What constitutes a Florida Resident

[kadaten]

You said your husband was in the Navy. Are you sure the stickers on the ID are "base" stickers. Or are they ship stickers? When my husband deploys, he gets a sticker on his ID that has the name of the ship that he is on. He is stationed in North Carolina, but the ships are from Virginia. His stickers just have the name of the ships on them. You would have to have a really good knowledge of our ships to know which ones were stationed in Florida. This is interesting because we have never seen that.

Yes, I'm sure they were base stickers, especially since he's never been attached to a ship!! Just confirmed it with him. He had them for NAS Pensacola, FCTCL Dam Neck, and NAS Cecil Field. Didn't get them when he transferred to NAS Jacksonville, or anywhere since then. Only he had stickers...my dependent ID never had them.

I get what everyone is saying, but just a few points....
1. We have been in the Marine Corps 13 years and never had stickers on our ID cards. The DOD stickers on our cars change from base to base, but nothing on ID's.
2. Let's be honest about why most people in the military change their residency to Florida.....no state taxes. The only reason people change their residency from their original home state is if it benefits them in someway. Why else would you do it?
Just my opinion......

Like I said before, isn't it odd how some things are different. Don't know why the bases down here did it, but they did. Maybe it was just a Navy thing. Also don't know why they stopped...maybe because it wasn't fool-proof? You could leave on old stickers, not put on new ones, etc. so it wasn't really a reliable indicator of where you were stationed.

As for why most people change to FL...yes, I understand that, but that's not why we did. We got married fresh out of college and immediately moved to FL for his 1st set of orders. Both being from other, different states, it made sense to simplify and be from one. FL was where we were living at the time, where we established our first home together. It just happens to have many bells and whistles. As for keeping it.....it's just easier, and yes, it does have its perks. (Plus, I get to keep pushing for orders back to FL! Hoping for Tampa in May '05!!)

Back to the original question, though. Personal experience: We were sent to VA for school for 9 months between our two FL tours. Had we changed residency to VA I could have started on my Master's at in-state tuition rates. (And the difference in tuition was way more than the difference in taxes!) Knowing we were only there temporarily, though, we didn't change just to use that benefit. Just how we handled it....

Anyway...this is probably more debate than the OP intended. She's got more than enough opinions and can decide what she wants to do

Katie

 

[memymomonica]

Maybe the Navy is different, but in my experience, you got bad info regarding college. Neither one of you would have to change your recidence to get in-state tuition. Another perk of being in the military. I went to college in 2 different states and always paid in state tuition. One college, I just had to sign a waiver explaining the circumstances and no big deal. I hate to think you didn't get to do something because of false info.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by memymomonica
Maybe the Navy is different, but in my experience, you got bad info regarding college. Neither one of you would have to change your recidence to get in-state tuition. Another perk of being in the military. I went to college in 2 different states and always paid in state tuition. One college, I just had to sign a waiver explaining the circumstances and no big deal. I hate to think you didn't get to do something because of false info.

Unfortunately, Virginia does not offer in-state tuition rates to military members that are residents of other states. Illegal immigrants can get in-state rates, but not military members...but that's another issue...

 

[memymomonica]

WOW! I had no idea. Obviously, I didn't go to college in Virginia. That just seems wrong. Any other states that way?

 

[Doodlebug939]

Thank you for all of your posts regarding Florida residency. I think my husband and I have decided to buy a 7 day pass and break it into two trips. One small four day this year and then a three day visit with a four day cruise. So the pass would work better for us.

As for college, I believe that you were given wrong information. As a military spouse you are covered by the Soldiers and Sailors Act and if the college that you go to have a SOCNAV agreement then they have to accept your classes that you have taken and offer you instate tuition. For example I went to college in Maine from a New Hampshire College. And now I live in New Olreans and still attend, but through distance ed, a college in New Hampshire. I think that it probably wont help you now but for others it might.

 

[AirForceRocks]

As for college, I believe that you were given wrong information. As a military spouse you are covered by the Soldiers and Sailors Act and if the college that you go to have a SOCNAV agreement then they have to accept your classes that you have taken and offer you instate tuition.

The Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act does not address tuition as far as I can find. Virginia in-state tuition laws say that only after a military member makes Virginia their legal state of residence (thus becoming liable for Virginia state income taxes) can they claim in-state tuition rates. Military spouses may get in-state rates, but only if they establish residency and pay Virginia income taxes.

The bottom line is that there is no law that forces or can force states to offer in-state tuition to military members that claim another state as their legal residence.

 

[FonFon]

Just wanted to throw my 2 cents into the bucket of this thread which has slightly changed direction...

My husband is Navy, and he had stickers at one point on his ID as well, for the base he was stationed at. For whatever that is worth. Maybe it WAS just a Navy thing?

As for Virginia, we were told when we were there that the reason the in-state tuition doesn't work there is because it is a Commonwealth. That's not the only thing the commonwealth status affected.

Everywhere we've moved, I've been told that I have to change my state residency, because I work in that state, but he is permitted to keep his residency. Now I am confused!

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
The Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act does not address tuition as far as I can find. Virginia in-state tuition laws say that only after a military member makes Virginia their legal state of residence (thus becoming liable for Virginia state income taxes) can they claim in-state tuition rates. Military spouses may get in-state rates, but only if they establish residency and pay Virginia income taxes.

The bottom line is that there is no law that forces or can force states to offer in-state tuition to military members that claim another state as their legal residence.

This man knows of which he speaks!!

Since I wasn't working yet, DH would have had to change his residency for me to get the in-state rates. Had I been working, I couldn't have gotten them either...at least not until I'd met the 1 year residency requirement, assuming DH didn't change his. This is another thing that varies state to state. VA is one of a very small number of states (7, I think) considered unfriendly to the military when it comes to tuition rates. There was actually a bill presented last year to change the rules, but I don't think it even got out of committee...and it hasn't been re-submitted yet this year.

The current situation is actually better than it used to be. A while back, you not only had to change residency, but also had to wait a year to become eligible for in-state rates like everyone else does (non-military, I mean). VA changed it a few years back so that military counts as in-state from the day they change residency, rather than the 12 month residency requirement...but this only works if military member changes. So, it could be worse! But for those of us not wanting to change all the time...the tuition laws are decidedly less friendly to military here in the great state of Virginia!

Katie

 

[AirForceRocks]

This man knows of which he speaks!!

I'm a woman (or as my DH would say "a woe to man" ), but that's OK!!!

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by FonFon

My husband is Navy, and he had stickers at one point on his ID as well, for the base he was stationed at. For whatever that is worth. Maybe it WAS just a Navy thing?

As for Virginia, we were told when we were there that the reason the in-state tuition doesn't work there is because it is a Commonwealth. That's not the only thing the commonwealth status affected.

Everywhere we've moved, I've been told that I have to change my state residency, because I work in that state, but he is permitted to keep his residency. Now I am confused!

Finally another Navy wife so they know I'm not completely crazy!!

As for the commonwealth thing...not sure about that...but I guess it could be? I do know that's why in VA you can't be in a county and a city at the same time (I just love filling out forms that ask for county!! but I digress...).....but as for tuition rates? Really, it's just a matter of changing the domiciliary code, which they've tried to do before, but it keeps getting voted down. VA, like most other states is in a budget crunch, so they're not about to do something that will take even more money away from the colleges, even if it does help the military. You wouldn't believe the letters to the editor here in Norfolk....lots against any proposed change..."let them pay taxes if they want our rates....go to school at home...etc." obviously from folks who've never had to deal with the hassle and expense of actually moving state to state, and certainly never as much as many military folks have! In general, most folks are very supportive, but I guess there's always a crank willing to write in to the paper to get a divergent viewpoint out there!!

As for keeping my residency FL...I've kept it the last 8.5 years, and we've been in VA for 4 of those years. Yes, I did work, and at first they wanted a VA driver's license when I was hired, but when I told them we were military they said "oh, ok" and didn't ask again. Since they didn't press it, I didn't look any farther into it than that. I *do* have to pay state taxes on my income, though....Virginia treats residents, non-residents, and part-year residents the same. I also had to pay in SC when we were part year there, and assume I'll have to pay no matter where we live if they have income tax. So I don't get around that...even with my FL residency.

Katie

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
I'm a woman (or as my DH would say "a woe to man" ), but that's OK!!!

Oooo...sorry! Didn't check the profile before I put that in there!

OT--you still in DC? We spent 3 years up there....VA suburbs...moved down here Sept. 2002.

Katie

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by kadaten
Oooo...sorry! Didn't check the profile before I put that in there!

OT--you still in DC? We spent 3 years up there....VA suburbs...moved down here Sept. 2002.

Katie

No problem at all!!

Yes, we're still in DC - we got here in September 2000, and we'll most likely stay here until I retire. DH retires in October.