Moving From Illinois
to Florida

Florida has no state income tax, so the savings equal the Illinois tax you stop paying. A household with $350,000 of taxable income saves roughly $16,000 to $17,000 a year. On top of that, Illinois has among the highest property taxes in the nation, so the property tax difference in Central Florida often adds thousands more each year. 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. Illinois, by contrast, taxes income at a flat 4.95%.

Illinois has some of the highest property taxes in the country, averaging about 2.1% of value. Central Florida runs roughly 1.0% to 1.2%, plus the Homestead Exemption and the Save Our Homes 3% cap, so the long-term difference is significant.

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 Illinois return. Selling or leasing the Illinois home strengthens 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, Illinois no longer taxes your income.

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

Illinois 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, and you stop paying among the nation's highest property taxes to hold it. Money that buys a suburban Chicago home 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.

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. Illinois already exempts most retirement income, and Florida has no income tax at all, so retirees win on every other category instead. For retirees, the Florida difference compounds every year.

Yes, especially on property tax. Beyond zero state income tax, Central Florida property taxes (~1.0% to 1.2%) run roughly half of Illinois's (~2.1%), and there is no Illinois estate tax to plan around. Sean and Barb can model the total picture for you.

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 Illinois 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 Illinois 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.