Bill&Jean Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Currently selling home in Mo. and going full time in a MH. I currently have the MH registered in Fla. and have a physical address there. We both have Mo. drivers licenses. We are wondering if we should change our physical address to Tx. or SD or leave it in Fla.? We would like to move the Driver licenses to the state of the physical address I think. We actually spend the winters in Az. I guess the question is which state has the most advantages for Taxes etc. Thanks, Bill & Jean Bill & Jean O'Dell with Lucy 2014 Tiffin Phaeton QBH 2018 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjwicklund Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Taxes should be the same in all three states more important is health insurance unless your on Medicare. I would stick with Florida if I were you. John 2017 F350 King Ranch DRW 6.7 4.10 B&W hitch 2017 DRV MS 36RSSB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selah Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Why change from Florida. No special drivers license required, no annual vehicle inspection, no personal property tax on vehicles, very low vehicle regesteration cost, no state income tax, and they have a really great mails services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana25k Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 There is an excellent article on the Escapes home page on just this subject There is no "best place". It what us best for you Taxes and medical xcare are just one part of the decision Ron & LindaClass of 20072000 Monaco Diplomat 2005 Honda Element"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail""When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VallAndMo Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Howdy, We've been thinking deeply about this. The best option overall seems to be Florida as John and Selah stated, but as we've no Medicare and we don't plan to stay in or near Florida much if at all, the decision will apparently hang on how much we can save on Obamacare premiums vs how much income tax we will have to pay if we choose to domicile on a state outside Florida but nearer to where we plan to be traveling most (US SW). It would be a much easier decision if we could find good, reasonably priced plans with national coverage in Florida, but at least for the two ZIPs we've checked on HealthSherpa (the ones for Escapees and St. Brendan's Isle mail forwarding services), we could find none. Cheers, -- Vall. Getting ready to join the RV full-time lifestyle in 2017! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zulu Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 There is an excellent article on the Escapes home page on just this subject There is no "best place". It what us best for you Taxes and medical xcare are just one part of the decision If you mean the Escapees "Information Kit" ( a PDF), I couldn't find any info on health care costs, especially pre-Medicare costs. SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubiconwww.rvSeniorMoments.comDISH TV for RVs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whj469 Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I would just get drivers licenses from Florida. Florida is just as good as Texas or SD. I do Texas because I do live here. Medical or Health insurance for pre Medicare is not easy anywhere and good luck with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana25k Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Again its not just about medical insurance although that's a biggy What about protecting your investments, inheritance laws and taxes, vehicle insurance costs etc. Lots of stuff to think about Ron & LindaClass of 20072000 Monaco Diplomat 2005 Honda Element"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail""When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zulu Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 Again its not just about medical insurance although that's a biggy What about protecting your investments, inheritance laws and taxes, vehicle insurance costs etc. Lots of stuff to think about If you're under 65, it's a hugey. If you're over 65 and receiving Medicare, you have more choices than if you're under 65 and have to buy your own health insurance. SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubiconwww.rvSeniorMoments.comDISH TV for RVs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike and Claudia Posted July 8, 2016 Report Share Posted July 8, 2016 The State of Minerva. Although being a Native Texan, I can't imagine not wanting to be a TEXAN. On a more serious vein, I think the advice you have gotten is good. Seems like that you have a foot up in Florida, so if the INSURANCE problem looks good, I would say GO. . And: Don't forget the MANTRA of the Full-time RVer: "Follow the 70 degrees." Traveling America in "God's Grace" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXiceman Posted July 8, 2016 Report Share Posted July 8, 2016 No one state is perfect for everyone. You need to look at the registration for you vehicles, health insurance (if under Medicare age) license requirements, personal property taxes, income tax and sales tax. We were already native Texans and on Medicare, so it was an easy choice. License fees on the vehicles were not an issue, no personal property tax, no income tax and no property tax since we no longer owned property. The drivers license requirement for our truck and trailer (class A non-commercial) was no big deal. Test ws pretty easy and quiet frankly, if you cannot pass the test, you have no right to be driving a larger rig. The state inspection on the truck and trailer is taken care of when we get back to Texas (usually the winter). We get our license tags on line and just check the box that the vehicle is current out of state. You have 72 hours to get it inspected once you return to your destination in Texas. Have fun on the road. Ken Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0zke Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I'd also suggest that you consolidate everything in Florida. You already look like you are a Floridian, so may as well go all the way. Yes, getting health insurance that is actually good anywhere in the country is a problem. I wonder, though, if you could get a policy for where you own your property, then, when you need coverage, call the company and tell them that you are on vacation in wherever you are, and ask them for directions to a doctor that can take care of you in-network. Of course, in our case we went on MediCare about the time we went full-time, so insurance wasn't much of an issue for us. David Lininger, kb0zke 1993 Foretravel U300 40' (sold) 2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrschwarz Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 My wife is pre-medicare. I am not. We were in Texas for more than 25 years and when we went full time, we stayed. Last year, Blue Cross dropped all their PPO plans. All that was available were HMOs. This isn't a great choice for a full timer that doesn't spend a lot of time in the state. Blue Cross in Washington state still offers individual PPOs, a much better option for her, in our opinion. We rented an RV pad from some friends in Washington state and became residents there. Like Texas, there is no property tax on vehicle and no income tax. Unlike Texas, registration fees are much lower and there is no vehicle inspection or special drivers licenses required. Unfortunately, also unlike Texas, Washington sales tax on vehicles includes county and city sales tax. In Texas, it is only the state portion. Also, in Washington, when you move there, they look for the difference in sales tax from what you paid in your home state and what you would have paid in Washington for motor homes. Autos and light trucks are exempt from this rule. When I first tried to register my motor home, they wanted to collect the difference between Texas (6.25, I think) and Washington (8.75, I think) based on the bill of sale 4 years prior. It took a visit to the department of revenue to get the bill reduced to about $650, based on the current value, rather than what I paid for it. Because the registration fees are so much less than Texas, I'll save enough in registration fees to break even in a couple of years. Michael 2017 Allegro Bus 45OPP Cummins ISL 450 Visit us at schwarz.org! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VallAndMo Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Hi Michael, We rented an RV pad from some friends in Washington state and became residents there. Like Texas, there is no property tax on vehicle and no income tax. Unlike Texas, registration fees are much lower and there is no vehicle inspection or special drivers licenses required. Unfortunately, also unlike Texas, Washington sales tax on vehicles includes county and city sales tax. In Texas, it is only the state portion. [...] Because the registration fees are so much less than Texas, I'll save enough in registration fees to break even in a couple of years. Interesting! I just checked HealthSherpa.com and indeed found some pretty interesting PPOs for a random Seattle ZIP. Thanks for posting that info, we are now wandering whether WA could be a viable option for us too. Can you please tell us more about how your WA domicile, specially how you handle postal mail, voting and other domicile things? Cheers, -- Vall. Getting ready to join the RV full-time lifestyle in 2017! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker56 Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 You will need to get FL. drivers license in person. It will be good for 8 years then on renewal it can be done on line. Same with the vehicles after first time registration they can be renewed on line. You can also do it for 2 years at a time if you want. Full Time since Oct. 199999 Discovery 34Q DP | ISBDatastorm | VMSpc | Co-Pilot Live | Pressure Pro2014 MKS Twin Turbo V6 365 HP Toad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegwillen Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 . And: Don't forget the MANTRA of the Full-time RVer: "Follow the 70 degrees." Newbie here....it took me a minute to get this! 16' Taylor Coach TT/Silverado tow vehicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfritz Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 We have been investigating this domicile issue also. Our Alaska home sold this week and we would like to maintain our domicile here as long as we can; need to see how long that is. I am exploring Florida. DH has a CDL and would like to keep it. What issues does that present in FL? In TX? We are both on Medicare ! The supplement is higher every where and the our vehicle insurance is too. 2015 Newmar Dutch Star 4375 Chevy Z71 toad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMD3819 Posted August 15, 2016 Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 I am in a similar situation except we are already in FL and have been many years. We are selling our house and going FT and I am seriously thinking SD because of the insurance costs. We plan on finding someplace cooler to live than FL. The other SD advantage is exemption from jury duty. It is not actually an exemption-it is called something else but you don't have to worry about it. I have jury duty in FL next week and there is no such option on my joy duty notice. Sales tax is less in SD as we have not purchased our FT rig yet. Health care is taken care of for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPII Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 We have been investigating this domicile issue also. Our Alaska home sold this week and we would like to maintain our domicile here as long as we can; need to see how long that is. I am exploring Florida. DH has a CDL and would like to keep it. What issues does that present in FL? In TX? We are both on Medicare ! The supplement is higher every where and the our vehicle insurance is too. No problem with the CDL. Florida will issue it with the exchange of his AK license. I downgraded my CDL class A to a class E since I don't currently need it and it's a pain to keep up with the medical card. FL will upgrade my license if needed in the future. 2013 DRV Mobile Suites 38TKSB3 w/ Hydra Lift motorcycle lift, MorRyde IS suspension, MorRyde hitch pin 2013 Ford F450 w/ Trailer Saver air hitch 2011 BMW R1200RT motorcycle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill&Jean Posted October 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 No one state is perfect for everyone. You need to look at the registration for you vehicles, health insurance (if under Medicare age) license requirements, personal property taxes, income tax and sales tax. We were already native Texans and on Medicare, so it was an easy choice. License fees on the vehicles were not an issue, no personal property tax, no income tax and no property tax since we no longer owned property. The drivers license requirement for our truck and trailer (class A non-commercial) was no big deal. Test ws pretty easy and quiet frankly, if you cannot pass the test, you have no right to be driving a larger rig. The state inspection on the truck and trailer is taken care of when we get back to Texas (usually the winter). We get our license tags on line and just check the box that the vehicle is current out of state. You have 72 hours to get it inspected once you return to your destination in Texas. Have fun on the road. Ken Hi Ken, Maybe you can answer some questions since you are a resident of TX. I have a 40' MH and will be required to take a test to get my TX. driver licenses. Do you know how many questions are on the test? One other question is how long are the licenses good for and can they be re-newed on line? How many years is the registration on the vehicle good for when it gets done? Bill & Jean O'Dell with Lucy 2014 Tiffin Phaeton QBH 2018 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill&Jean Posted October 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 When I get to Livingston Tx. I am going to get Tx. driver licenses and register my MH and Toad. Does anyone know how long it takes to get the MH inspected and the test taken and all of that? I will establish residency once I get there. Bill & Jean O'Dell with Lucy 2014 Tiffin Phaeton QBH 2018 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2gypsies Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 You can usually get it all done in a half-day. Full-timed for 16 YearsTraveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soos Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 You can usually get it all done in a half-day. I believe they will need to do a road test to get the correct license, and therefore it might take a fair amount longer than a half day. Sue and Paul- fulltimed 2009 -2015 with Dozer, our Gray Tuxedo cat 2012 DRV Mobile Suites 36TKSB4 pulled by a 2020 F350 Platinum Our "vacation home" : 2018 Arctic Fox 1150 truck camper RIP Dozey http://soos-ontheroad.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docj Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 I believe they will need to do a road test to get the correct license, and therefore it might take a fair amount longer than a half day. To be a bit more direct, I'm pretty sure that most Tiffin Phaetons have a GVWR in excess of 26,000 pounds, therefore, a Texas non-commercial Class B license will be required. Since you are already driving your MH, I doubt that the driving test will be an issue, but at many (most?) Texas DPS locations such tests have to be scheduled; you can't just walk in and expect to take the road test. In addition, there is a written test for which it might be worth reviewing the relevant material. All told you could easily spend most of a week getting this done depending on how far in advance road tests are being scheduled. Sandie & Joel 2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12 2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake systemWiFiRanger Ambassador Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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