New South Dakota resident

[Luisafernandes]

Yes Luis, SD would be just fine with the van. Easy as pie to get an address and the vehicle(s) registered.

Getting the license requires you to show up in the state, and to the DMV. I do not think there is any other way to get it.

Cool, thank you!

Do you know if the driver's license with photo needs to be renewed every few years?

 

[Van-Tramp]

I would assume every 5 years, but I have not gotten mine yet to confirm that.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Very good, thank you! [emoji106][emoji106]

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Jay, I currently have a Pennsylvania address, and with working full time having residence at a free income tax state like SD would be great.

Luis, I'm not sure it's going to help you with that at all.  You're Federal taxes won't change, and, as far as state taxes go, many states require anyone WORKING in their state to file a state tax return, even if they live out of state.

Bob did a blog post on this issue back in the early spring.  You should search for that.  I think there was something about filing SEVERAL state returns if you moved around a lot and worked in multiple states during the year.  ( I confess I didn't really pay too much attention since it didn't really apply to me. )

Regards
John

 

[Luisafernandes]

Luis, I'm not sure it's going to help you with that at all.  You're Federal taxes won't change, and, as far as state taxes go, many states require anyone WORKING in their state to file a state tax return, even if they live out of state.

Bob did a blog post on this issue back in the early spring.  You should search for that.  I think there was something about filing SEVERAL state returns if you moved around a lot and worked in multiple states during the year.  ( I confess I didn't really pay too much attention since it didn't really apply to me. )

Regards
John

Hey John!
You might be right. I know the federal taxes won't change, and was hoping I wouldn't have to pay state tax, but I might. With working in Jersey and having a PA address I only pay PA taxes, not both. But since SD has no state tax I might have to pay NJ.
It still won't change my mind on setting up residence in SD.

 

[Simran]

I live in SD and have worked in other states a lot with my job. John is right. You will end up paying state income tax in whatever state you work in. The only way it really helps people is with vehicle insurance, Soc. Security and tabs. There are actually some states where tabs are cheaper. Insurance is cheap here because it is a rural state and little ins. fraud. those are the two aspects of cheap ins.

 

[Simran]

I live in SD and have worked in other states a lot with my job. John is right. You will end up paying state income tax in whatever state you work in. The only way it really helps people is with vehicle insurance, Soc. Security and tabs. There are actually some states where tabs are cheaper. Insurance is cheap here because it is a rural state and little ins. fraud. those are the two aspects of cheap ins.
The way to get the best info. is through some of the private post offices here in SD. They know the whole skinny on this and are ready and willing to answer any questions you may have. There should be contact info. in this thread somewhere if you look back.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Thank you Simran!

 

[WriterMs]

About 1.5 years ago, I became a resident and a few months later went up for my driver's license. I use My Dakota Address (Terri Lund) which is in the small town of Madison, SD. Since it is a small town, getting around and whisking in and out of the driver's license process was very easy and quick (tho the driver's license office is set up in the courthouse basement only a day or two a week, so schedule the proper day).

When I did the driver's license, they told me (and I did read it on the web site) that I needed to stay one night in the state (a motel or campground receipt is needed to show you did). There is a lovely campground just outside of Madison.

I found insurance for my homemade extended van but I had to go through a few phone calls to get it. The whole "homemade" thing was the hold up. But I ended up going through Good Sam (which went to National General Insurance). My private vehicle insurance actually has an RV rider which provides up to $5,000 in contents coverage included in the price (about $50 per month). I think the vehicle insurance is where you will want to have your state residence and DL match up.

Early in my career, I wrote marketing communications for Allstate at their corp headquarters, and I have to agree with the early poster about not trying to fake out an insurer. What good is having the insurance at all if you get a claim denied because they can show you lied?

Finally, I have a warning or at least an alert for anyone who gets health insurance through the marketplace. SD did not set up with the extended Medicaid thingy -- the whole political stand off. What that means is that I had health insurance for the first year of a "grace period" for getting insurance. But this year, my income makes me fall through the cracks -- I make too much to get assistance with premiums but not enough to actually afford my own coverage. Terri at my mailing service says all the mailing services are concerned about this -- they are losing customers who go to other states that are more healthcare friendly. Frankly, I'm going to do some more research and I may be one of those who bolts. BTW, I used to live in NV and found their vehicle registrations and such to be very expensive.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Thank You WriterMs! Good info!

 

[akrvbob]

ObomaCare is being phased in over time, and I've heard that some of it's problems are being fixed as they take affect.

I know that's vague but it's all a little over my head.
Bob

 

[WriterMs]

ObomaCare is being phased in over time, and I've heard that some of it's problems are being fixed as they take affect.

I know that's vague but it's all a little over my head.
Bob

It's over mine, too, for the most part, Bob. Imagine my surprise when I went to an actual phone conversation with a marketplace person to try to understand the "different" info that came up on the website -- different than what I had before and expected again. She was helpful but it was all bad news for me.

Bob, I seem to remember one of your concerns was finding states that offered coverage not tied to a localized/regional healthcare network. When I had coverage, my was network based but still did pay half if out of state (or all for emergency room visits anywhere). Any news on that front?
Carla

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I was reading on one of the mail services site they had registration service for a fee. Do you have to get their mailing service for them to do the registration? I would like to retain my current license, and continue using my sister's address here to handle mail for me. Id like to register my vehicle there so I dont have to keep coming all the way back here every year. Im worried its a package deal...paying a couple hundred dollars extra a year for something the family will do for me for free isn't too appealing.

I also remember someone mentioning you have to retest if you get your SD license if i decided to go that route. After so many years driving, no way I can actually pass a driving test

 

[WriterMs]

VanLifeCrisis,
Yes, the mailing services are private businesses, so they do not spend time on those things without compensation. You might be able to handle registration by mail with the state directly, but I have no idea how much hassle that would be. And I think the state would require some sort of SD address to send the forms/plates to. (The mailing services are simply considered a legal address in SD instead of you having to have a piece of land or apartment.)

I did have to take a driver's written test to get my DL. It was very short and much easier than the Illinois test.

Also during the DL process (I think it was at that time), you must sign a paper that says something to the effect that, even though you have no physical address in the state at the time, you do plan to return to SD as your residence state.

 

[akrvbob]

I don't want to hijack this thread with health care, but it is a big part of choosing a state of residence. Especially since there is no SD health insurance companies on the SD Marketplace that offer it. I know full-timers who are changing from SD to Texas residence for that very reason. Texas is so much bigger it has several Insurance companies that offer nationwide policies.

Nevada doesn't either but I found an insurance company that if you are out of their area, they will pay to transport them into their area. Of course usually that means moving you across town to a different hospital. I called them and told them I travel a lot. If I have a heart attack in Alaska will I be covered?

She checked and said yes. If it was cheaper they would fly me back to Nevada and if not they would just pay for my care in Alaska. I would not be just SOL. One way or the other they would cover my care. I have a high deductible, after $6000 they cover EVERYTHING 100%

Were they telling the truth? From reading the policy it seems like they have no choice so I'm assuming so.
Bob
Bob

 

[Luisafernandes]

I'm beginning to think of all the work I put in the van and vehicle insurance.
Is it possible to get insurance that covers the contents I put in the van? Would that be RV insurance, and if so would my van become designated as such? If that's possible I assume that I would have to change that designation with the DMV first? Anyone know?

 

[WriterMs]

Luis,
I think it varies state by state.

For my van...which is extended and high top since it had been a wheel-chair-lift public transit van in its former life...DS had no problem giving me a passenger vehicle plate. The insurance company policy also says private passenger vehicle but has the RV coverage, too. So mine is private passenger used as an RV. They cover a few thousand dollars of contents included in the policy. Again, every insurance company is different. National General handles Good Sam's insurance, so obviously they did not have a problem with RVs (several other insurers would not cover me because my vehicle was not manufactured as an RV).

 

[WriterMs]

Nevada doesn't either but I found an insurance company that if you are out of their area, they will pay to transport them into their area. Of course usually that means moving you across town to a different hospital.  I called them and told them I travel a lot. If I have a heart attack in Alaska will I be covered?

She checked and said yes. If it was cheaper they would fly me back to Nevada and if not they would just pay for my care in Alaska. I would not be just SOL. One way or the other they would cover my care. I have a high deductible, after $6000 they cover EVERYTHING 100%

Were they telling the truth? From reading the policy it seems like they have no choice so I'm assuming so.

Bob, don't NV and TX still have a requirement for physical address? If you don't know off the top of your head, I'll look it up. I'm just being lazy.

Also, I wondered if your NV residency is outside Clark county? I had lived in rural Mesquite, NV. but insurance and vehicle registrations were high because it was still Clark county.

I am giving serious thought to moving my residency from SD.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Thanks for the reply WriterMs. I do know they need compensated to register the vehicles, they list a fee for that. I was not looking for volunteers But i was wondering if you had to also sign up for their mailing services, which have other fees and deposits. One service didnt seem to draw a line between the two, another seem to suggest a clear delineation between the two services but i'm not positive. I will contact them directly to find out.

I might be able to handle a written test, id have to study up on the handbook first though.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I have another related question. Where do you usually get your mail forwarded to...just general delivery to the post office nearest to where you are (or going to be)?