# Living the expat life in Malaysia; residency, taxes, etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-the-expat-life-in-malaysia-residency-taxes-etc/551543 "2010-08-26T15:50:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-the-expat-life-in-malaysia-residency-taxes-etc/551543/21 "2010-08-29T02:37:19Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > I have zero experience of beinng an expat, but I can still give this piece of advice. If you’re interested in jogging and meeting people socially, both other expats and natives, you should seek out the [Hash House Harriers](http://www.google.se/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Asv-SE%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=sv&source=hp&q=hash+house+harriers+penang&meta=&btnG=S%C3%B6k+p%C3%A5+Google). Especially since they originated in Malaysia, in 1938 in Kuala Lumpur. > [@Johanna](#): > > Anti-Semitism is essentially unknown internally in Malaysia. Very few people there have ever met a Jew, … That’s possibly at least in some part because until very recently, Israelis were barred from entering the country. I believe that’s changed now, though. ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-the-expat-life-in-malaysia-residency-taxes-etc/551543/22 "2010-08-29T16:12:05Z")
Living full time in a motor home and traveling around the country my wife and I have faced the legal domicile question. You will need a legal domicile and address for the IRS and so forth. There is info on what constitutes a legal domicile here [http://www.rvforum.net/index.php?option=com\_content&task=view&id=220&Itemid=41](http://www.rvforum.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=220&Itemid=41) that may be helpful. The three most popular states used by folks that are rarely in their state of residence are SD, TX, and FL. All three are friendly to full timers. We chose Sioux Falls, South Dakota for several reasons: No state income taxes,. They do not tax dividends or interest income. No inheritance taxes. There are a number of good mail forwarding services available. Your legal address becomes the mail forwarding service address. It will look like this. Your Name 1234 Easy Street PMB 1234 (private mail box)or #1234 (your choice - both are accepted by the USPS) Sioux falls, SD 57106 We use the number sign prefix because it raises fewer questions - many people think it’s an apartment number. For example if you order something on line some companies won’t ship to a mail box number. The county we live in (Minnehaha) excuses full timers from jury duty. They make it easy to register to vote. They have tailored their drivers license application procedure so it meets the Homeland Security Act requirements and still is easy for full timers to obtain one. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-the-expat-life-in-malaysia-residency-taxes-etc/551543/23 "2010-09-08T16:26:36Z")
Update: [Malaysia ranked the best place to retire in Southeast Asia](http://www.property-report.com/site/malaysia-ranked-as-best-place-to-retire-in-south-east-asia-8915#comment-473) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-the-expat-life-in-malaysia-residency-taxes-etc/551543/24 "2010-09-22T01:06:28Z")
And a little more information. There was a story on Sunday about how Thailand is losing its tourists to neighboring countries, especially Malaysia and Cambodia. There’s some peripheral info on Malaysia. See it here: [In search of new horizons](http://bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/197020/in-search-of-new-horizons) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-the-expat-life-in-malaysia-residency-taxes-etc/551543/25 "2010-09-22T21:11:45Z")
Not an accountant but: It seems that the rule is that the state taxes depending on where the money was made. For example, when the Celtics play the Lakers, Massachusetts taxes all of the players one-game income if in Boston. Likewise California taxes the players and coaches from both teams for the game if it is in Los Angeles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-the-expat-life-in-malaysia-residency-taxes-etc/551543.md?page=1)