1.
File a Florida Declaration of Domicile in the Office of the
Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county in which you reside. We
can assist you with this filing.
2.
File declaration of non-domicile with the state and county of
former residence, if available.
3. On
or before March 1st, apply for the Homestead Exemption for your
Florida residence. In order to be eligible for this exemption, you
must have been a resident on or before January 1st, and have owned
your residence on that date. In order to qualify for the Homestead
Tax Exemption, the property must be real estate which in good faith
constitutes your intended permanent residence.
4. Declare
in your Will, Codicil or Trust that you are a legal resident of the
State of Florida.
5.
Register to vote in Florida and vote as soon as you are
eligible.
6.
Transfer all bank accounts, safe deposit boxes and securities
to a Florida bank (safe deposit boxes in Florida are not sealed by
the state upon death of a lessee or co-lessee).
7.
Register your automobiles and boats, if applicable, in
Florida and obtain a Florida "unrestricted" driver's license.
8.
File your Federal income tax return with the IRS in Atlanta
using your Florida address.
9.
File Florida intangible tax return with Tallahassee and
non-resident income tax return (if applicable) in the former state
using your Florida address.
10.
State that you are a resident of Florida in all business
transactions and charitable activities, and when traveling out of
state register as being from Florida and give a Florida address even
if only a post office box.
11.
Change the address on all your credit cards and insurance
policies to your Florida address.
12.
Change social, religious and other national organization
memberships to Florida affiliations or branches and register as
non-resident member with former organization if possible, and keep a
low profile in the northern organization(s).
13.
Change your brokerage account(s) to a Florida broker.
14.
Move your northern pensions to Florida, if possible.
15.
Remove your telephone listing from the northern phone book -
you may have an unlisted number which may be given out through
information.
16.
Be very careful not to use automobile credit cards, other
credit cards, northern bank accounts, northern telephones, make
airline reservations or use northern country clubs in such a way as
to raise any question as to the duration of time spent in the
northern state versus Florida - or ask for any discount available
only to residents of the northern state, e.g., school tuition, state
senior citizen discounts.
17.
If you retain ownership in real estate in the northern state,
contemplate placing that property in a Florida revocable living
trust and/or a partnership or other vehicle.
