State Taxes in USA

[UNCIVILIZED]

While looking into this, also consider that some states which may not ding you for income tax, may get you for property tax. This on a boat that you may or may not have already paid them on, is registered elsewhere, etc.
So you could be taxed 2 ways, 1, or (theoretiically) none.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Which mail forwarding service are you using. Do you like them?

St Brendan's Isle, and I don't have enough experience with them yet to make an educated comment. I went through them based on many glowing reports on this forum and to my knowledge no bad ones.
So far as it being illegal, I don't think so. Even though I will have no physical presence, I believe legally I have to live somewhere. For 20 yrs in the Army I was a resident of Wakulla Co Fl, yet in those 20 years except maybe for passing through I was never in the State of Fl.
Being on the boat I think we can truly say that most likely at least 50% of the time we will be in the US, will likely be in Fl.
I just started my account with St Brendans' Isle, they sent me the forms etc., I have not even filled out the ones for residency, drivers license, voting etc. In truth I have not even looked at them.
However I have to "live" somewhere, why not establish residency this way?
This way I have a permanent home of record that the FAA requires for my IA Certificate and I am certain that to continue to get my Retirement pay from the Army I have to have a permanent home of record.
Home of record is an Army term, it was usually point of enlistment, but not always.
My boat since I have bought it, has always been registered in Fl, so now we move aboard in a couple of months. Seems reasonable that now I should be a Fl resident?
If not, then what State?


I believe it is illegal if say I continued to work and stay in Georgia, that is why I have not completed and sent in the forms yet, I am still working and living in Ga. That changes last day of May

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I am still working and living in Ga. That changes last day of May

Getting close. Congratulations on your new cruising life.

We have another 2 years to get where you are, but have to start planning now.

We have many friend that live in Florida, so an initial address will not be a problem.

We just need to get mail when cruising and not burden our friends with getting our mail.

[George DuBose]

I have a US-flagged and USCG documented sailboat that is in The Netherlands. South Carolina got wind of my purchase of the sailboat in NY and tried to charge me property tax, but the boat was never in SC. They backed off right away. My mailing address for the USCG documentation was in SC, but the boat was not.

I would just document your boat and then NOT stay in the waters of any state that insists you register the boat with them after a certain time period.

I don't believe there is any law that says you must have a state registration or a documentation, but if you travel outside the US, you have to have some kind of registration and if you stay too long in one state, you may have to register in that state.

Document and keep moving.

In the Netherlands, there is no property tax or registration fees, even for the Dutch boats.

[RickG]

St. Brendan's Isle is what we are looking at for late next year. Here is a how-to from Carolyn at The Boat Galley.

https://theboatgalley.com/establishi...brendans-isle/

It would have been nice to register our boat and establish residency in FL as soon as we purchased it. But, the reality is that we will be living in Maryland for more than six months to start. Given that, we will not owe FL sales tax when we do register.

Cheers, RickG

[freelandken]

https://theboatgalley.com/establishi...brendans-isle/

This may help.

[buzzstar]

Based on the replies, I'd guess you were thinking income tax. I had initially thought property tax on your boat. Was going to suggest there was a possible "lien date," and I was unsure if it applied where you were registered, or at all if you were at sea. The St. Brendan's Isle thing is a memory for the future.

[Jetmex]

Originally Posted by freelandken

https://theboatgalley.com/establishi...brendans-isle/

This may help.

Well that didn't work...

[AfterHoursNLCT]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Based on the replies, I'd guess you were thinking income tax. I had initially thought property tax on your boat. Was going to suggest there was a possible "lien date," and I was unsure if it applied where you were registered, or at all if you were at sea. The St. Brendan's Isle thing is a memory for the future.

I'm thinking he was talking personal property tax and everyone else was getting income tax out of it....

[Journeys End]

No. I am talking strictly state income tax. If you lived in Jersey, you'd know that it can be up to 8.6%!!! Sucks!

[CaptsWife]

Originally Posted by Jetmex

Well that didn't work...

Once you're on that site, do a search for "mail forwarding". That site will come up.

[friz]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

There is a firm in South Dakota that I know a lot of RVers and expats living in Mexico use. I just went to their website and the one night stay at their place sets residence (for driver's license and registration) and according to their FAQ the federal government requires you to stay there one night every 5 years to keep your license. This is about more than tax avoidance, but also ease of compliance with things like car registration, mail and driver's license.

If you do work in a state that has income tax you're going to get dinged. Luckily I'm close enough to the end of my career to just not go there.

So, would you pass along the name of the web site? Also the federal gov't does not issue South Dakota driver's licenses. Per chance you meant the state gov't?

[dwedeking2]

Here is the website: Americas-Mailbox Home - mail forwarding - Americas-Mailbox

Their FAQ page had the comment about federal requirement: FAQs

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by Training Wheels

I just talked to SBI last week. They told me I had to have a residence address (relative, friend, etc.) to get residence and a Florida drivers license. Any body live in Florida?

Yes, you do need a Florida address, but you don't have to physically live there. You simply rent a Personal Mailbox (PMB) at St Brendan's Isle. I'd suggest you ask to talk with the manager there to confirm this, because I did this about 10 years ago. I don't think the state has changed it's requirements, based on the current information on the SBI website, but it wouldn't hurt to check.

This was our experience: SBI sent me the forms to apply for residency (the state uses the term "domicile"), we filled them out and sent them back, and they walked them over the the Clay County courthouse. A couple of weeks later, we received our Certificates of Domicile in the mail signed by the Clerk of the Court, and forwarded from SBI. We were living outside the US full-time, and owned no real estate nor any other property in Florida or any other state. SBI handled our voter registration, also.

We had to show up in person to apply for our driver licenses, which require an eye exam and a photo. It was simple; we filled out forms, provided our passports, social security cards, and copies of a financial statement and a credit card bill sent to us at SBI as proof of our address, and that was that.

Here are the requirements, which I just copied from the SBI website...

Florida Residency:

In order to establish your domicile in Florida you need to take one or more of the following actions to indicate your intent:

File a Declaration of Domicile form with the Clay County courthouse, located in Green Cove Springs, FL
Obtain a Florida Driver’s License
Register to vote in Florida
Declare Florida residency on a personal income tax return
When moving from another state you may want to check with your Attorney, CPA or the State’s Department of Revenue regarding any steps needed to validate your move.

Florida Voter Registration:

The State of Florida allows you to register and vote in all Federal and State elections.
Registration must be completed 29 days before an election and may be done either in person at the Clay County Supervisor of Elections Office in Green Cove Springs or online at: Clay County Supervisor of Elections > Home
In both cases you are required to provide:
A copy of your FL Declaration of Domicile Form
A copy of your Florida Driver’s License
A completed Voter Registration Form
Source: Supervisor of Elections, Clay County, FL Clay County Supervisor of Elections > Home

Florida Driver’s License:

To obtain a Florida Driver’s License you will be required to pass an eye examination, surrender your out of state driver license and provide the following documents:

Driver’s License
Passport or Birth Certificate
If you decide to use your Birth Certificate and have ever legally changed your name by marriage or court order, you must submit the original or a certified copy of your marriage certificate or court order. (Church issued Marriage Licenses will not be accepted.)
Social Security Card or last year’s 1099 or W2
Proofs of Residency (2 Pieces of Mail)
From a Bank
From a Brokerage Firm
From an Insurance Company
From a Finance Company
From a Government agency
Credit Card Bill

[Journeys End]

Thanks so much!