Moving From California
to Florida

Florida has no state income tax, so the savings equal the California tax you stop paying. A household with $350,000 of taxable income saves roughly $26,000 to $30,000 a year, and higher incomes save substantially more. California's property tax rate is low under Prop 13, but its home prices are among the nation's highest, so in Central Florida both your purchase price and your tax bill typically fall. Use the calculator above to see your exact number, then call (407) 383-0707.

No. Florida has no state income tax, no tax on capital gains, no estate tax, and no inheritance tax. Wages, bonuses, investment income, pensions, and retirement withdrawals are all free of state income tax once you are a Florida resident. California, by contrast, taxes income up to 13.3%, the highest rate in the nation.

California's effective property tax rate is low (~0.7% under Prop 13), but its home prices are among the nation's highest. Central Florida runs roughly 1.0% to 1.2%, but on a home that often costs a fraction of a comparable California property, so your actual tax dollars and your mortgage both usually drop. Florida also adds the Homestead Exemption and the Save Our Homes 3% cap.

Make Florida your primary home and document it: spend more than 183 days a year in Florida, file a Declaration of Domicile with your county clerk, get a Florida driver license, register your vehicles and to vote in Florida, and move your bank, doctors, estate documents, and memberships to your Florida address. Then file a final or part-year California return. The cleaner your paper trail and the more California ties you sever, the stronger your position. This is general information, not legal or tax advice; confirm your plan with a CPA or attorney.

The practical target is to spend more than 183 days a year in Florida and make Florida your true domicile, then keep records (travel logs, card and phone data, a Declaration of Domicile). Day counting alone is not enough; what matters is where your primary home and life are centered. Once Florida is genuinely your domicile, California no longer taxes your income.

Once you establish Florida as your domicile and are no longer a California resident, California does not tax your income. A clean break helps: a Declaration of Domicile, Florida licenses, time records, and selling or leasing the California home. Income actually earned from California sources can still be taxable, so confirm specifics with a CPA.

California buyers gravitate to Winter Park (Park Avenue walkability and the Chain of Lakes), Lake Nona (new construction and a master-planned, 15-minute-city feel), Windermere (Butler Chain lakefront and Isleworth), Dr. Phillips (Restaurant Row and gated luxury), Lake Mary (top Seminole County schools and gated Heathrow), and Winter Garden and Horizon West (newer luxury at strong value). Sean and Barb cover all ten Central Florida luxury markets and match the neighborhood to your commute, schools, and lifestyle.

A great deal more. Money that buys a modest single-family home in coastal California often buys a 4,000-plus square foot estate with a pool in Central Florida. Luxury homes in Winter Park, Windermere, Dr. Phillips, and Lake Nona typically run $800,000 to $3M, with lakefront estates above that.

No. Florida does not tax Social Security, pensions, IRA or 401(k) withdrawals, or any retirement income at the state level, because it has no state income tax at all. California taxes pensions and 401(k)/IRA withdrawals (up to 13.3%) but exempts Social Security; Florida taxes none of it. For retirees, the Florida difference compounds every year.

In most categories, yes. Beyond zero state income tax, Central Florida offers dramatically lower home prices than coastal California, comparable or lower property taxes in dollar terms, and a lower sales tax. The total cost of living gap is large, and Sean and Barb can walk you through it.

Once a Florida home is your primary residence you can file for the Homestead Exemption, which removes $50,000 from the assessed value, and the Save Our Homes cap, which limits annual assessment increases to 3% no matter how fast the market rises. Accumulated Save Our Homes savings are also portable to your next Florida homestead.

Yes. Sean and Barb regularly guide California buyers through the entire purchase before they ever set foot in Florida, with live video home tours, neighborhood drive-throughs, market data, lender introductions, and fully remote closing coordination. Many clients tour by video, go under contract, and only arrive for the final walkthrough and keys.

Not necessarily. Many California buyers purchase in Florida first (using a bridge loan, portfolio loan, or cash) and sell afterward, while others sequence the sale first for certainty. Sean and Barb coordinate the timing and connect you with lenders who handle both ends.