Address

[Boomer Express]

Which states are the best to claim as permanent address? Do you have to go there once a year to renew truck registration, etc?

Soon -to-be-ft

[Clay L]

The three most popular seem to be SD, TX, and FL

We use SD.
Registration and plates can be done by mail. At this point drivers licenses have to be done in person at any DMV office in the state. Last May when we renewed ours the clerk said they were working on setting up an online renewal.

SD does not have vehicle inspection.
TX does but you don't have to have it done until you go back to the state.
The tax on new RVs is 3% in SD and I think 5% in TX.

We were driving through SD when we decided to move from NH and went with SD. I am a native Texan and if we had been there or had planned to go there soon we probably would have used TX instead.

[RickO]

Clay's right about the three most popular states. We chose Texas because the Escapee's club made it very easy to "become a real Texan".... although I think "real Texans" probably have a problem with that

No income tax and very reasonable registration fees swayed us. California wanted $2400/yr to register my 4 year old coach. Texas is about $200.

good luck...

Rick

[stepside454]

Our daughter lives in Arlington, tx. Would there be any problem using her address as our residance. Or would that create some tax issues ?

[RickO]

I think the issue is that you have to claim a state as your domicile. I would think you could certainly choose Texas and use her address. But, you would be a Texas citizen and be bound by their laws and taxes. Not sure if that would cause tax issues for you or not. Some folks draw state pensions which require that they live in the state while drawing it but....

Rick

[Bob and Inga]

Our choice was to use Good Sam's mail forwarding service based in Pensacola, FL. Annual tag ran $146.50 for two years the last time we renewed and they have no annual inspections. The service is $10 per month plus the postage cost when you have mail forwarded. No state income tax or property tax on our vehicles. We did pay sales tax of around 6%, on the Bounder, but on the car we did not has we received credit for the tax paid in another state.

Bob

PS my wife collects her RI state pension with no problems. I have never heard that you have to live in the same state and would think that it would not hold up in court.

[paz]

To expand on what Clay L said about renewing drivers license in SD - it only has to be done every 5 years, but you do have to go in person.

[Barbaraok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stepside454 Our daughter lives in Arlington, tx. Would there be any problem using her address as our residance. Or would that create some tax issues ?

The Arlington address will trigger the "enhanced" vehicle inspections, which are more expensive.

Our DD and SIL also live in the metroplex, but we wouldn't think of imposing on them to have to resend mail, etc. all of the time. We find it much more convenient to use the Escapees mail forwarding service and have the Livingston address. I figure we will impose enough when we are old and decrepit.

Barb

[Bob and Inga]

FYI,

Barb raises an interesting problem, the USPS will not forward mail to certain addresses and the mail forwarding services seem to be included.

We tried to change all of our known stuff that got mailed to us. Even went and filled out the 'junk mail' form to stop that crap. Being afraid we might miss one or two, we did the USPS mail forwarding request to my DW's D. That creates a whole new address for the 'junk mailers' to send more junk to. And believe me, it comes big time.

Just something to watch out for.

Bob

[FDchief]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob and Inga We did pay sales tax of around 6%, on the Bounder, but on the car we did not has we received credit for the tax paid in another state.

Why did you owe 6% sales tax on your Bounder, was it because you had never previously paid sales taxes on it? I will be a Florida resident next year and will learn from others what to expect.

[Bob and Inga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FDchief Why did you owe 6% sales tax on your Bounder, was it because you had never previously paid sales taxes on it? I will be a Florida resident next year and will learn from others what to expect.

That is exactly right. After signing up with Good Sam's mail forwarding service (based in Pensacola), we then took a winter vacation to FL. We had made appointments online to get our driver's licenses (Orlando area) and that was a piece of cake. We then spent a couple of nights in the Tampa area where we ordered the Bounder new from Lazydays. It would take 8 - 9 weeks to build it.

We went back just before Memorial Day to take delivery of the Bounder, Lazydays handled the taxes and tags (we just paid) and we were on our way north a couple of days later.

The next winter while at a Bounder Rally in the Clemont area we changed the RI plates in for FL tags. Anyone familiar with RI's DMV will be amazed with how easy it is to conduct business in FL. We could not believe it was so simple and straighforward. Some states have their heads in the sand when it comes to this stuff.

We have been very pleased with our decision to use Good Sam and FL as our home base. Insurance is on the high side, but the low tag cost, lack of state income tax, no property tax on the Bounder or Fusion, no annual inspection, great winter weather, etc. all which more than offsets the insurance costs. We in a nutshell are two very happy full timers (I can't say happy campers, as what we do is simply not camping, TV's, Furnace, AC's, W/D, Hot Water, Cold beer, etc.).

Bob

[FDchief]

Thanks Bob.

[ralper]

SD is the least expensive state in which to be a resident.
My mail forewarding co. is: My Home Address in Emery, SD. The smaller the town where you "live" the less expensive the vehicle insurance.
My mail forewarding co. registers my vehicles for me yearly. Drivers license renews each 5 years and it must be done in person.

[RVhauler]

FL drivers license can be renewed by mail however if you have a commerical license then that must be renewed in person. Vehicules which have been registed in another state for at least 6 months with sales tax paid to another state is exempt from tax or at least was. now days who knows from one day to the next. I also went to county clerk and signed papers which stated I was a resident of FL which was notarized and filed ($10 I believe) for additional proof if needed in the future