| On the Road for a While? |
| Things to keep in mind if you plan on extended RVing |
| All original content Copyright © 2008 by Alan and Barbara Lidstone. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners |
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On the Road for a While? – RVers considering extended RVing (several months or
longer) or full-timing have several factors to consider to be prepared for life on the road.
State of Residency – is the basis for issuing driver license, vehicle registration, voter activity, and
determining state income tax liability. While the procedures vary by state, it is frequently possible to
establish residency in a new state in as little as 24 hours.
RVers departing on an extended trip from a high-tax state, or one which counts all income (regardless of
where it is earned) for state income tax purposes who are staying and receiving income in a no-tax or
low-tax state may want to consider contacting a tax professional to determine establishing any changes
in state of residency.
Note: If you change your state of residency, it is important to have voter registration, driver licensing,
and vehicle registrations in the same state. Failure to do so may provide the previous state of residency
grounds to say you are still subject to applicable state income taxes.
Driver license and vehicle registration – Check your state driver license and vehicle registration
rules for the following:
Registering an RV or vehicle in a state other than your official state of residency to save money may
subject you to charges of bringing out-of-state registered vehicle or RV to your home state unless you
re-register the affected vehicles within a specified time period and pay any applicable property and/or
sales tax.
Voting – RVers traveling away from home area during or near election time should contact their local
voting registrars to request absentee ballots. Please allow sufficient time for ballots to be sent to you
and mailed back. Confirm any actual postmark date or actual receipt date for absentee ballots.
Mail Service – RVers on extended trips have several choices of having mail held or forwarded. The U.
S. Postal Service will hold mail for up to thirty days and forward it for up to a year as long as you give
them new addresses. Many RVers prefer to use commercial mail forwarding, usually advertised or
available from many of the RV clubs, such as FMCA or the Escapees, which offer more service options
and flexibility than that of the USPS.
Medical and Dental Insurance coverage – Before you depart, contact your medical and dental
providers to determine your coverage level and treatment options and any actions are required for
medical and dental treatment when you are away from home. We recommend using carriers that have
nationwide coverage when possible.
RVers who have Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance and Medicare Part B Medical Insurance generally
have no geographic restrictions on medical services providers or hospital service providers. RVers with
Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) or Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) should check with
their provider to determine if there any geographic coverage limitations when they are away from their
normal home residence.
Wireless mobile phone service and satellite TV coverage – Wireless mobile phone service may
be fine at home and poor on the road. We recommend that check your wireless coverage areas along
your route and carry repair and replacement coverage for any phones being taken on the road. Check
your satellite TV coverage maps to determine availability in your destination locations.
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longer) or full-timing have several factors to consider to be prepared for life on the road.
State of Residency – is the basis for issuing driver license, vehicle registration, voter activity, and
determining state income tax liability. While the procedures vary by state, it is frequently possible to
establish residency in a new state in as little as 24 hours.
RVers departing on an extended trip from a high-tax state, or one which counts all income (regardless of
where it is earned) for state income tax purposes who are staying and receiving income in a no-tax or
low-tax state may want to consider contacting a tax professional to determine establishing any changes
in state of residency.
Note: If you change your state of residency, it is important to have voter registration, driver licensing,
and vehicle registrations in the same state. Failure to do so may provide the previous state of residency
grounds to say you are still subject to applicable state income taxes.
Driver license and vehicle registration – Check your state driver license and vehicle registration
rules for the following:
- Can you can renew any drivers licenses or vehicle registrations from out of state due to expiration
while away from home. - Do you need any vehicle inspections to renew any vehicle and RV registrations from out of state?
Registering an RV or vehicle in a state other than your official state of residency to save money may
subject you to charges of bringing out-of-state registered vehicle or RV to your home state unless you
re-register the affected vehicles within a specified time period and pay any applicable property and/or
sales tax.
Voting – RVers traveling away from home area during or near election time should contact their local
voting registrars to request absentee ballots. Please allow sufficient time for ballots to be sent to you
and mailed back. Confirm any actual postmark date or actual receipt date for absentee ballots.
Mail Service – RVers on extended trips have several choices of having mail held or forwarded. The U.
S. Postal Service will hold mail for up to thirty days and forward it for up to a year as long as you give
them new addresses. Many RVers prefer to use commercial mail forwarding, usually advertised or
available from many of the RV clubs, such as FMCA or the Escapees, which offer more service options
and flexibility than that of the USPS.
Medical and Dental Insurance coverage – Before you depart, contact your medical and dental
providers to determine your coverage level and treatment options and any actions are required for
medical and dental treatment when you are away from home. We recommend using carriers that have
nationwide coverage when possible.
RVers who have Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance and Medicare Part B Medical Insurance generally
have no geographic restrictions on medical services providers or hospital service providers. RVers with
Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) or Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) should check with
their provider to determine if there any geographic coverage limitations when they are away from their
normal home residence.
Wireless mobile phone service and satellite TV coverage – Wireless mobile phone service may
be fine at home and poor on the road. We recommend that check your wireless coverage areas along
your route and carry repair and replacement coverage for any phones being taken on the road. Check
your satellite TV coverage maps to determine availability in your destination locations.
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