Do American Liveaboards Have To Be State Residents?

[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?

[Cheechako]

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?

[John A]

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.

[Hud3]

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.

[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.

[Hudson Force]

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.

[sarafina]

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!

[sailorboy1]

you all need to move to New Hampshrine - no income tax, no sales tax

state motto; Live Free or Die

[boatman61]

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

Wits the 'Illegal Immigrant Policy...?'

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Wits the 'Illegal Immigrant Policy...?'

hey, we need our lawns mowed just like everywhere else so come on over

[boatman61]

And you live Where...??
Good for a Referal... GC wise...??

[David M]

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.

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.

[Rakuflames]

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?

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.

[tropicalescape]

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.

True ..if you make any money outside the country you stil file Fed.tax returns...DVC

[S/V Antares]

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?