Address and Tax Issues by: Coleen, the RVing editor
There's conflicting advice coming from various people who claim to be experts. Some seem to think you can ignore income taxes if you are working for only a site. Others apparently think that any time you do the least bit of work in a state that you must file a state income tax report in that state.
Each state has its own tax laws and regulations. Some states have no state income tax. Some work that RVers do qualifies as volunteering. Sometimes the employer requires the RVer to live on the premises as part of the job, for the employer's benefit.
I think one of the reasons there's so much conflicting advice is because there are so many situations. In many discussions about it, they are comparing the proverbial apples to oranges.
My suggestions?
Get a good mail forwarding service to handle your mail. They will give you a permanent address. The UPS Store on Main Street in Rapid City, SD, is an excellent one. You can read more about them on our website at http://www.work-for-rvers-and-campers.com/mail-forwarding-service.html. (If you contact them, tell them Coleen from Workers On Wheels sent you.)
For tax advice, contact your CPA to discuss your specific situation. If you are a true full-time RVer, with your recreational vehicle your only home, you may be a transient or itinerant for tax purposes. If that's the case, you'll want to work with a CPA who is familiar with tax codes as they apply to transient workers.
It's my belief that state income tax is not something you can brush off completely, but that it doesn't need to be a logistical nightmare, either. Logic says the reality is somewhere in between.
