We're getting ready to put the house on the market, looking for our RV and hope to be full timers by no later than June 1st. We live in Iowa now but are thinking we'll domicile in South Dakota as we have no reason to be in Iowa any longer. (No family here, etc) Do we wait until we have everything in place (house sold, rv bought) before we switch to SD or is there benefit of setting things up beforehand? We want to do a trust for our Financials but are thinking it would be best to wait til we change domicile to take care of that, although that might mean having to change the title to the RV. So many timing issues that need to fall into place. Any advice?

The advantage of getting the SD domicile set up early is that you will have an address for your mail set up before you hit the road and can get that added to credit cards, bank accounts, business cards etc when you have lots of time and the facilities to do it. You don't have to change driver licenses, titles etc until you are ready to fo so. You can get some bills etc sent to the SD address ahead of time so you can show them as "Proof" of your address should anyone require it.

We had it all set up 6 months before we left just so we were comfortable with it all,

If you use the SKP mailing service for SD domecile you will end up with 2 addresses. One for SD and a mailing address in Livingston. Sounds complicated but after 2 years of using it we don't even notice it anymore.

BnB

Edited February 5, 2017 by scouserl41

We also setup or address service six months early. We did not use Escapees but another service. The six months allowed us to make sure all the mail we needed the address changed on got changed and was forwarded properly. When we stopped in S.D. For our drivers license we needed two pieces of mail with or S.D. address on it, we had that due to setting up our mail forwarding early. Even though we set it up early I still forgot one or two pieces that needed to be changed during that initial six months.

My suggestion is set it up early. Once you can move to the state then you can get drivers license, titles and plates, wills, and all the other minutia taken care of at that time.

We are Escapees members but do not use their mail service. The two address system simply does not make any sense to me. They're are several SD mail service to chose from.

As stated earlier start a mail service before the house sells so that you have any utility bills and your financial statements with the new address. Once the house sells simply go to SD, change you're domicile, get new drivers license, regesters your vehicles, and done. Takes one afternoon.

Also don't forget you will need to change your wills and health derictives to SD as well.

I think the six month early mail forwarding service set up is the way to go. That is what we did and even so we forgot a couple of things - like the IRS and some frequent flier accounts. Stuff that doesn't get used very often. There are a number of good mail services in SD. We used Dakota Post (Alternative Resources at the time) in Sioux Falls SD.

You might want to take a look at their web site. They have some good info on changing your domicile to SD.

HERE

Thanks everyone! Sounds like we better get busy and pick a mail forwarding service!

I use the Escapees mail service and their South Dakota address and it really is no problem. You use the SD address for your drivers liscense, registration, auto and health insurance. Everything else goes to TX. Everything that goes to SD is forwarded to TX in a day or two. There are many SD mail forwarding services to use if you don't like this 2 address system. I used Americas Mail Box (AMB) for one year before I joined Escapees. I have heard of others like Dakota Post but know nothing about them. I met a gentalman at Quartzsite that was promoting a mail forwarding service out ofHill City SD but I can't remember the name of the company. You can change your address now via telephone,they will take your credit card and set up a box # for you. When you get to SD you go to DMV, any DMV doesn't have to be in the same city as your address, and show proof of at least one overnight stay at a hotel or RV park, AMB has their own campground. You don't need any mail to get a drivers liscense just proof of one night stay.

  On 2/6/2017 at 7:21 AM, TXTiger said:

show proof of at least one overnight stay at a hotel or RV park

 

If there are two of you, be sure both names are on that receipt.

Linda Sand

For those of you using the SKPS mail service with a SD address, do you notice any significant delay in getting your mail? I assume it goes to Texas first and then gets forwarded to SD?

Welcome to the Escapee forums! You are assuming incorrectly. You use the SD address for driver's license, vehicle registrations, and insurance while all else goes to TX. The items which are mailed to the SD address are forwarded to the TX mail room for handling. There would be a delay in such mail of a few days.