have read the same, the only way to get out of paying US federal tax is to renounce your citizenship. It does not matter where in the world you reside, if you are a US citizen, you pay those taxes.
__________________
David
Life begins where land ends.
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23-12-2011, 16:17
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#13
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cruiser
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Tampa Bay area
Boat: Hunter 31'
Posts: 5,731
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canibul
We've got a question. We are presently US citizens who are residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands. We pay a butte-load of US Federal income taxes. We don't pay any state income taxes, and minimal property taxes in the US.
We are working toward a situation where we spend two months a year in the US travelling around in an RV, and then sailing around between the TCI, Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America for about six months of the year, and the rest of the time on our property here. If we could drop our residency here, it would save us some money.
So I am curious as to what full time liveaboard Americans do when on the boat and out of the USA for most of the year. Do you still have to pick some state to be your residence?
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You'll have to have a driver's license, and the RV will have to be registered in one state or another ...
I would suggest one that doesn't have income tax.
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23-12-2011, 16:25
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#14
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: north carolina
Boat: command yachtsdouglas32
Posts: 3,113
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Quote:
Originally Posted by David M
I have read the same, the only way to get out of paying US federal tax is to renounce your citizenship. It does not matter where in the world you reside, if you are a US citizen, you pay those taxes.
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True ..if you make any money outside the country you stil file Fed.tax returns...DVC
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23-12-2011, 17:57
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Annapolis, Bahamas
Boat: 1983 Gulfstar 36
Posts: 1,253
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Re: Do American liveaboards have to be State residents?
Check out South Dakota for RV registration. It appears to be the "Green Cove springs" for the RV set.
If you work outside the US I thought you did not pay taxes (Income) up to a fixed amount?
__________________
Will & Muffin
Lucy the dog
"Yes, well.. perhaps some more wine" (Julia Child)
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