What state are you from?

What OFFICIALLY makes you a resident of a certain state?

• People keep telling me so many different things.. I moved last year because I got married and my husband is stationed in a different state, so I moved out here with him. Not considered a PCS, because he was already out here.. my daughter and I moved out here to join him. I was told there are several different factors that can make you a resident, so I'm confused. My car got totaled right before I moved out here, so I had to get one out here and register it here and everything.. if that hadn't happened, I probably would've kept it registered in my old state. I was told registering your car is something that can make you a resident of a state, as well as moving and living in your new state for X amount of months.. I was also told that registering to vote in your new state can make you a resident of that state. I did not want to register to vote here, so I'm only registered in my old state. I'm confused because I don't know what to file for my taxes next year. I would like to keep my old state of residence. We don't qualify for the military tax thing either, because our domicile is not in the same state anyway, but regardless, I don't want to be considered a resident here.. I had to pay taxes here and in my old state though since I lived here, so I'm just so confused. Our preparer put that this is the state I lived in for the majority of the year (we had an incredibly confusing/difficult situation with this, filing jointly). Yeah, I moved here, yeah my car's registered, but I'm not registered to vote.. what am I allowed to do? Or what am I considered? I don't want to keep changing my residency every time we have to PCS.. I just want to keep my old state as my state of residence. Am I allowed to do this? What qualifies legally.. I just don't get it. I'd also like to be able to get in-state-tuition for my old state so I can take distance courses at that University online, but don't know if that's possible since I'm living here now.. Confusing.

• Answer:

  You are not HIllary Clinton or Barack Obama. I used to be a deputy sheriff in Arizona, and their laws for license plates and Driver's License seem to be the most normal. You are required to have your vehicle registered in Arizona, and have an Arizona Driver's License. There is no grace period. You are considered a resident of the state if you. are employed in other than seasonal agricultural labor, you have kids in school, you apply for any kind of license or any other state services, (food stamps, unemployment, etc.) In short, you are a resident of the state you live in, and you pay taxes in the state you live in as that is where your money is earned.