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imbrianseymour · Jan 30, 2012, 08:16 AM

I have been an FL resident for about 3 years now with a permanent house, bills, voter card, driving license, insurance, plates, etc.

My intent is to start a business in MA. My concern is whether I can just remain a FL resident while simply operating my business in MA and paying MA taxes (FL does not have state tax so dual taxation isn't really a problem). I would like to avoid having to get a new license, plates, insurance, and all that other stuff. I don't intend to establish a permanent home in MA regardless of the successfulness of the business. Of course I would need to reside in MA for the period to start the business as required, but it would be temporary housing and nothing I would purchase or lease.

Additionally, I don't intend on benefiting from anything MA has to offer besides their business market. I would like to establish the business and move back to FL, or, have it fail and move back to FL. Regardless, I don't want to have to deal with all the logistical issues of licensing up in MA and whatever requirements they may have. I have a total of 3 vehicles all registered in FL but only one will go to MA. If I was forced to get an MA license and vehicle registration, FL will likely baulk at that and force me to unregister my vehicles and I'd have to register multiple vehicles in MA when they aren't even in the state. This seems absurd to me.

Is this doable? What needs to happen?

excon · Jan 30, 2012, 08:39 AM

Hello I:

No state requires that you LIVE in the state before you establish a business there. If a vehicle is going to MA and will STAY there, it must by licensed by MA.

However, if I was you, I'd hire a MA CPA to guide me. Every business needs a CPA anyway.

excon

ebaines · Jan 30, 2012, 08:50 AM

I see no issues as long as you pay MA taxes on the income you earn in MA. You would file a non-resident MA tax return. However - to make it clear that you have not moved to MA you must be physically present in MA less than the amount of time you are in FL.

There's also no problem having one vehicle registered in MA and others in FL, while maintaining your FL driver's license. Many people with a vacation home in a different state have such an arrangement for the car they keep garaged at the vacation home.