deleted - Montana Owners Club

illapah · 01-18-2006, 06:37 AM

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dsprik · 01-18-2006, 10:54 AM

Good question... and how about the SE US?

RADHAZJOE · 01-18-2006, 10:57 AM

I lookedinto several mail fwding, etc. svcs. I ended up with Alternative Resources in Sioux Falls SD. One of the main reasons is we are fulltimers and SD has very favorable tax laws and insurance rates, etc. and they need citizens to get more fed $ and clout so SD is very rv friendly and has very minimal resident requirements.
Punch Alternative Resouces into google and check out their web site. Use my name and we both get a break if you sign up. Joe Bogstad PMB 3489.

dsprik · 01-18-2006, 11:19 AM

Thanks for the info, RADHAZJOE. Is Escapees a worthwhile membership if one does not travel much in the SW US?

Northstar · 01-18-2006, 02:36 PM

Thanks for the tip. I will lookup escapees web site.

ols1932 · 01-18-2006, 05:35 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

Thanks for the info, RADHAZJOE. Is Escapees a worthwhile membership if one does not travel much in the SW US?

Dave,
The one thing that makes Escapees worth it for us is the fact that we use Livingston, TX as our domicile. They went to bat for us when the Texas Legislature assessed RVs with a property tax. They got it rescinded and we received our money back. The second thing is their mail service. It beats just about any mail service going. We can get our mail at any time and know that we will receive it where ever we are.

The mail service will be perpetuated even after the founders of the RV club are gone. I checked the Alternative Resources mail service and found out that there is nothing backing the two guys who run it. When they're gone I don't know what will happen. I talked directly to them via e-mail about a year ago when I was considering them.

If you don't use the mail service or travel much in the SW USA, then I would say there isn't much additional benefit. But if you like the idea of belonging to a good group, Escapees is it. Much like we like MOC people.
Orv

sreigle · 01-19-2006, 02:51 AM

Orv, are you sure you are not thinking the other South Dakota mail service? I've been in the Alternative Services offices and have seen their operation up close. There are far more than two people in there. It's a big operation with several thousand clients. The other service in South Dakota is a one or two person operation. I suspect that's the one you are thinking of. I'm not in the slightest bit concerned about Alternative Resources just shutting down should something happen to the owner.

The folks at Alternative Resources are also a good group of people. We couldn't be more pleased with the service and the attitudes of their staff. We also are Escapees members and are pleased with those folks as well.

Before starting our fulltiming we looked at Escapees in Livingston, TX, a service (American Homebase??) in Pensacola, FL, and Alternative Resources in Sioux Falls, SD. We also looked at a small operation in another town in South Dakota. I forgot it's name.

We found A/R, A/HB, and SKP to all be excellent mail forwarding services. We then turned to other factors including no state income tax, property taxes, the need to return to the state for vehicle inspections, insurance rates.

We found South Dakota to be superior in all those respects, at least in our opinion:

- The insurance rates are far lower than Texas and Florida and are either third or fourth lowest in the nation.

- There is no property tax on vehicles, including our Montana and our tow vehicle.

- When we trade vehicles there is no sales tax although there is a 3% excise tax on the trade difference that amounts to a 3% sales tax. Still far lower than the other states.

- No vehicle inspections of any kind.

- Vehicle registrations can be renewed by mail, online, or by phone, even when it involves trading a vehicle (been there).

- We will have to return to SD to renew our drivers licenses after five years.

The others are also good choices for those whose criteria include factors different from ours. That's an individual preference. I just wanted to set the record straight since Alternative Resources is NOT a two-person operation. I think it probably was confused with the other service in South Dakota.

adelmoll · 01-19-2006, 03:15 AM

I agree with everything Steve said plus the fact that they do not have a state income tax either. That was a huge savings for us over Minnesota although there isn't any in Florida or Texas either. We belong to Escapees too and have seen their great mail service in action but we chose AR mainly because it was closest to our home at the time and we do not have to have emission inspection done each year. The insurance was a lot less for us too.

We have a lot of confidence in their mail service.

Helen

dsprik · 01-19-2006, 03:36 AM

We are going with AR in SD. Would like to do it prior to buying our Montana, but I can't switch addresses right now - I don't think. I am on Workers Comp, waiting on my SS disability income to kick in... could be a year yet... maybe less, but I don't think the insurance co paying W/C to an employee (who typically is waiting to go back to work) would be real excited to see an address change to another state - especially 3 states away - float across their desk. Would probably raise some eyebrows, I would think...

We are thinking of SKPs, too, but not sure when we would join. I am currently on their forum. P/A would be the first (After our Golden Access Pass).

I have another question (Illapah, why did you delete? An excellent question). Was going to start another topic, but this seems to be close enough to keep it here.

If you have a mail forwarding service, and you are claiming SD as your home state... can you have a POB in another state, also? Or do you have to use that address exclusively to avoid problems. In other words: If we are in Mich for a couple months of the year, why can't we get a POB in a town near our CG?

sreigle · 01-19-2006, 04:01 AM

There were some questions about is SKP any good in certain parts of the country. I received the 2006 directory the other day and count participating parks in 47 states, including Alaska. Hawaii is one that does not. I haven't looked to see what the other two are. These are parks that give the SKP discount, like Good Sam and Passport America do.

Bob & Lee · 01-19-2006, 05:32 AM

We have been using Americas-mailbox in Rapid city and are so far pleased with the service it is not a one or two man show and has offices in fl also the reason we went with this service is the county wheel tax for one they dont have it ant I think the rates are less. we also have mail sent to our address in colorado and use the SD address for official stuff.

Bob & Lee · 01-19-2006, 05:50 AM

One thing I forgot America-Mailbox dosent charge me to Reg my vehicles if they dont do it others I talked to do.

sreigle · 01-19-2006, 05:50 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

If you have a mail forwarding service, and you are claiming SD as your home state... can you have a POB in another state, also? Or do you have to use that address exclusively to avoid problems. In other words: If we are in Mich for a couple months of the year, why can't we get a POB in a town near our CG?

What matters is where you declare as your legal residence/domicile. We are SD for that purpose and have the SD address through A/R. Sometimes when we are in a park in a different state for an extended period of time we have packages (ordered online or by phone) sent directly to the park rather than through A/R.

I am not a legal expert but see no reason why you couldn't have a POB for a period in another state. So long as you are not there long enough to qualify as a resident of that state I don't think it would cause you any problems. This is just an opinion. Maybe someone with actual experience/knowledge will jump in here.

dsprik · 01-19-2006, 06:23 AM

I would be in a CG. Maybe that would be OK? And for less than 6 mos (MI residency limit).

Parrothead · 01-19-2006, 08:37 AM

Dave
It has always been my understanding that you have to have a valid residence address in order to get a Post Office Box. I don't think that is the requirement for a box at like Mail Boxes Etc. In fact that was why those type of places sprang up all over.
Happy trails.....................

Parrothead · 01-19-2006, 08:40 AM

Dave
Another thought. Many of the CGs we have stayed in for extended periods (on a monthly basis) have mail boxes for each site. We received mail at the last one we were at and still had most of our mail delivered to our stick house. It was convenient for ordering on line, etc., to have the mail address at the CG. We just had to give the campground a Post Office change of address card when we left.
Happy trails.......................

dsprik · 01-19-2006, 11:40 AM

Thanks, Sue. That's very helpful info.

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