Medical Military Retirement (Picking a Sate)

[FernwehTramp]

I'm being medically retired from the military. I will be out in about a month and want to do the van traveling life. I currently stationed in NV, but I have a FL drivers licence and still claim PA for state of residency. I have not bought the van yet. I want to know which state would be best for me to claim and/or purchase with vet benefits while living in a van. Any medically retired military our there or someone else who knows?  Thanks in advance!

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Welcome and thank you for serving
I base out of Tucson, Az and really like the VA hospital here. I come to town each spring for my medical, which includes qualifying for oxygen and general check ups. Meds are mailed to me wherever I am when I call.

 

[cyndi]

Not to mention that a used vehicle bought in AZ will generally be rust free. And Mohave County has no vehicle inspections. Your driver's license is good until your 65 and you can register a vehicle for 5 years at a time.

 

[Konaexpress]

Oh yea, I want to see this topic. Been wondering the same thing as the OP.

John

EDIT: Welcome by the way.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

First of all, thank you for your service.

Back when I learned to do research in college, I was taught to start every research project by asking myself three questions:

Who would know?

Who would care?

Who would care enough to write it down?

While we certainly have some veterans here, the impression I have is that they are not the majority.  I suspect you would be better off finding a veteran's forum or two and posting your question there.  I think you'll get far more answers there.  Please post anything you learn back here for others.  Thanks, and welcome to the forum.

Regards
John

 

[Konaexpress]

Really good point.

On another point, I bet most vets don't know this life style exists and would take to it like fish to water. We have been trained to be mobile, adaptable, exist on only what is needed and can handle isolation in remote areas if needed.

John

 

[FernwehTramp]

Thanks for your appreciation, it was an honor to serve. Also thanks for the feedback. I'm going to build out a Sprinter Van. I like the Fords for easy of fixing and cost of fixing standard truck parts. But I like the idea of a Mercedes for the 4x4 option. So I'm still undecided on which to get. I have been saving for a few years now (easy to save money when you are deployed and can't really spend it anyways) and will be buying new. I drove from Las Vegas down to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous just to see and meet a few people. I was only there a few hours before I had to drive back but I loved the people, lifestyle and everything I saw. I have been traveling my entire career and this is the life for me! I just need to start by picking a state to claim which state would be best to buy from.

 

[Konaexpress]

Good to see you brother, if you need someone to talk to, call on me.

I was wondering what would be a good state too, any ideas? Mailing address? How do you do this?

John

 

[Spirituallifetime]

You're in Nevada so it would be easiest to choose Nevada, many van dwellers register their vans here and there is a good VA hospital in Las Vegas.

 

[Konaexpress]

How do you handle things like mail and registration of vehicles?

John

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Bob Wells uses a mail service in Pahrump. Perhaps you could email him and he will share that info.

 

[Konaexpress]

Thanks!

Isn't that the home of Art Bell? Nobody could rock a tin foil hat like he could. Miss that dude....

John

 

[B and C]

Bob Wells wrote a blog post awhile back that covered this and other pertinant stuff if you don't have a permanant residence:  http://www.cheaprvliving.com/stay-touch/

This may give you a good starting point.

 

[akrvbob]

Really you've asked two different questions:

1) Which state will be the cheapest to buy a new vehicle for sales tax, registration and insurance.
2) Which state is best for nomads.

The answer to each is probably going to be different because states without an income tax usually have higher sales tax to make up for it.

My guess is Wyoming would be best for you because they have no income tax and a very low 4% sales tax. Alaska is best with no income tax and no sales tax but it's too far away for most of us. This is a good article on low tax states:
http://www.areavibes.com/library/states-with-lowest-income-and-tax/

Bob

 

[Goshawk]

When using the VA hospital system you need to consider what type of care you need. Quality is seriously important there. But it does run into walls of frequent red tape bureaucracy too often. Then employees start to shut you down from care.

Look for hospitals that have a reputation for winning hard to get quality awards for veteran care. Charleston SC always in winning awards at that va hospital for example. The reason is location and social economic. More talented workers want to live in CHARLESTON SC. So the VA hospital does well. Other rural south hospitals do not do as well at all.

 

[ilovemyvan]

Really you've asked two different questions:

1) Which state will be the cheapest to buy a new vehicle for sales tax, registration and insurance.
2) Which state is best for nomads.

The answer to each is probably going to be different because states without an income tax usually have higher sales tax to make up for it.

My guess is Wyoming would be best for you because they have no income tax and a very low 4% sales tax. Alaska is best with no income tax and no sales tax but it's too far away for most of us. This is a good article on low tax states:
http://www.areavibes.com/library/states-with-lowest-income-and-tax/

Bob

Very good point about the tax for new vehicle or 'almost' new. I would suspect it becomes less important for older van. Our van is from Illinois. It spent nearly 10 years in rust country. We bought it cheap $2.500 so we didn't mind spending ,well I should say we were prepare and did have to spend a few thousand dollars to make it as mechanically sound as possible. The priciest rust damage came from the brake system. We had to change just about everything that had anything to do with the brakes. We ran out of brakes TWICE because the brake lines were so rusty. Needless to say we changed mechanic when it happened a second time. We were lucky, both times we were driving slow and no one was in front of us. So my advice to those who want to buy an older van would be to buy it in a state where cars don't rust as quickly. Rust is not your friend, my friend!.

Looking forward to see your build.

Nicole

 

[Gunny]

Bob Wells is the man to listen to..I will say Texas has a lot of benefits for Vets, Especially Disabled Vets. V.A.'s here are okay, there is the Texas Veterans Land Act,no state sales tax and if you are going to be fully retired at 100% Disability there are some decent commissaries to be found. Many more benniies  for disabled vets, you just need to decide where you want to call home. 


Any particular question you can PM me or post it here, I will help if I can. Rob

 

[VJG1977]

My stepson is 100% disabled military retired CW-4.  He lives in Tn near Knoxville to be near family.  He has said the Texas and Alaska have the best VA hospitals and benefits.

 

[VanGirl]

I'm being medically retired from the military. I will be out in about a month and want to do the van traveling life. I currently stationed in NV, but I have a FL drivers licence and still claim PA for state of residency. I have not bought the van yet. I want to know which state would be best for me to claim and/or purchase with vet benefits while living in a van. Any medically retired military our there or someone else who knows?  Thanks in advance!

Hi,
Thanks for your service to our country.

I'm based out of the Tucson, AZ area (30 miles away). I'm also a veteran. I use the VA hospital in Tucson and have been happy with the care there. They will mail your prescriptions. The weather is nice most of the year.

I spend a lot of time in New Mexico and also use the VA clinic in Silver City and the VA hospital in ABQ. I have been happy with them also. I have been in the Southwest for about 6 years. Before that I spent 30 years in Texas and used the VA in Dallas and Central TX at Temple. The nice thing about basing out of Texas is that they have no state income tax.

If you own an RV I can tell you where to lease a site for $800 a year. That gives you a permanent Tucson AZ address though it is located 30 miles out of town. It is well worth the money to have a place to call home. It keeps the government and law officers happy.  Private message me if you want that information.