Pulaski

You don't even want to try that, as once you spend 183 days in the US in any one calendar year, you're on the hook for US income tax, and the IRS is going to get their claws in you.

tht

Sure. But if all income is UK sourced and passive chances are with no state income tax in FL and DTA agreement with UK to cover federal tax it’s unlikely any additional tax will be owed beyond what the UK requires…. But sure no point going through all that for the sake of a few days extra in the sun…

that said if sun is what you and your UKC and not a USC with worldwide taxation spend $100k on a citizenship on a tax “efficient”
island and reduce your UK tax bill…

https://www.goldenvisas.com/citizenship-by-investment

excpomea

We have friends who have basically been doing this for the past 10 years.
He is British her, Egyptian. Their base is Cairo.

They purchased a holiday home here in Fl, they are in their mid 30's.

They would visit for 3 months, return to either UK or Cairo and return to the US after 3 months or so.
One year they messed up the timing and were here for more that 6 months in one year.
That alone caused some issues with USCIS and a 2 hour interview at immigration. They were allowed in.

Problems arouse when the wife arrived being 6 months pregnant.
Child was born in the US, so now American citizen.

Come visa renewal time the wife was denied a visa, they suspected they were planning to immigrate illegally.

So now they are in limbo, he can visit, but only does so for short periods.
She, cannot as she is now suspect.

It's a shame, lovely couple but will probably have to sell the house and give up on the idea of visiting every year.

tht

It’s not explicit in your post, but the key is to understand that unlike the UK, where tax is centered around remittance (i.e. real expats in counties excluding the US) are able to be paid in low tax jurisdictions and keep money “offshore”
that does not work for the US, with some limited exceptions for diplomats/military and maybe students if you become a “US person” for tax you are taxed on your worldwide income, irrespective of its ever brought back to the US. The only slight reprieve is for USC and in theory LPR’s, who get to claim a foreign earned income exclusion…. For PR’s I am not sure how that really works, maybe for commuters, because the qualifying criteria seem like they would make you lose PR… but then IRS and DHS don’t have to coordinate or play by the same rules…

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/inte...come-exclusion

So unless you have significant US sources income I can’t see why anyone would risk becoming a US person from a tax perspective…

Pulaski

Then there's FBAR reporting, tax on PEPs and ISAs, punitive tax on unit trusts, etc. The US taxation system is really something that should be avoided unless absolutely possible, and stumbling accidentally into the IRS's web would be a terrible mistake to make.

tht

Yes, totally agree per my second / follow up post…

Dusty Roads

Thanks…a lot of points about taxation etc. just to clarify I’m a retired U.K. police officer, my wife in 4 years will also be a retired police officer. We will have no US income, we will NOT, be renting out any potential Florida home. All incomes will be pensions from the U.K.

As I said in my original post, my in-laws have owned a villa in Florida for 18 years, its used for family holidays and as a vacation rental. ( the villa is now sold owing to my brother in laws limited mobility in getting across the pond)
My wife is a 25% owner of the villa with her 3 brothers. We are aware of the IRS, the taxes and how my wife submits tax returns in the U.K. and US., mainly because the villa was operated as a business.
We would check that we would not incur any additional taxes, cutting short any stay, which would incur any additional tax. We have trusted accountants both sides of the pond who I’m sure will advise us of any pitfalls.

However what I don’t seem to be able to pin down is temporary health insurance (upto 6 months) what’s the average cost? And the driving/car ownership issue. Is there anyone out there who is a British citizen who owns their own home in Florida and visits for a period each year on a B2 visa?
Someone suggested I contact a Car dealership in Florida to see if they could suggest a way forward. This I have done (and have done previously) but get no answer. I guess they’re only interested in selling cars, not helping some muddled Brit out who MAY eventually get a home and buy a car in the state.
Thanks All.

lansbury

That tit bit makes a difference. Your police pension, as is mine, is classed as a Government Service pension. As long as you don't become US citizens, which you have no plans to do, those pensions can only be taxed in the UK. It is laid out in the US/UK tax treaty. Simplifies tax matters a little.

I will contact my friend in the UK, who purchased an RV in Florida, and ask him for permission to pass you his contact details. He is retired Job too so I don't foresee a problem.

lansbury

A bit of digging and I found this. https://getjerry.com/questions/can-a...car-in-florida.

Nutmegger

But note that the snowbird posing the question is from Connecticut, so there's presumably not going to be the kind of insurance/registration problem someone from overseas might encounter.

lansbury

Well I'm not sure about that. Out of State is out of State it seems with the DMVs. I agree it doesn't help with insurance, but it should with registering the vehicle and getting plates which is what I thought the OP was asking about.

lansbury

I had forgotten he had done a web page on the subject, he has just sent me the link. https://rv-and.us/travel/?page_id=23...x6euJc3OPicKxU

It is about buying an RV, but a vehicle is a vehicle so you might glean some useful information from it. Hope it helps. If you have any questions he is happy to answer them and I can send his Facebook details to you.

Dusty Roads

Excellent Thank you… that would be really helpful.

SanDiegogirl

As you will not be a resident of the US (you are only visiting on the B2) you are not likely to get any medical insurance from a US insurance company, since they insure residents and usually on an annual basis.
You can either get a UK insurance company to insure you, say, with an annual medical insurance policy or get medical cover with travel insurance. (Note that with medical cover via travel insurance you only get emergency treatment cover)
You are going to have to research which UK companies will give you a 6 month policy.

Pulaski

And generally you need an SSN to apply for health insurance in the US.

As you (OP) won't be eligible for any subsidy based on low income or for being retired, hypothetically, if you can find an insurer willing to quote for coverage for someone without an SSN and who is in their late 50's or older, I would expect premiums to be at least $2k/person/mth, but also with a deductible (excess) of several $000's, which is going to be even more ridiculous than usual if you're only going to be in the US for 5½months of the year.

I think the only vaguely plausible scenario for health insurance is for you to pay whatever is necessary for travel insurance in the UK, and base all your routine healthcare and medications in the UK. This leaves your travel insurance to pick up the cost of emergency treatment in the event of a catastrophic medical condition (heart attack, stroke, anuyrism, etc.), and potentially a transatlantic medevac flight. One such event would likely end any hope of continuing your winter trips to Florida.