We recently moved to South Carolina and discovered that we have to pay a personal property tax on our MH($1200/yr). We have heard that some folks register their rv's in other states, e.g., Montana, South Dakota, Texas, to save money. Can this be done without changing our legal residence, and if so, how? Thanks much!
If SC is your legal Residence, then it is the legal thing to do. Some folks play games and start an LLC or some other paper game in another state to try and get away without paying the proper taxes for there state. Some get cought and the fines and penilties userly cost more, let alone the legal fees. Good Luck and happy trails Bill
Before making any changes to another state, check all costs such as insurance in the other state.
2008 Itasca Sunrise 35A
2006 44ft Breckenridge
2008 Honda CRV Toad
2007 ZR1 Colorado Toad
2008 Pontiac Solistice GXP "Brazen Orange"
2008 26ft Car Mate-Car "We Traveled To Alot Of Different Places While On Vacation, Until The wife Asked Directions"
Polish nailed it. Some states have started pursuing cases like these and prosecuting for tax fraud. Search here for a thresd regarding such a prosecution in CO. KY even has a form on their website for reporting suspected cases!! If you are fulltiming, it is different - that low cost state can be your home state with no problems.
LandL wrote: We recently moved to South Carolina and discovered that we have to pay a personal property tax on our MH($1200/yr). We have heard that some folks register their rv's in other states, e.g., Montana, South Dakota, Texas, to save money. Can this be done without changing our legal residence, and if so, how? Thanks much!
p.s. we are currently not fulltimers
Very low fuel/gas taxes in SC require another form of revenue. Thus a yearly personal property tax. To build and maintain state highways pay one way or pay another way. But most everyone has to pay.
-Tom
"The people that don't believe in evolution are the ones who need it most!"
Sarver, PA/Crystal River, FL/Indiana, PA
2005 Itasca Suncruiser 38R 38' 11"
W24, Allison 2100MH, full body paint
2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L, Roadmaster Sterling bar
FMCA 335149
I don't believe you can register in another state WITHOUT changing your legal residence. It doesn't mean you have to LIVE there just establish a residence there. Check out the fine folks at Alternative Resources who can provide a "turn key" operation for you. http://www.alternativeresources.net
This never gets less funny. "I moved to South Carolina and didn't bother to look into the taxes there first and now I want to get out paying them...."
Old rule here, "Always look before you leap." Pay the taxes or do the sensible thing and move to another state that doesn't have Personal Property Tax.
Memory serves me well, my retirement books (Helping my folks research what state to go to to retire in, they're leaving Oregon for the whole reason of high taxes) more often than not list S.C as one of the more expensive places to retire.
Quote:
Very low fuel/gas taxes in SC require another form of revenue. Thus a yearly personal property tax. To build and maintain state highways pay one way or pay another way. But most everyone has to pay.
Except those of us that are from out of state visiting. I'd wager you guys must get a lot of out-of-state trucking firms running your highways.
CBChannel 17Space Ghost '1991.5Dodge W-250 Power Wagon - Club Cab Long Bed V8 5.9L 4spd H.D Auto 4x4 4.10 Gears '1974KIT Kamper 1106 - 11' Slide-in '1987Pullman Mini Camper '2004Bi-Mart 4x8 Cargo Trailer
You can own homes all over the country. The key here is how long do you live there. If you live someplace 180 days or more, then that is your residence.I know people who have a home in Wisc., a house in Missouri and winter in Texas. They claim Texas as their state of residence. They spend 5 months in Texas, 2 months in Missouri and 5 months in Wisconsin. They could easily claim SD or Montana as their sate of residence and avoid sales tax, personal property tax and lower insurance rates but Texas falls into the same bracket. This works well for retired people and those who travel for long periods away from their house...truck drivers can qualify also.
I had them change mine to my second residence, it brought the taxes almost in half. It was by their recomendation. The only negative thing, as your second res. it will not depreciate like a car will. So the amount will not go down.
Papa's driving the new Daybreak
Jaden and Minnie are CoPiolets
Mickey is navigating
JoeGood988 wrote: You can own homes all over the country. The key here is how long do you live there. If you live someplace 180 days or more, then that is your residence.I know people who have a home in Wisc., a house in Missouri and winter in Texas. They claim Texas as their state of residence. They spend 5 months in Texas, 2 months in Missouri and 5 months in Wisconsin. They could easily claim SD or Montana as their sate of residence and avoid sales tax, personal property tax and lower insurance rates but Texas falls into the same bracket. This works well for retired people and those who travel for long periods away from their house...truck drivers can qualify also.
I always get a chuckle out of folks who say Montana is a great place to have residence, even if you don't live here. If you are a RESIDENT of the State of Montana, you WILL pay State income tax on ALL of your earnings, including Military Retirement and Social Security, No matter WHERE you earned the money. So, it you want to fill out ANOTHER tax form every year, Move on in, we need all the taxpayers we can get!
Just get an address, a Montana Driver's License, register your vehicles, and register to vote, and you, too, can be a Montana taxpayer!
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, Std. cab, LB, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 273,000 Miles
'99 Monaco McKenzie 32' triple slide
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: '06 Jeep Liberty CRD
Towed: '06 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited
Offline
