Moving From New Jersey
to Florida

Florida has no state income tax, so the savings equal the New Jersey tax you stop paying. A household with $350,000 of taxable income saves roughly $19,000 to $21,000 a year, and higher incomes save substantially more because New Jersey's top rate reaches 10.75%. On top of that, New Jersey carries the highest property taxes in the country, 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. New Jersey, by contrast, taxes income up to 10.75% and taxes capital gains as ordinary income.

New Jersey has the highest effective property taxes in the nation, averaging roughly 2.2% to 2.5% of value, with an average annual bill near $9,800 and far higher in many towns. In Central Florida, Orange County runs about 1.0% to 1.2% of assessed value and Seminole County about 0.9% to 1.1%. Florida also caps how fast your assessment can rise (3% a year under Save Our Homes) and exempts $50,000 of value through the Homestead Exemption.

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 New Jersey return. The cleaner your paper trail and the more New Jersey 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, cell and credit card data, a Declaration of Domicile). Day counting alone is not enough; what matters is where your primary home, family, and life are centered. Once Florida is genuinely your domicile, New Jersey no longer taxes your income.

Once you establish Florida as your domicile and are no longer a New Jersey resident, New Jersey does not tax your income. Like other high-tax states, New Jersey can review a departing high earner's residency, so a clean break matters: a Declaration of Domicile, Florida licenses, time records, and selling or leasing the New Jersey home all help. Income actually earned from New Jersey sources can still be taxable, so confirm specifics with a CPA.

New Jersey 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 tight suburban lot in northern New Jersey often buys a 4,000-plus square foot estate with a pool in Central Florida, with far lower property taxes to carry it. Luxury single-family homes in Winter Park, Windermere, Dr. Phillips, and Lake Nona typically run $800,000 to $3M, with lakefront estates above that. New Jersey buyers are frequently surprised by the space, new construction, and outdoor living their budget delivers here.

No. Florida does not tax Social Security, pensions, IRA or 401(k) withdrawals, or any other retirement income at the state level, because it has no state income tax at all. New Jersey offers a retirement income exclusion, but it phases out as income rises and higher earners receive little or none. For retirees, the Florida difference compounds every year.

Yes, in most categories that matter. Beyond zero state income tax, Central Florida offers dramatically lower property taxes than New Jersey, lower housing costs per square foot, and a comparable sales tax (about 6.5% to 7% in Orange and Seminole versus 6.625% in New Jersey). Auto insurance and some services can run higher in Florida, so the right comparison is total cost of living, which Sean and Barb can walk through with 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. For New Jersey owners used to the nation's highest bills, the long-term difference is significant. Accumulated Save Our Homes savings are also portable to your next Florida homestead.

Yes. Sean and Barb regularly guide New Jersey 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 New Jersey buyers purchase in Florida first (using a bridge loan, portfolio loan, or cash) and sell the New Jersey home afterward, while others sequence the sale first for certainty. From a residency standpoint, selling or leasing the New Jersey home strengthens your Florida domicile claim. Sean and Barb coordinate the timing and connect you with lenders who handle both ends.