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Showing posts with label avoiding state income taxes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label avoiding state income taxes. Show all posts

January 13, 2020

Cheapest States To Retire In USA for Expats returning

Many expats after living and working abroad for many years plan  to retire back in the USA. Marketwatch has done a study which shows the cheapest and most expensive states in which to retire.  Hawaii is the most expensive state with California coming in number 2.  The cheapest state is Mississippi.  READ DETAILS OF STUDY HERE   It will show you the cost of living, etc. for all of the states in the US.

You also need to consider things from your personal income tax point of view. The states that have no income taxes include:

  • Texas
  • Florida
  • Nevada
  • Washington
  • Alaska
  • South Dakota
  • Wyoming
Contact us if you have questions or need to know more.   taxmeless@gmail.com  Kauffman Nelson LLP CPAs and Don D. Nelson, Attorney at Law.

April 9, 2018

Avoiding California State Income Taxes When Moving Abroad

This is often called the California Safe Harbort Rule for Expatriates.

It is often difficult to give up your obligation to pay California taxes when starting to work abroad.  California is an "Intent State."  That California wants to continue to tax you until you show the intent of moving your tax domicile to another country or state.  They  look at all of the facts and circumstances in retrospect years later to determine if you actually had the "intent" to move your tax residency to another country.


There is a solution to the ambiguities involved with successfully giving up your California residency for tax purposes. That is the Safe Harbor Rule which can be used. Under that rule:
  • You must remain living and working outside of California for at least 546 days under a contract of employment;
  • You do not have more than $200,000 in investment income;
  • You do not return to California more than 45 days during any calendar year.
If you meet these criteria, you are automatically deemed to be a California nonresident for the period you work abroad even though you may still have a California drivers license, voter registration, etc.

It is important to successfully avoid California tax domicile status when living abroad since California does not allow the foreign earned income exclusion or foreign tax credits. If means if you remain a California tax resident a lot of taxes may be due.  If you originally move abroad and later move back to California before the 546 days passes you will owe tax returns for all of the years you were claiming this exception as well as any applicable penalties and interest. If California deems you a resident you owe it taxes on your worldwide income.

Some states make it even tougher to give up the obligation to pay state taxes when working abroad. Virigina and New Mexico are just a few.

We can help you avoid continuing having to pay state taxes when you move abroad to work or retire. Contact us if you have questions or concerns at ddnelson@gmail.com.  Visit our website at www.taxmeless.com   Our US phone is 949-480-1235

March 9, 2015

The Best and Worst States to be a Taxpayer

Read this link to see the best and worst states to live in as a taxpayer. As an expat there is not law that says you must have a state of residency or file state tax returns. However, some states including California, Virginia, Alabama, New Mexico and others have state laws that make it very difficult to give up your state tax domicile even if you move abroad permanently.  We can help with this process of abandoning tax domicile in those states. 

December 1, 2014

10 Most Tax Friendly States for Business in the US - For expat business owners and nonresidents

When you operate your business from abroad as an expat or as a nonresident, and need a US location for a US corporation or LLC, it is best to set it up in a state with no or low taxes to keep your costs tax expenses at a minimum.  Read the following article to find out the best states in which to locate.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-most-tax-friendly-states-for-business-2014-11-19

February 22, 2014

Rules for each State on How to Stop Filing and Paying State Income Taxes when an Expat Moves Abroad.

Great article from BNA including a chart listing tax laws and rules for each state in the US stating their individual rules (vary a lot from state  to state) on how to successfully terminate your state tax domicile when moving abroad. The chart at the end is a great reference tool to use when you want to stop paying state income taxes when you move to live and work abroad.  DOWNLOAD PDF ARTICLE HERE

If you need guidance on how to avoid paying state income taxes after moving abroad we can put together a strategy for you.  Email us at ddnelson@gmail.com

February 3, 2013

US Expatriate Entrepreneurs - States with No Income Tax

US Expatriates are not required by law to maintain a state of residency or pay state income taxes. However many expatriate entrepreneurs need to locate a corporation or other business entity for their  business, but do not want to have to pay state income taxes.  The following states have no income taxes and may be suitable to keep a US presence (and form a corporation or LLC located there for your business) but not subject yourself to state income taxes:

  1. Nevada
  2. Washington
  3. Texas (does have a franchise tax on corporations)
  4. Alaska
  5. Florida
  6. South Dakota
  7. Wyoming 
We can assist you in forming a Corporation or LLC in these states, advise you on the best US tax elections to make (Subchapter S corporation election, etc) and the best way to utilize these entities with your offshore business operations.  We have helped hundreds of US Citizens doing business abroad in the same manner with great success.

If you went abroad, or are going abroad, and you live in California, Virginia, New Mexico and several other states that make it very difficult to give up your tax domicile (they want to keep taxing you after you have left the state to live outside the US) you may want to consider switching your legal residency (either before or after you have left) to one of these states and transfer all other indices of residency to one of these income tax free states.  It can avoid big potential problems later with the State you lived in (if it has tough rules on abandoning your tax domicile).

If you have questions email us at ddnelson@gmail.com or visit our website at www.TaxMeLess.com .

October 29, 2012

Avoiding California State Income Taxes Moving Abroad

It is often difficult to give up your obligation to pay California taxes when starting to work abroad.  California is an "Intent State."  That California wants to continue to tax you until you show the intent of moving your tax domicile to another country or state.  They  look at all of the facts and circumstances in retrospect years later to determine if you actually had the "intent" to move your tax residency to another country.


There is a solution to the ambiguities involved with successfully giving up your California residency for tax purposes. That is the Safe Harbor Rule which can be used. Under that rule:
  • You must remain living and working outside of California for at least 546 days under a contract of employment;
  • You do not have more than $200,000 in investment income;
  • You do not return to California more than 45 days during any calendar year.
If you meet these criteria, you are automatically deemed to be a California nonresident for the period you work abroad even though you may still have a California drivers license, voter registration, etc.

It is important to successfully avoid California tax domicile status when living abroad since California does not allow the foreign earned income exclusion or foreign tax credits. If means if you remain a California tax resident a lot of taxes may be due.

Some states make it even tougher to give up the obligation to pay state taxes when working abroad. Virigina and New Mexico are just a few.

We can help you avoid continuing having to pay state taxes when you move abroad to work or retire. Contact us if you have questions or concerns at ddnelson@gmail.com.

May 27, 2012

US Expatriates Can Avoid Paying State Income Taxes with Proper Planning

Many US expats wish to maintain a US mailing address or home in the US , or US state drivers license, etc. but do not want to risk having to pay any state income taxes (there is no Federal requirement that you maintain a state tax domicile if you live and work outside of the US).   You should check the tax laws in your state of residency to see what difficulties you may encounter trying to stop paying state income taxes when you do chose to live and work abroad. Many states have laws which  attempt to keep their residents paying state income taxes (even though an ex resident may have moved their residence abroad) while other states make it easy to stop paying state tax.   California, Virginia, New Mexico and a few other states are those that make it difficult  to stop paying state income tax when you change your domicile to one outside of the US.

One easy solution you can use to attempt to avoid paying state income taxes when living and working abroad, is to move your US address, tax domicile, voter registration, drivers licenses, etc.  a state with no personal income taxes. The US states which do not have personal individual income taxes. Those include:

AlaskaNew HampshireTennessee
FloridaSouth DakotaWashington
NevadaTexasWyoming