I am currently domiciled in Kansas and am working as a seasonal park ranger with the National Park Service in another state. I will have worked in the other state for about 6 months by mid-November 2017. 

Since I enjoy seasonal ranger jobs, I'd like to continue doing this, but am paying a lot of tax in Kansas for dividends from my investments. I don't yet know how the math will work out tax-wise for work in the other state and Kansas taxes on those earnings... I intend to change my domicile to South Dakota.

As of this year, 2017, I'll be filing in Kansas and in the current work state. I don't yet know where I will work, nor when, next. 

Any advice on when to change my domicile? I don't mind driving to SD in the winter, I just don't know whether to make the change on Jan 1 (or as close as possible to that date) or before - I'd like to avoid having to file in SD as well as the other two states for 2017 if possible. I don't want to wait until I have to re-register my truck and trailer in Kansas (which is Feb.)

  On 7/20/2017 at 9:00 PM, Explorer01 said:

 

Any advice on when to change my domicile? I don't mind driving to SD in the winter, I just don't know whether to make the change on Jan 1 (or as close as possible to that date) or before - I'd like to avoid having to file in SD as well as the other two states for 2017 if possible. I don't want to wait until I have to re-register my truck and trailer in Kansas (which is Feb.)

South Dakota doesn't have a state income tax, so there would be no filing.

As far as when to make the change, I'd made it during the year rather than at year's end or at the beginning of a new year.  That way, you can file a partial-year return in Kansas to notify them of your move.

You could wait until January or February to make the move (so that the partial-year return for Kansas would only be for a couple of months).  Assuming you are planning to use a mail forwarding service in South Dakota, they can handle registering your vehicles by mail and then you'll have "X" amount of time to make it there to get your driver's license.  When we "moved" to South Dakota the time lag between the time vehicles were registered and when we had to get our driver's licenses was 90 days...that may have changed in the intervening years.  Your mail forwarding service will be able to give you all the information you need to make the change.

Aha! I probably should have thought of that! Thanks, LindaH. Makes sense!

  On 7/20/2017 at 10:26 PM, LindaH said:

South Dakota doesn't have a state income tax, so there would be no filing.

 

Which is also true of FL & TX  along with NV, AK, and WA. One thing could be important is that if you are not yet eligible for Medicare, you may want to shop health plans before you commit to any one state. 

Hi Kirk - Yes, I'm aware of the issues around healthcare and will research these in depth before I make the "move." I am thinking of convenience to Kansas, at least partly, in case I need to go to SD periodically. That may be a determining factor. I'm guessing the more populated the state, the more options plan - but I could be wrong.

"If" I can continue to get national park jobs, I should have health insurance for part of the year... Worst case, I get short term insurance for some months.

Has anybody kept up with tax-free states that still have major health plans (PPOs?) It'd be nice if there were a chart somewhere...

One other factor for me - I may eventually buy a new trailer, so sales tax could be an issue. 

I have lots of open issues!

Edited July 21, 2017 by Explorer01

  On 7/21/2017 at 6:58 PM, Explorer01 said:

Has anybody kept up with tax-free states that still have major health plans (PPOs?) It'd be nice if there were a chart somewhere...

I suggest that you spend some time reviewing the more recent threads on the forum Health Issues and Medical Insurance and pay particular attention to the posts by Zulu as he has done extensive research on this subject. 

Will do. Thanks, Kirk.

  On 7/21/2017 at 6:58 PM, Explorer01 said:

Hi Kirk - Yes, I'm aware of the issues around healthcare and will research these in depth before I make the "move." I am thinking of convenience to Kansas, at least partly, in case I need to go to SD periodically. That may be a determining factor. I'm guessing the more populated the state, the more options plan - but I could be wrong.

"If" I can continue to get national park jobs, I should have health insurance for part of the year... Worst case, I get short term insurance for some months.

Has anybody kept up with tax-free states that still have major health plans (PPOs?) It'd be nice if there were a chart somewhere...

One other factor for me - I may eventually buy a new trailer, so sales tax could be an issue. 

I have lots of open issues!

yes tax, i plan on buying a trailer in sd when i retire. just cause of tax rates.

states charge--gouge- a lot. tend to lose on this score at times.