How Is State Residency Determined PillarWM

When it comes to wealth management, tax planning is crucial for high-net-worth investors. State income taxes can accumulate and cost you more money than you would like. That is why some people consider changing their state residency to avoid a hefty tax bill. However, the process is more complicated than it seems since each state can have its own criteria to determine residency. Working with an expert on the matter can help you answer, “How is state residency determined?” Investors seeking to invest more than 5 million dollars can benefit from professional insights on high-net-worth tax planning. You can request a copy of our book,7 Secrets to High Net Worth Investment Management, Estate, Tax, and Financial Planning – For Families With Liquid Investable Portfolios Between $5 Million and $500 Million, to read them for yourself.

STRATEGIES FOR FAMILIES WORTH $5 MILLION TO $500 MILLION

7 Secrets To High Net Worth Investment Management, Estate, Tax and Financial Planning

The insights you’ll discover from our published book will help you integrate a variety of wealth management tools with financial planning, providing guidance for your future security alongside complex financial strategies, so your human and financial capital will both flourish.

Clients frequently share with us how the knowledge gained from this book helped provide them tremendous clarity, shattering industry-pitched ideologies, while offering insight and direction in making such important financial decisions.

CLICK HERE to qualify for your FREE COPY of this Book

Tax management is only one aspect of your wealth management. Other aspects such as financial planning, estate planning, risk management, investment management, and retirement planning are essential to your financial health and security. Wealth management firms such as Pillar Wealth Management specialize in these fields. We cater to individuals seeking to invest 5 million to 500 million dollars. Our wealth managers offer unbiased, fiduciary, expert advice to help you manage your finances and achieve your long-term and short-term goals and objectives. If you are interested in consulting with one of our wealth managers, you can book a meeting with us today!

If you would like to learn more about state residency, continue reading. In this article, we will answer questions such as:

• How is state residency determined?

• How can you establish residency in different states?

• How is state tax determined based on residency?

• Is custody determined in the form of the divorce or the current state of residency?

• How is state residency determined for college?

Table of Contents
What is Meant by State Residency? How Is State Residency Determined? How Does Residency Affect Your Taxes? To Summarize

What is Meant by State Residency?

The state you reside in or are considered a resident of is referred to as your resident or domicile state. The rules that govern this tend to vary with different states. Most states, though, consider someone to be a resident if they stay in the state for motives that aren’t temporary or transitory.

In most cases, a domicile is regarded as your permanent residence. Despite having been out of the state for a while, this is the state where you plan on returning to. If a person is considered a resident of a state, the state reserves the authority to tax their income. These income taxes can be charged through multiple sources, including your job and your investment portfolio. Since many high-net-worth investors generate a significant income from their investments, this can be a cause for concern. After all, you wouldn’t want your profits to be used to pay off tax bills. Experts such as wealth managers can use strategies that allow you to maximize your profits and minimize your losses. Our 5 critical shifts guide covers the strategies that we use to achieve this.

Working with an expert is useful if you plan on changing your state residency. If you’re unsure whether you need to change your domicile to reduce taxes, you can consult with a tax planner or wealth manager for a second opinion. Our wealth managers are experts in using tax-loss harvesting strategies. You can get in touch with us to learn more about our services. In the meantime, here are some questions that might arise regarding state residency.

How Is State Residency Determined for College?

The disparity between out-of-state tuition and in-state tuition rates can lead many students to wonder whether changing residency will help them save money. Being a resident of the state they are attending college in can potentially save students tens of thousands of dollars.

The residency requirements can vary with the state and university, making it a confusing process. Usually, most states necessitate a continuous physical presence in the state for at least a year. Secondly, students need to clarify their intent to stay in that state for more than just educational purposes. To do this, they can get a new driver’s license, register to vote in that state, etc. Lastly, to establish residency, the student needs to have financial independence, i.e., filing their own taxes, not receiving financial support from parents, etc.

Is Custody Determined in The Form of The Divorce or The Current State of Residency?

In the context of divorce, having residency in a state merely implies that you’ve lived there for a certain amount of time. Your divorce case may be refused or dismissed if you can’t claim and establish that you pass the residency requirements.

Nearly all states require you to be a resident in order to file a divorce there. The state court that handles the divorce settlement has jurisdiction over critical aspects such as custody arrangements or child support.However, this can become more complex if you or your spouse are not a resident of the same state.

How Is State Residency Determined?

In order to understand “How is state residency determined?” you need to know the difference between statutory residency and domicile residency.

Your domicile state is considered to be your permanent home, where you intend to return to after any period of time away from that state, for whatever reasons.A statutory resident of a state is not domiciled in that state but can have a permanent home there and spend most of the year in that state.

Statutory residency is more specific, and as a result, it is more difficult to grasp. Furthermore, different states have varied rules for determining whether or not you are a resident.Let’s take the example of two states and how they differ in terms of determining residency.

New York

New York has stringent residency requirements, and if you’re not careful, you could end up being taxed as a statutory resident even if New York isn’t your domicile state. They use a residency test to determine whether you were in the state for more than 183 days. In this case, a “day” is counted even if you were in the state for a short amount of time, for any purpose.

If you own property in New York, it gets even trickier. You’ll need to establish that you’re not a resident to avoid being taxed on all your income. The state determines your residency by analyzing where your home is, where you spend most of your time, whether you have an active business in New York, where your valuable items are, and where your family resides.

Apart from these, they can look at any factors that help them gain an impression of where you live. They will tax all of your income if they determine you live in New York. On the other hand, you will have to pay non-resident income tax if they conclude that you do business in New York, but it is not your primary residence. This would consist of rental income from real estate as well as any income generated from a New York-based company.

California

California taxes all of your income if you’re a resident, regardless of where you earned it from. This would include any temporary work, out-of-state pensions, IRAs, or any real estate property located in another state. Non-residents who have income-generating activities based in California are also taxed.

To understand “How is state residency determined in California?” it is best to seek the assistance of a tax lawyer or a tax accountant. Their list of requirements covers everything from how many days you spend in the state to where you carry out your social activities. Here are some examples:

• Your spouse’s and children’s addresses

• Your primary residence’s address

• Your state driver’s license and vehicle registration

• The amount of time you spend in and out of the state

• Whether you have local professional certifications

• Your bank account locations

• Where your dentists, doctors, or attorneys are situated

• The permanence of your job in the state

• Where you engage in social activities, i.e., any place of worship, any club memberships, etc.

Choosing your resident state requires careful consideration and planning. Similarly, any financial aspect that high-net-worth individuals are concerned with needs to be looked after by experts. If you would like to read about how our wealth managers assist high-earners with their wealth management, you can request our book, 7 Secrets to High Net Worth Investment Management, Estate, Tax, and Financial Planning – For Families With Liquid Investable Portfolios Between $5 Million and $500 Million. At Pillar Wealth Management, we ensure that you receive unbiased, professional advice on everything from your taxes to your investments and retirement plan. If you would prefer to meet with someone from our team of experts, you can book a free consultation with us.

How Does Residency Affect Your Taxes?

If you are wondering, “How is state tax determined based on residency?” the answer lies in which state is your domicile and whether you are a statutory resident of any other state. Your domicile state can impose taxes on all of your income, depending on state tax laws. If you have residency in another state or are trying to change your residency, you could end up being taxed in two states.

States that place high-earners in high-tax categories can have tax rates of up to 14 percent, exclusive of real estate, utilities, petrol, and other taxes. While moving to a state with no income tax may seem appealing, consider the fact that these states may have higher property taxes, service taxes, sales taxes, and other fees.

You can avoid paying income taxes by migrating to a state with no income tax, such as Alaska, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, or Washington. Nevertheless, as a high-earner, you may be required to work or frequently travel to other states. In certain states, you can file a non-resident return to avoid paying taxes in the state wherein your company is located.

It is important to note that changing your residency solely to avoid taxes can invite more issues. Residency audits are on the rise, particularly for high-net-worth investors. Therefore, planning is crucial. A wealth manager can help you identify other means to reduce your tax burden and minimize loss. You can request our book,7 Secrets to High Net Worth Investment Management, Estate, Tax, and Financial Planning,to learn about different strategies that high-earners can use.

Among other aspects, Pillar Wealth Management offers comprehensive tax minimization services. Our wealth managers can assist you in minimizing capital gains taxes and maximizing your earnings. This can have a substantial impact on the performance of your portfolio. You can read our Performance Guide on how to improve the performance of your investment portfolio to understand how.

To Summarize

State taxes can take up a significant amount of your income, but relocating to another state requires more thought and expertise than you think. With a clearer idea on “How is state residency determined?” you can work with a legal and financial expert to determine whether changing your residency is the right move for you.

Pillar Wealth Management specialized in managing and minimizing your taxes, using strategies that suit your financial circumstances. We can help you stay on top of any unprecedented risks and liabilities, as we discuss in our book, The Art of Protecting Ultra-High Net Worth Portfolios and Estates – Strategies for Families Worth $25 Million To $500 Million.

Our wealth managers assist clients looking to invest 5 million to 500 million dollars by working diligently to help you avoid the hassles of high tax rates. If you would like to learn about how we use our strategies to ensure cost control, feel free to schedule a meeting with one of our experts.

Authors

Hutch Ashoo

Chris Snyder

To be 100% transparent, we published this page to help filter through the mass influx of prospects, who come to us through our website and referrals, to gain only a handful of the right types of new clients who wish to engage us.

We enjoy working with high net worth and ultra-high net worth investors and families who want what we call financial serenity – the feeling that comes when you know your finances and the lifestyle you desire have been secured for life, and that you don’t have to do any of the work to manage and maintain it because you hired a trusted advisor to take care of everything.