Maintaining Domicile?

[Random Painted Highway]

I searched the forum but couldn't locate an answer, so i hope someone can help me out. I'm confused about how to maintain a domicile. Let's say I move into an rv park for the 30 days or whatever the state requirement is and qualify for domicile and get tags, license, etc. After the 30 days my domicile would no longer be accurate if I haven't paid for a longer stay even though my license will now list the rv park address on my paperwork, insurance, license etc. I know I'll have different mailing address, which I'm good with and understand. What happens when you need to renew license etc in set amount years or your asked if you still live at what is listed on your driver's license and it's not true.

 

[Ripper238]

Pick an address that you can count on indefinitely. Plenty of people have multiple homes and use one address even if they are rarely there.

 

[user 423]

If you have someone in your state whose address you can use and who also can forward your mail, that would be a good solution.

If not, it would be recommended to use Escapees in SD,TX or FL.

The link below goes to a site that explains it fairly well.

There are several other sites you can also glean info from.

Just Google something like,"Domicile vs. residency for RVers",etc:

https://www.moneycrashers.com/rv-living-choose-domicile-state-get-mail/

 

[Random Painted Highway]

I wont have anyone in my current state that I would ask to use their address. It looks like Escapees is pretty standard for SD TX and FL domicile locations, too bad they don't have locations in AZ or NV. I'll also need to get my Healthcare insurance through the exchange, so there is that as well.

 

[AmargosaWayne]

From your first post is sounds like that you were thinking of Nevada.

Whenever it's time for renewal, return to the same RV Park, or another, and renew. Repeat.

FYI SDak only requires an overnight stay for a DL, 30 nights is for a CCW.

I myself think that "domicile" is over thinking. The issue has never come up in my life to this point. From 1999 until 2008, I permanently resided in Michigan, while working in Ohio, New Jersey, New York City, and Kentucky, as an independent 1099 contractor. The umbrella 1099 Corp that I used, deducted taxes only for my state of residence. All of it was legal.

Those domicile questions have never been asked of me. I imagine that one would have to draw unwanted attention from an government authority looking for an excuse.

Maybe lawyers, who would benefit, spread the word about domicile.

 

[Random Painted Highway]

Maybe I am overthinking domicile. You make a good point in just returning back to a park for a renewal etc. when the time comes. I am thinking Nevada or Arizona for domicile. I'm not doing anything nefarious, just trying to keep it legal. I appreciate your perspective.

 

[rruff]

I imagine that one would have to draw unwanted attention from an government authority looking for an excuse.

If you never have, I think you may have been lucky... I've never had someone question my license, though... or care about "where I lived".

Maybe I am overthinking domicile. You make a good point in just returning back to a park for a renewal etc. when the time comes. I am thinking Nevada or Arizona for domicile. I'm not doing anything nefarious, just trying to keep it legal. I appreciate your perspective.

There are a lot of aspects to consider and it can get confusing. I've also been considering NV for healthcare reasons, and because it's closer to where I'll be. I may just pick SD though... I never go to the doc anyway, and SD sounds cheaper and painless, plus the SW part is pretty and not that far out of the way. In 3 years I can get Medicare.

 

[user 16179]

I may just pick SD though... I never go to the doc anyway, and SD sounds cheaper and painless, plus the SW part is pretty and not that far out of the way. In 3 years I can get Medicare.

I hope you get as lucky as I did without insurance. I went for years without it. When I got Medicare I got a supplemental that covered me in all 50 states. More expensive than local plans, but far less than without Medicare. A year later I got knocked over by a playful, friendly dog. Broke my femur. Medicare paid for EVERYHING. The Medicare payout was many times the cost of my premiums.

 

[rruff]

Medicare paid for EVERYHING.

Nice. My ACA plan has a $8k/yr deductible and costs over $7k/year. It's a very poor value... but I have no choice in the matter. When you are a nomad it's an even worse value, because it's tied to a state.

 

[Jimmyflorida]

I searched the forum but couldn't locate an answer, so i hope someone can help me out. I'm confused about how to maintain a domicile. Let's say I move into an rv park for the 30 days or whatever the state requirement is and qualify for domicile and get tags, license, etc. After the 30 days my domicile would no longer be accurate if I haven't paid for a longer stay even though my license will now list the rv park address on my paperwork, insurance, license etc. I know I'll have different mailing address, which I'm good with and understand. What happens when you need to renew license etc in set amount years or your asked if you still live at what is listed on your driver's license and it's not true.

Bob has a good video on utube about the mail service in Pahrump and getting Nevada license

 

[wanderin.pat]

If you never have, I think you may have been lucky... I've never had someone question my license, though... or care about "where I lived".

I have. Law Enforcement Officers working for the US Forest Service outside Woodland Park, CO. Several times trying to trip me up and ask me where I "lived"... Also, San Isabel. I've been kicked out before by the same people. This was in 2017. Some people just don't like me!

 

[rruff]

Several times trying to trip me up and ask me where I "lived"...

What do you tell them?

 

[wanderin.pat]

What do you tell them?

Well, I haven't done it since 2017... I learned a lot since then. BUT... my CO driver's license had the address for my mail handler... it looked like a real physical address. So, I lied and told them that's where I lived.

My sense of right and wrong is different now, so I won't like.... also I've learned how to avoid those kinds of discussions. I also live, currently, in an RV Park, so it doesn't come up.

 

[D'L]

Nice. My ACA plan has a $8k/yr deductible and costs over $7k/year. It's a very poor value... but I have no choice in the matter. When you are a nomad it's an even worse value, because it's tied to a state.

Personally I think Medicare is a lot better, but of course you have to be a certain age to get it. I never once in my life had any kind of medical insurance until medicare. I always just paid for everything out of pocket, virtually never went to a doctor, and was of course extremely lucky because I never had a big health crisis.

My medicare advantage plan is great. There's no deductible. No matter what happens the most I will ever owe in one year is $5,000, which is a lot but could be a fraction of the total cost if something catastrophic happened. Not everything even has a co-pay.

I never felt I needed health insurance and because I don't like insurance companies I almost didn't sign up for medicare either, but I am glad I did. The advantage plan I have works everywhere I go, all over the world, although the co-pay will vary if I am in a foreign country. It's a huge company so every place in the US has people who will take that insurance.

I think it is really too bad that the US doesn't have something similar for everyone; that you have to wait to be a certain age to get that. Younger people need it too!

 

[afblangley]

Nice. My ACA plan has a $8k/yr deductible and costs over $7k/year. It's a very poor value... but I have no choice in the matter. When you are a nomad it's an even worse value, because it's tied to a state.

Most Americans qualify to participate in the Healthcare.gov Marketplace. There are a wide range of plans, and it's designed to be affordable with subsidiaries that phase out as income rises. Since options and cost vary by state, nomads have an advantage because they can choose a favorable domicile. This would factor very heavily in my decision of domicile if I didn't have a home base.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/slideshows/states-with-the-most-affordable-health-care

 

[Hybrid-000]

I searched the forum but couldn't locate an answer, so i hope someone can help me out. I'm confused about how to maintain a domicile. Let's say I move into an rv park for the 30 days or whatever the state requirement is and qualify for domicile and get tags, license, etc. After the 30 days my domicile would no longer be accurate if I haven't paid for a longer stay even though my license will now list the rv park address on my paperwork, insurance, license etc. I know I'll have different mailing address, which I'm good with and understand. What happens when you need to renew license etc in set amount years or your asked if you still live at what is listed on your driver's license and it's not true.

Best thing to do is get a license in a state that does not require frequent driver's license renewals. FL is 8 years. Legally, you are supposed to notify them if your address changes within 30 days.

Insurance is a different issue I do not deal with as I own no vehicle in the USA.

I have some cousins who live in AZ and will let me use their address. That's probably the safest way if you've got a friend or relative who will do that for you. Keep a UPS Store or mail forwarding service for regular mail. Nothing link overloading your friend/relative with junk mail to wear out your friendship. DBB

 

[rruff]

I have some cousins who live in AZ and will let me use their address.

This reminds me of a question. Can you have a vehicle registered, licensed, and insured in one state... but domicile (healthcare, income taxes, other mail), in another?

Anybody know?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

This reminds me of a question. Can you have a vehicle registered, licensed, and insured in one state... but domicile (healthcare, income taxes, other mail), in another?

General answer is no, but you need to research the two states involved. California and Massachusetts is a definite NO (and expensive when caught).

I would think that vehicle insurance would question if you have your vehicle registered in a low insurance state and domicile in a high insurance premium state.

 

[afblangley]

This reminds me of a question. Can you have a vehicle registered, licensed, and insured in one state... but domicile (healthcare, income taxes, other mail), in another?

Anybody know?

In most cases, the vehicle registration must be the same state that issued the driver's license. There are exceptions. I maintain bonafide residences in two states and keep vehicles registered and insured in the respective states. Registration was a hassle and documentation was required. Insurance was easy, they only care about where the vehicle lives.

Here is a list of states that don't require license and registration to match.
https://wallethub.com/answers/ci/ca...a-different-state-than-my-license-2140693858/
https://axlewise.com/living-in-two-..._License_Dont_Need_To_Match_Your_Registration

 

[rruff]

In most cases, the vehicle registration must be the same state that issued the driver's license....
Insurance was easy, they only care about where the vehicle lives.

I would think that vehicle insurance would question if you have your vehicle registered in a low insurance state and domicile in a high insurance premium state.

And when you are a vagabond, where does the vehicle live?

I was mostly thinking of having car license and insurance with a family member in IL (real address), and domicile closer to where I'll be camped (NV or UT), so I can have health insurance there. No idea if that is possible...