Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > RV LIFE STYLES FORUMS > Full-Timers
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-17-2017, 10:45 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 5
Washington State Domicile

Hi folks. DW and I are starting to plan for retirement in the next couple of years. We've been residents of Washington for the last 20 years or so, and are looking into the pros and cons of staying domiciled in WA.

The last data on the forums seems to be from a few years ago so I thought I'd dive in and ask.

Pro:
I already have established domicile here with a long history.
No income tax
No vehicle safety inspection
No special driver's license for RVs
Relatively low annual registration fees
6 year driver's license with renew by mail.

Con:
High sales tax on RV purchase.
Emissions testing required in some counties but you can file an out of state form and not do testing until you get back.

Unknown:
Health care. We are in our early 50s so no Medicare for a bit. Washington has its own ACA exchange but I don't know if they have any PPO that you can use when traveling.

What other wisdom do you all have? Any ideas on the state of ACA with regard to Washington (yes, I know it can all change on a moment's notice but I've got to plan from something).

Thanks!
ciaran is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 07-17-2017, 11:36 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mariposa, CA
Posts: 3,926
Quote:
Originally Posted by ciaran View Post
DW and I are starting to plan for retirement in the next couple of years. We've been residents of Washington for the last 20 years or so, and are looking into the pros and cons of staying domiciled in WA.

We are in our early 50s so no Medicare for a bit. Washington has its own ACA exchange but I don't know if they have any PPO that you can use when traveling.
Wait until you're 65 to retire because you'll be eligible for Medicare then. Otherwise you'll have about a decade of paying for your own health insurance.

If you retired in 2017, you may be able to get a WA ACA health plan with a nationwide network. BCBS Regence has PPO and EPO plans that I think have national networks. You can check here: WA Exchange.

However, until the whole "repeal Obamacare" thing is settled, I wouldn't risk going full time if I had to purchase my own health insurance . . . unless of course you're cash flush.
__________________
2003 - 2010: 2004 35' National RV Sea Breeze LX 8341
2010 - 2021: 2001 41' Newmar Mountain Aire 4095
2021 - ???? : 2001 31' National RV Sea View 8311
TechWriter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2017, 11:50 AM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 5
Thanks. We are not waiting until 65 - that's the point
ciaran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2017, 12:31 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mariposa, CA
Posts: 3,926
Quote:
Originally Posted by ciaran View Post
Thanks. We are not waiting until 65 - that's the point
Ok. Then here's a conservative estimate of what you would spend on WA ACA health insurance premiums -- just the premiums over a 10-year span . . . $166,000.

That's based on the least expensive WA PPO plan I found ($1100/mon for two 55-year-olds), figuring a 5% per year increase -- which is very conservative -- and paying full price (no subsidies).

Also check out this site: www.rverinsurance.com for other options.
__________________
2003 - 2010: 2004 35' National RV Sea Breeze LX 8341
2010 - 2021: 2001 41' Newmar Mountain Aire 4095
2021 - ???? : 2001 31' National RV Sea View 8311
TechWriter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2017, 10:33 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Barbaraok's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Traveling in North America
Posts: 2,248
What are you going to do about mail service. How will you vote? Jury Duty?
__________________
Barbara & David O'Keeffe
Figment II (Alpine 2002 36 MDDS)
On The Road since 2006
Blog
Barbaraok is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2017, 10:40 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Mr_D's Avatar
 
Country Coach Owners Club
Solo Rvers Club
iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
As I understand it WA (been a resident for 70+ years now) requires a property address to claim residency in the state, not just a mailbox. They don't want people claiming to be residents that don't own/rent property here.
And I want to stay a WA resident yet be full timing it. Right now I still own the S&B house that my late DW and I bought over 30 years ago but I plan on trying to sell it next year.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
Mr_D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2017, 04:03 PM   #7
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 5
From my reading of the law (and I'm not a lawyer) a physical property residence address is only one of the factors that they take into consideration.

Here is a link to the law in the Washington Administrative Code:
WAC 250-18-030: Establishment of a domicile.

Any WA attorneys out there who want to weigh in?
ciaran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2017, 04:04 PM   #8
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 5
There are multiple mail forwarding services (some were set up for sailors, for example). Washington is a vote by mail state so that's not a problem. Jury duty - well, thats an issue. But it, like taxes, is the price we pay for our society. We would have to determine if that was enough of an issue to seek domicile elsewhere.
ciaran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2017, 09:00 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Barbaraok's Avatar
 
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Traveling in North America
Posts: 2,248
Quote:
Originally Posted by ciaran View Post
There are multiple mail forwarding services (some were set up for sailors, for example). Washington is a vote by mail state so that's not a problem. Jury duty - well, thats an issue. But it, like taxes, is the price we pay for our society. We would have to determine if that was enough of an issue to seek domicile elsewhere.
But will the address set up for sailors, work for you for DL/vehicle registrations/voting, etc. If so, great. When we looked at becoming WA residents again, we couldn't do it with the mail service that we found, plus we were already residents of Texas, so it made it easier to stay Texas residents.
__________________
Barbara & David O'Keeffe
Figment II (Alpine 2002 36 MDDS)
On The Road since 2006
Blog
Barbaraok is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2017, 09:14 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
vsheetz's Avatar


 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 15,749
Is the emissions testing applicable to a diesel?
__________________
Vince and Susan
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH (Cummins ISC/Freightliner)
Flat towing a modified 2005 Jeep (Rubicon Wrangler)
Previously a 2002 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A and a 1995 Safari Trek 2830.
vsheetz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2017, 09:26 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Runaway4002's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Graham, WA
Posts: 222
With the new RTA tax included in your license tabs, (nearly 1% of your coach's MSRP), license tabs are a real consideration. This only applies if you live in Pierce, King or Snohomish Counties and is effective starting in 2017. As an example, our 2015 Ventana 4002 in Pierce County would have tabs over $3,800 but in Lewis County it is under $200. We sold our WA house last year but own commercial property in WA, are full time since April 2016, and do not own a house anywhere. We expect to be full time for at least 5 more years and then buy a home again in WA and become snowbirds. Based on all this we chose to keep our WA residency but not in Pierce County. I hope this helps and good luck on your early retirement and full timing.
__________________
Mike & Mary Favors (RUNAWAY)
2018 BayStar Sport 2812 -Replaced 2015 Ventana 4002
Emma, Margarita, Cami & Noel (Furry kids)
Runaway4002 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 10:07 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 164
Sorry to be jumping in this late. I maintain Washington residency and do business there as an health insurance broker.

There is only one off-Exchange PPO plan in Washington with nationwide coverage....sorta....and it's going away in 2018. There is nothing on the Exchange. A better state for nationwide coverage is Oregon, which has cheap RV registration and no sales tax. But.... it does have a pesky income tax.

With ACA likely to stay, a common strategy for my full time RV-er clients is to maintain a low income, supplement it with savings. This can maximize an ACA subsidy and keep the income tax exposure lower. YMMV

Hope this helps.
Greg Schoenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 11:29 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mariposa, CA
Posts: 3,926
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Schoenberg View Post
There is only one off-Exchange PPO plan in Washington with nationwide coverage....sorta....and it's going away in 2018. There is nothing on the Exchange.
So none of the Regence BlueShield plans offer nationwide coverage?
__________________
2003 - 2010: 2004 35' National RV Sea Breeze LX 8341
2010 - 2021: 2001 41' Newmar Mountain Aire 4095
2021 - ???? : 2001 31' National RV Sea View 8311
TechWriter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2017, 09:50 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Dick1142's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Underwood WA
Posts: 451
Quote:
Originally Posted by ciaran View Post
There are multiple mail forwarding services (some were set up for sailors, for example). Washington is a vote by mail state so that's not a problem. Jury duty - well, thats an issue. But it, like taxes, is the price we pay for our society. We would have to determine if that was enough of an issue to seek domicile elsewhere.
We are not full time, but do spend 6+ months a year out of state. Jury duty has not been a problem. If our name comes up when we are out of state we simply tell them we are not available and why. Never an issue or problem.
__________________
Bev & Dick and Fuzzy the cat
2005 Safari Cheetah 38
2009 Honda CRV dinghy
Dick1142 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Washington state domicile - Vancouver area lnanne Full-Timers 16 02-08-2016 11:09 PM
State by state domicile comparison? MSHappyCampers Full-Timers 9 08-28-2015 03:31 PM
Dash Pt. State Park Washington State 9/2014 Rvbuzz Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 1 09-07-2014 11:54 AM
Ike Kinswa State Park, Washington State NatureCalls Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 3 06-02-2011 09:50 AM
Washington State veterans with 30% VA disability camp for Free in washington Jack R Military / Veteran RVing 1 10-05-2009 05:24 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:29 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.