When we did the original questions and answers, we were asked questions along the lines of where we'll get our mail, what state we'd live in, and things like that. The beauty with full-time RVing is that you can make it whatever you want to be. Here's what we ended up doing, and as always this isn't legal advice, so do your own research.
The first thing is to choose a place to "live". You'll have a domicile that serves as your "on paper" address in case any legal things come up. There are a few things that you'll want to take into account. Income taxes is a big one, and you'll more than likely want to pick a place without a state income tax. Obviously where you workamp may mean you'll have to file in that state, but cross that bridge when you get there. Auto and RV registration and insurance are also a big thing. Some states won't insure a full-time RVer, so be ready for that. If you have, or plan to have, children with you, then the homeschooling requirements need to be considered, assuming you aren't sending them to some form of boarding school. Health coverage is also something to keep in mind, and as much as there are national plans available, they don't do business in every state. You may also be able to use where you are working to your advantage.
So you've finally figured out your plan, and it's time to head to that state and make it happen. Driver's license switch over is usually your best "date of record" for changing residency, as the state ID is usually a top indicator of where your domicile is. Make sure to do some research, and set up appointment times to get the paperwork done. Look ahead to make sure you have all the necessary forms and proofs. Then comes vehicle registrations. Remember it may be county based instead of state based. Be sure you kept receipts when you purchased the vehicle and RV. Whether you choose to register and insure in that state or another, that's up to you, but as always, make sure you can do it, it's the right price, and whether you want to deal with hassles of state inspections; some states require them, while others do not. Be sure to also establish some local credit union accounts, primary doctors, pet licenses if you have a fur baby, voter registrations, and so on.
As with any sort of move, there are always some downsides. First is that a number of regulatory agencies seem to insist that every person must have a base physical residential address. How strictly this is followed depends on who you work with and what you're doing, but don't be thrown for a loop if you're all of a sudden denied a product or service because the address on your driver's license is a private mailbox, or it happens to be "a business". Even getting a mailbox requires a "physical address", but they are more respondent to living in your RV; just work with your mail service. Secondly, separate yourself as much as you can from your old location. There was a story about a couple who went full-time RVing, moved from one state to another, established the aforementioned, never returned for several years, but the old state seemed to believe the couple never left because they weren't stationary in their new state, and then hit the couple for large amounts of back taxes, upheld by the courts. Finally, at least in terms of federal taxes, any workamping you do is going to be as an independent contractor, so get familiar with schedules C and SE, and be ready to pay social security and medicare taxes, which are in addition to the income tax minus standard deduction. You may also have to do estimated tax payments, so try to plan ahead, and figure out where you're going to be.
You end up going through a lot to Follow your Internal Compass, but once you get everything established, you're ready to see this beautiful country.
One of the effects of full-time RVing is, unlike living in a house or apartment, we don't stay in one place for very long. Sometimes it's a few months, other times just a week, or even a couple nights. One of our social media viewers asked a few questions about what we have to do when it comes time for moving day.
First and foremost, recognize how much time you have. Some campgrounds have a relatively early checkout, and if you're not exactly one to enjoy a nice sunrise, you're probably going to want the night before leaving to pack at least some of your belongings. Try to get an idea of how long it takes to pack each "section" of your rig, such as the dining/living area, the kitchen, the bed and bathroom, your patio, and everything else you may have. Figure out what you need for the evening and the morning, and maybe everything else can get packed.
For us, moving around quite a bit in our first month of full-timing made our packing down to a science. Closets and cupboards are well stocked with both our non-breakable pantry and our knife set the night before leaving. Breakable and sensitive items, such as our electronics, office needs, and potent potables, are packed the night before and moved in the cab of the truck in the morning with us. Not only are they less susceptible to movement there, but can remain somewhat climate controlled. Our patio gets packed up at night, including the grill once cooking time is over. Some of our loose odds and ends that don't fit in the cupboards go into our tub and sinks for the ride in the morning. Once morning hits, after getting a shower, just move things into the truck, hook up, and be on our way.
Once we're on the road, it's important to remember, even if you drive your rig like a limousine, your things are going to move around a bit. Lock the refrigerator and freezer doors if, like us, you're lucky enough to have that. Bunks are good places to store heavier items, though you'll want to make sure it's somewhat secured with bungee cords or baby gates. Newer RVs will have good cabinet latches, so those should be fine on the trip. Just make sure they're closed. Some will go so far as to use bungee cords on their cabinets; it's up to you if you want to do that. Most importantly, before you pull out of your site, make sure that everything is as secure as you want it. Check, double check, and triple check if you want. The one time you miss something may result in disaster.
So the next time you're ready to move, have a plan. Don't be afraid to adapt and make changes if things don't seem to work out. Just make sure, as you follow your internal compass, you're able to bring everything safely with you.
We received an interesting question from one of our followers wondering about our place of residency. We mentioned that we were thinking about becoming citizens of a particular state, and then we were asked how long we'd be there. This leads to a quick discussion about permanent addresses.
Each person in the United States, for purposes of census, income tax collection, identification, and voting, are allocated an address. This is typically designated as a person's "permanent address". This doesn't necessarily mean that they are spending most of their time at that location. Let's consider college students as an example. They aren't spending most of their time and money at their permanent address. Instead, they're living in a dormitory or apartment near their studies, and going back to their original location for a couple months out of the year. They'll still retain the original address and citizenship for the aforementioned purposes, so they're legally still "living there", even if they aren't physically there.
For those who are living full-time in their RV, the concept and execution really isn't that different. There are mail handling services available that will also offer the ability for the patron to use the address as a permanent location, and help them establish necessities associated with citizenship, such as driver's licenses, vehicle registration, voting address, and so on. These services are usually found where there aren't any state income taxes, and municipal responsibilities are minimal. Once again, although we'll establish citizenship in a particular state, we're not necessarily going to be there. We may not set foot in the particular state for a couple years, but we'd still be citizens of the state.
When looking into becoming citizens of a state, there are plenty of things to review. Are there residency requirements to receive services? Taxes are a big issue, and you'll likely want to save some money by being a citizen of a state without a state income tax. Income isn't the only tax, though, as you'll also want to consider vehicle registrations and driver's licenses renewals, if property tax is charged on vehicles, potential municipal taxes, health care taxes, and also taxes related to a small business you might be doing on the road to generate some income. Vehicle maintenance is also important; are you going to want to have to go back to a state every year to get your RV and any other vehicle inspected, or will preventive maintenance during your regular oil changes and tune-ups suffice? If you have or plan to have children, a state may also have some red tape surrounding their home schooling. There may be other things important in your life to consider.
At the end of the day, we simply intend to choose a permanent address for the legal basics, and hit the road. Less time worrying about the day-to-day red tape will give us more time to follow our internal compass.
We're back again with another session of questions and answers!
We sure do! Individually, she spent a great deal of time traveling with a trucker in the family, and also with the family campers and tents. Although he spent a good deal of time living the city lifestyle, he brings experiences of car camping and long road trips with him. Together, we've taken several camping road trips documented in this blog's "Before the RV" mini-series, and as we learn more and more, we're taking our big leap into full-time RV living.
Bringing our fur baby is certainly going to be a challenge. First, we have to make sure that we go places that are pet friendly, or that we're able to leave her with the trailer as we venture out. Secondly, although places may be pet friendly, a number of the managers have a prejudice against certain breeds of dog, especially our lovable pup's breed, the pit bull. Although she isn't violent, the stigma has been created that may further restrict us. However, she is an integral part of this family, and we believe our travels will work out with her just fine.
It is very simple why this tag line stuck. We are finally doing what our hearts have been wanting us to do. So, we consider the heart the compass of our body and soul. We also need a compass in traveling to know where we are going. It just works, and we feel that everyone should follow their heart.
We'll be answering more questions as we receive them. Remember to leave a comment if you have a question you'd like answered, and as always, follow your internal compass.
From time to time, we get questions about our RV adventure. Today, we'll be giving our answer to a few of those inquiries, and we'll be including more Q&A sessions from time to time.
Living on the road is something we've had in the works since we got married, since road trips have been an integral part of our relationship. We were at an important crossroads in our lives a few years ago, deciding whether we would buy a house or live on the road. Sadly, career was viewed as important at the time, and job obligations required us to stay where we were, with a second job acquired to build up savings after buying the house. With neither of us having job obligations for our own reasons, we figure this is the best time to try something new.
With most business affairs taking place online these days, a large chunk of the paper trail has been replaced. However, for the times something physical is needed, we'll be using a mail service. For full-time RVers, this also serves as the official domicile address for tax and registration purposes, and once we're comfortable with the lifestyle, we'll dive in as well. The service sends pictures of the mail and packages, and gives you the option to have it sent where you're either staying seasonally, or even a trusted friend or family member.
Living with children on the road will have similar challenges that living with them at home have. As for educating them, they will be primarily home schooled to learn "the three R's". The good news is, on the road, hands-on education is much more practical, and they would have a much better chance at applying the knowledge they gain. The National Park Service also helps greatly with educational opportunities through their "Junior Ranger" program, of which we'd take full advantage. It is our hope that they will also have social interactions either with kids also camping where we will be, or even some locals in the area.
We'll have more questions and answers in the future, but until next time, remember to Follow Your Internal Compass.
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