President Trump isn't the only rich guy out there trying to slash his state and local tax bill by declaring a change of residency from New York to Florida. Thousands of other wealthy New Yorkers have tried this move, too. After all, Florida has some of the lowest taxes in the country, while New York has some of the highest.
We'll see how this plan works out for the president once he leaves office. The New York Department of Taxation and Finance has a well-earned reputation for fighting wealthy part-time residents who don't want to pay New York taxes anymore, so it isn't clear yet whether the change of residency will stick for state tax purposes. But if Trump can show a true change of domicile from New York to Florida, the president can save a ton on taxes in the following two ways.
State Income Taxes Will Go Down Significantly
When it comes to state income taxes, state residents typically pay tax on all their income, regardless of where they earned it. On the other hand, nonresidents only pay tax on income generated within the state. That's the key to the state income tax savings President Trump stands to reap.
Florida has no state income tax. New York has one of the highest income taxes in the country, with a top rate of 8.82%. As a New York resident, the president would pay New York taxes on all his income. As a Florida resident, he would only pay New York taxes on income coming from New York. In either case, there would be no Florida income taxes to pay. While the president's New York-sourced income may be significant, as a Florida resident he would completely avoid state tax on all income from all other sources, which is presumably a huge tax savings.
Sponsored Content
State Death Taxes Will Be Avoided
President Trump's family is probably thrilled to have the president take up residency in Florida. If the president qualifies as a resident of the Sunshine State, there would be no state-level estate or inheritance taxes to pay when he passes away.
On the other hand, New York not only imposes an estate tax, it has an unusual "cliff" provision that would probably subject the entire Trump estate to the tax. Generally, the New York estate tax is only imposed on that portion of an estate over the exemption amount for the year of death ($5.74 million for 2019). However, if the value of the estate is more than 105% of the exemption amount, the exemption isn't available and the entire estate is taxed. Presumably, the president's estate will be greater than the exemption amount for the year he dies, so the cliff provision would take effect.
Sponsored Content
-
Stocks Keep Climbing as Fed Meeting Nears: Stock Market TodayA stale inflation report and improving consumer sentiment did little to shift expectations for a rate cut next week.
-
Your End of Year Insurance Coverage Review ChecklistStop paying for insurance you don't need and close coverage gaps you didn't know about with this year-end insurance review.
-
Crypto Trends to Watch in 2026Cryptocurrency is still less than 20 years old, but it remains a fast-moving (and also maturing) market. Here are the crypto trends to watch for in 2026.
-
Is a New $25,000 Health Care Tax Deduction Coming in 2026?Tax Policy A proposal from GOP Sen. Josh Hawley is adding to the chatter about health care affordability.
-
3 Ways High-Income Earners Can Maximize Their Charitable Donations in 2025Tax Deductions New charitable giving tax rules will soon lower your deduction for donations to charity — here’s what you should do now.
-
An HSA Sounds Great for Taxes: Here’s Why It Might Not Be Right for YouHealth Savings Even with the promise of ‘triple tax benefits,’ a health savings account might not be the best health plan option for everyone.
-
10 Retirement Tax Plan Moves to Make Before December 31Retirement Taxes Proactively reviewing your health coverage, RMDs and IRAs can lower retirement taxes in 2025 and 2026. Here’s how.
-
The Original Property Tax Hack: Avoiding The ‘Window Tax’Property Taxes Here’s how homeowners can challenge their home assessment and potentially reduce their property taxes — with a little lesson from history.
-
Three Critical Tax Changes Could Boost Your Paycheck in 2026Tax Tips The IRS predicts these tax breaks may change take-home pay in 2026. Will you get over $1,000 in tax savings?
-
What’s the New 2026 Estate Tax Exemption Amount?Estate Tax The IRS just increased the exemption as we enter into a promising tax year for estates and inheritances.
-
IRS Updates 2026 Tax Deduction for People Age 65 and OlderTax Changes Adjustments to the extra standard deduction can impact the tax bills of millions of older adults. Here are some new amounts to know for 2026.
