Moving back to Alaska maybe (Metlakatla: home owners insurance, house, high school) - (AK) - City-Data Forum

skisnow92 · 11-20-2015, 04:09 PM

I moved to the east coast after living in Alaska all my life. Thought I'd get out and see some different stuff. Turns out AK gets stuck in the blood and I'm contemplating on moving back. It's stressful to leave the house here in Rhode Island due to no space and insane traffic. I miss the mountains and the snow driving around the state. I haven't claimed residentsy here yet due to being afraid to commit and lose my PFD. I am just looking for advice and opinions. I am young but I am addicted to AK. Maybe it's just the East coast that I'm not a fan of. All advice would be appreciated. Maybe share a story how you fell in love with AK or about how you moved away and came back.

Metlakatla · 11-20-2015, 04:17 PM

In the first place, if you've moved out of state, you can't claim the PFD even if you don't claim residency in another state.

Haolejohn · 11-20-2015, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skisnow92

I moved to the east coast after living in Alaska all my life. Thought I'd get out and see some different stuff. Turns out AK gets stuck in the blood and I'm contemplating on moving back. It's stressful to leave the house here in Rhode Island due to no space and insane traffic. I miss the mountains and the snow driving around the state. I haven't claimed residentsy here yet due to being afraid to commit and lose my PFD. I am just looking for advice and opinions. I am young but I am addicted to AK. Maybe it's just the East coast that I'm not a fan of. All advice would be appreciated. Maybe share a story how you fell in love with AK or about how you moved away and came back.

You do realize you could be a resident of Alaska and not qualify for the PFD right? All it takes is to spend more than a certain number of days outside of the state.

skisnow92 · 11-20-2015, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haolejohn

You do realize you could be a resident of Alaska and not qualify for the PFD right? All it takes is to spend more than a certain number of days outside of the state.

Yeah. I didn't mention how long I've been gone. I haven't gone over the amount of days or claimed residency in any other state so I still qualify.

skisnow92 · 11-20-2015, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

In the first place, if you've moved out of state, you can't claim the PFD even if you don't claim residency in another state.

You can as long as you haven't exceeded the amount of days, or claimed residency in another state . People are snowbirds and do it. You just got to be in Alaska some part of the year and be a resident

Metlakatla · 11-20-2015, 05:41 PM

It's a little more complex than that. You have to have the intent to remain in Alaska at the time of application. Of course, that's pretty hard to prove, and I'm sure that a lot of people are less than honest about this. If you want to go back, go back. If you want to see more of the world (which would be my advice, but no one here can tell you what you should do), do it, but don't let the PFD be a factor.

maineborzoi · 11-20-2015, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skisnow92

I moved to the east coast after living in Alaska all my life. Thought I'd get out and see some different stuff. Turns out AK gets stuck in the blood and I'm contemplating on moving back. It's stressful to leave the house here in Rhode Island due to no space and insane traffic. I miss the mountains and the snow driving around the state. I haven't claimed residentsy here yet due to being afraid to commit and lose my PFD. I am just looking for advice and opinions. I am young but I am addicted to AK. Maybe it's just the East coast that I'm not a fan of. All advice would be appreciated. Maybe share a story how you fell in love with AK or about how you moved away and came back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

In the first place, if you've moved out of state, you can't claim the PFD even if you don't claim residency in another state.

I like to read the threads, and came across this to respond.

Skisnow- if you got a RI drivers license, that makes you a resident of the state. Adding to not have the RI drivers license within 30 days of moving into the state, if the troopers wanted to start something- they could claim you have an invalid license...
This would also, of course, be a case of record for say automobile insurance, home owners insurance etc.

I would love to see Alaska one day though I must admit- when hubby decided to retire to Maine, I felt I got at least some of what I thought I would have seen/had/hoped for in Alaska. I watch any show I see on it- the nature shows, etc and it does look fascinating.

Good luck in your decission, but you also might want to consider Maine. ( just make sure you have a job first. ). Snow, mountains, average temp is 72 degrees in the summer, wildlife ( but no grizzlies ), but no earthquakes.

6.7traveler · 11-20-2015, 06:06 PM

They really need to crack down on these out of state PFD recipients. I ran into 100's of "snowbirds" down in Arizona and they all would keep their Alaska plates and drivers license and only went back to alaska for the summer. There is no reason these people should continue to get the PFD. I believe you can file an exemption to stay out of state up to 6 months and still receive the PFD. I'm not talking about people who go for 1-3 months but at 6 months there's no reason for your PFD.

And for all the talk about how strict the PFD people are, I've also ran into a few seasonal workers who recieved the PFD. These people had no intention of starting a life here and somehow were able to weasel their way into a PFD.

I've been up here for the better part of 3 years and still haven't recieved one because I would leave during the winter. I've been a permenant resident since December of last year so I'll hopefully get one next October for the first time or what's left of it. My neighbor has 7 kids and just recieved $20,000. I get that the PFD is nice for those who truly live here and need the help, but I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I can't help but think that some less than desirable people would leave if the PFD is ended.

maineborzoi · 11-20-2015, 06:23 PM

6.7traveler- I must admit I have no idea how this PFD program works as it appears, to the outsider, as a payment from the state to live there. I am not even sure what all it entails. ( I should go find a thread on this to find out what it is as only having the most basic of knowledge on the subject. )

I do have some understanding of DMV requirements, and in most states, the requirement is 30 days. Some companies would love the wiggle room to not pay a claim if they could prove false registration etc.
And most insurance companies will not cover ones home if vacant for more than 30 days either.
I was just tossing this out to the OP as things to think about.

GnomadAK · 11-21-2015, 08:06 AM

The problem is where the OP moved to. The eastern seaboard seems to have all of the attributes people stay in AK to escape without the attributes that lure one away.

I surely wouldn't move to RI when there's a huge range of the US experience to sample. There are places that are very good and places that are very bad and a bunch of ranges in between.

I recall a lot of my friends and aquaintances moving out after high school and college, most moved back. Now that we've gotten into middle agish years we're less inclined to move back.

As for the PFD-there is a car here that has been here in NoMI for as long as we have, we see it year round, Alaska plates the whole time. I'm sure they are collecting a PFD or two. I'm surprised the local sheriff hasn't called them on it.