State Residency Question?

[bluegrass_smoke]

Does anyone use a purchased RV lot as the address for your state of residence? I am a Florida resident now so will the RV lot qualify me to keep my Florida residency? How do full timers work that out?

[Dutch_12078]

bluegrass smokers wrote:
Yes all the vehicles are registered in Florida, Florida DL, and registered to vote. Mail goes to both places depending on what it is and where it's from. So basically in Florida, I would just use a mail service and get a new address from them if we sold our place?

Yes... Florida is already your state of domicile.

[Luke_Porter]

You can file a "Declaration of Domicile" in Florida at the County Clerk.

So that, a Florida Divers License, and a Florida Voter Registration should qualify you a Florida Resident.

[bluegrass_smoke]

Thanks

[GoPackGo]

Also - You really should be asking this on the full timer's forum. There's always lots of discussion about this question.

[GoPackGo]

First - there is a very good article in the current issue of the Escapees magazine about the differences between 'residence' and 'domicile'. Maybe call Escapees and see if you can get a copy of the article.

You are really asking about 'domicile'. I filed domicile papers with the state of Florida when I went full time. Your domicile state is basically defined as where you intend to return when you are finished traveling, etc.

You do not have to own property in a state to claim it as your domicile. But you should do certain things to reinforce the fact that you are claiming a state as domicile - like using a location in the state for mail delivery, getting your vehicles licensed and registered, voter's ID, driver's license, etc. And you should at least visit the state every year (no requirement for 183 days).

Where things can get messy is when you own property, have a mailing address, vehicle registration, DL, in one state, but want to claim another as your domicile. If push came to shove, a judge MIGHT decide that you are really a resident of the first state.

[bluegrass_smoke]

Yes all the vehicles are registered in Florida, Florida DL, and registered to vote. Mail goes to both places depending on what it is and where it's from. So basically in Florida, I would just use a mail service and get a new address from them if we sold our place?

[wanderingbob]

As said , you do not need to own anything in Florida except a mailing address to claim domicile , I once went thirteen years without touching Florida .
But , yes , ain't nuttin wrong with having real property but not necessary !

[2gypsies1]

bluegrass smokers wrote:
We are already Florida residents since we have a winter condo there. The second home is in Kentucky now that we have retired. So we wouldn't have to establish a residency. I just want to keep it if we decide to sell the condo in Florida and RV more.

Where does your mail go now? Where are you registered to vote? Are your vehicles registered in Florida and you have a Florida driver's license? It sounds like since you are Florida residents already all this is taken care of already and the Kentucky house is just another property, not your domicile.

As to switching your mailing address to the RV lot in Florida there would be no issue if the RV facility will handle your mail when you're gone. Would you switch your registration and driver's license address to the RV lot?

You have two states involved so you need to make one choice for your domicile and do all your business within that one state.

[Dutch_12078]

bluegrass smokers wrote:
We are already Florida residents since we have a winter condo there. The second home is in Kentucky now that we have retired. So we wouldn't have to establish a residency. I just want to keep it if we decide to sell the condo in Florida and RV more.

Since you'll need a mail forwarding service anyway, just sign on with one of the Florida based services and use it as your "home" address. That will keep your domicile Florida based and be nothing more than a routine address change to the state and other legal entities. You can have only one domicile, but many residences in many places.

[bluegrass_smoke]

We are already Florida residents since we have a winter condo there. The second home is in Kentucky now that we have retired. So we wouldn't have to establish a residency. I just want to keep it if we decide to sell the condo in Florida and RV more.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Many full-timers I know own a lot, some in RV communities, some just a lot where they can park the RV while visiting family, friends and doctors. Not a single one of them has that lot as their primary mailing address. All use a mailing service as their primary address and domicile/ residency.

Sounds like you are wanting to buy a lot as a winter base. Fine.

However, buying an RV lot often has nothing to do with state residency / domicile.

Since you indicated that you plan to keep a base in Kentucky, you need to talk to a Kentucky lawyer to determine if your plans will allow you to give up that state as your domicile.

Florida is an easy state to establish a domicile, but your bigger concern is complying with Kentucky laws to give up your domicile in that state.

Likely, and this like all the posts above is a guess, not an actual legal opinion, you will have to register all the vehicles in Florida, get Florida drivers licenses, move voter registration to Florida. You will not be able to retain a 'residence ' in Kentucky. You may have to move your banking out of Kentucky. The key factor will likely be what form your Kentucky 'base' takes. A spot in an RV park should be no problem, a piece of land you own might be a problem.

[Stormy_Eyes]

Florida is friendly to full timers.
Many full times use mail forwarding services as their address, as do we. Our vehicles are register with this addy. We register to vote in that jurisdiction. It is an easy way to go. The top addy line on our DL is our RV licence plate number, the city and zip are those of our mail service. It has worked out fine.

You do not need to buy a lot to keep your FL residency if you get a mailing service. If you want to own a lot, ask before buying to find out about using it as a home addy and figure out how you will handle mail.

Whether you buy a lot or not, if you want to be a Floridian, be sure you do not give any other State cause to claim you as a resident. Relative brief stays or even seasonal stays at campgrounds typically won't trigger any state to try to claim you. But taking a job, staying long term, registering to vote, buying/leasing a property in white to live, etc might give another state a reason to claim and tax you.

[ricks99]

IANAL, but to determine state residency, you should look at:
- How many days do you live in each state? Generally there's a 183 day limit.
- Where are you registered to vote?
- Which state issued your driver's license?
- Which state are your vehicles registered and insured through?

[Triker33]

Get a Florida mail forwarding address. Then you wouldn't need to buy a lot to use Florida as a residence.

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I have been Full time 7 months a year in FL. for over 18 years and don't own any land. Only have a FL. mailing address for drivers license, Insurance, plates for MH & Toad.
All banking & bills done online.