According to the IRS, “reasonable moving expenses” may be deducted if two tests are met:

1. The Distance Test

To pass this test, your new place of work must be at least 50 miles farther from your previous home than your former workplace was from that same residence. Therefore, if you lived 15 miles from your last job location and your new place of work is at least 65 miles away from the home you moved out of, you pass the distance test. If you didn’t have a previous workplace, your new job location must be at least 50 miles from the home you moved out of to pass the IRS distance test.

2. The Time Test

To meet the time test if you are an employee relocating for a job you must work full time for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months after arriving in the area of your new workplace. If you are self employed, you must work full time for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months and for a total of at least 78 weeks during the first 24 months immediately after arriving in the area of your new workplace. There are exceptions to the time test, such as death, disability and involuntary separation.

Members of the armed forces relocating due to a military order and permanent change of station do not have to meet the distance or time tests to be eligible for the moving expenses tax deduction.

When relocating for a job, eligible moving expenses may be deducted off the top as an adjustment to your income. You are not required to itemize to take the deduction, but you will need to use Form 3903 to figure the amount that can be deducted on your Form 1040.

What Moving Expenses Can Be Deducted

If you meet the deduction requirements, you can deduct reasonable costs for moving your household goods and personal effects as well as your cost for traveling to the new home, including lodging. Cost of meals during travel is not deductible.

What the IRS Considers Reasonable Moving Expenses

For your expenses to be considered reasonable you must take the shortest, most direct route to the new location. That means if you make a detour for personal reasons, such as site-seeing along the way, the additional cost for doing so would not be eligible for deduction.

Expenses the IRS allows include costs for:

• hiring a full service mover to provide employee relocation services including packing, crating and relocating your items to your new home
• storage and insurance of household and personal items within a consecutive 30-day period after moving items from your old home, but before delivering them to your new home
• disconnecting or reconnecting utilities due to the move
• shipping your automobile
• transporting your household pets to your new location

You may deduct moving expenses for all members of the family, even if they do not travel together at the same time.

See details, including more information about what expenses can and cannot be deducted, in IRS Publication 521.

According to a new report issued by the California Department of Finance, an estimated 154,000 Californians moved to other states in the last year. Estimates show 132,000 new foreign immigrants moved into the state, but the primary source for California’s population growth of less than one percent from July 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011 is births, a trend that has continued for the last decade.

A recent U.S. Census Bureau report showing the top 10 most common state to state moves in 2010 lists California as the state most people move out of.  More people moved from California to Texas than anywhere else in the country. California also lost 47,164 citizens to Arizona, 39,468 to Washington and 35,472 to Nevada in 2010.

Why do so many Californians continue to move out of state year after year? High housing costs, lack of jobs and high business taxes remain the reasons most give. Although Californians love the weather and lifestyle, they can no longer afford the high cost of living and doing business here.

Planning to move out of state from California? Whether you are looking for Sacramento movers, a moving company in Orange County, or reliable movers in another area, Chipman Relocations can provide the quality custom residential or commercial moving and storage services you need. Call us today and experience the Chipman difference!

While you may be willing to take whatever measures are necessary to move with your pets, you could decide that transporting your plants is simply not worth the hassle during this busy time. Chipman’s state to state movers do not transport pets or plants, so you will need to make other travel arrangements if moving them.

Moving Pets across State Lines

Moving can be very stressful for your pets. They don’t understand the way we do; they only know they are leaving their home. Talk to your veterinarian before the move and ask for recommendations on how best to help your pet through this transition. You can discuss it when taking your pet for a visit before the move.

If your pet is more than three months old, it will likely need a current rabies vaccination. Most states require them. A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection is also recommended. In fact, some states such as Washington and Oregon require the certificate of health be issued no more than 30 days before arrival. Each state has its own regulations, so check with the agriculture department for the state you are moving to in advance. You can find import information here. Your veterinarian should be able to provide the necessary information and documentation required. He or she may also be able to recommend a new veterinarian in the area you are moving to.

You will also need to check local pet licensing requirements. The city or county you are moving to may require a license for each pet, and could also limit the number of pets you can own.

Once you arrive in the new home, keep a close eye on your pets. Only let them out on a leash, at least until they become familiar with their new home, and make sure they have identification with a current phone number in case they become lost.

Moving Household Plants across State Lines

Most states regulate the import of plants, including personal household plants, to prevent the spread of disease and pests. Many require transported plants be grown only indoors in sterilized potting soil, which can be purchased at a garden center. That means you probably won’t be able to dig up your plants from your yard and take them to your new home in another state, or even take potted plants kept outdoors in summer.

Some states require a certificate of inspection, and/or prohibit certain plants. For instance, California strongly discourages bringing citrus plants, fruit and nut tress and pine trees, even ones grown indoors, and requires any household plants be declared and easily accessible to border inspectors. Your local agricultural department should be able to provide information on regulations for the state you are moving to. If not, check with that state’s agricultural or natural resources department.

In addition to regulations, you must also consider how your plants will be transported. You don’t want to carry them in the trunk of your car, so unless you are able to safely transport them and can meet the destination state’s regulations, you may want to consider finding a new home for your plants before moving.

As you can see, advanced planning is necessary for moving state to state with pets and plants. If you have additional questions or concerns, talk to the Chipman move coordinator provided with your residential moving service.  He or she will be happy to assist you.

Make sure you have loading straps, paper pads, furniture pads, stretch wrap, and dollies. Watch the video below for more helpful packing tips & specifics. This is our last moving tip video in our blog series. Thank you so much for joining us and we hope it has been of help to you, your friends, and family!

Make sure you have sturdy cartons, packing paper, small resealable bags, and felt-tip markers. Watch the video below for more helpful packing tips & specifics. Be sure to check back next week for our last Moving Tip Video – featuring “Loading a Container”. Enjoy!

Make sure you have sturdy cartons, tissue & packing paper, paper pads, and felt-tip markers. Check out the video for more helpful packing tips & specifics. Be sure to check back next week for our Moving Tips Series featuring “Packing Up Your Kitchen”.

Make sure you have bubble wrap, sturdy cartons, tissue paper, and packing tape. Check out the video for more helpful packing tips. Check back next week for our Moving Tips Series featuring “Packing Up Your Family Room”.

Make sure you have properly folding boxes that close, packing paper, felt tip pens for labeling, and packing tape. Check out the video for more helpful moving tips. Check back next week for our Moving Tips Series featuring “Packing Up Your Dining Room”!

So, you’ve just moved into your new accommodations {courtesy of Chipman Relocations} and your kitchen still has boxes of pots and pans, containers of nicks and nacks… Who really wants to cook? Do you even have groceries yet? Let’s be honest, probably not.

Fear not and look no further! Do you own a smart phone? Have connection to the internet? Check Yelp or download the Urban Spoon application to your smartphone {or just visit www.urbanspoon.com} in just a few clicks and you’ll be connected to another world of information. Are you in the mood for a specific kind of cuisine? Yelp and Urban Spoon are so user friendly and such a breeze to navigate, you will have found an amazingly inexpensive Thai or Italian place to try out with substantial 5 star reviews.  Not only are these sites and apps great resources for lightning fast results- Yelp and Urban Spoon also host an array of customer reviews so you and your family can decipher for yourself what restaurants sound good enough to grub!

On to the next item on your to-do list once you’ve moved to a new city… Now that you and your family have gotten situated, you need to set up your healthcare and dental provider and track down a doctor within your area- one that you can trust!  Shopping for a doctor is never easy nor is it very fun, nonetheless- breathe- Yelp is here to help. Yelp is by far one of the best resources to find out what people are saying about your prospective doctor and their own personal opinions as well as experiences with that specific MD. I can’t think of anything better, it’s like spying or eavesdropping but guilt free! Haven’t made any friends in your new area yet to get a good referral? You don’t need their opinions if you have access to Yelp!

Last but certainly not least, you need to find time to relax! Perhaps you can Google the nearest park for a peaceful walk with your dog or a playground for your children to enjoy. It doesn’t cost a dime and a sunny day on a swing never hurt anyone- it will only bring back some of your youthful remembrances.

As an avid Yelp user and after careful examinations of each and every eatery, pediatrician and national park, I have no complaints- just wonderful experiences and adventures thanks to all the helpful reviews and critics I’ve read.

Are you an experienced and avid mover?  What tips did we miss? Make sure to share it with us below!

{Images found here, here and here}

When moving into a new home it seems as though there is always a new corner to fill, wall space for art, and even at times a new guest room for interior design innovation! However, there are ways to warm up your house without burning a hole in your pocket, honestly!

If your interior style is sleek and sophisticated, Ikea is a great place to start for suave pieces at inexpensive prices. Marshall’s and Ross are also great eclectic, off-price stores for any style. Marshall’s and Ross cater to any style, from sleek to shabby-chic and even minimalist, monochromatic tastes. Thrift and vintage stores are also great places to find unique and exclusive pieces for your home at incredibly inexpensive prices and that is always a great feeling!

If you’re a furniture hoarder and can’t handle the thought of more furniture then consider The Eastern Art of Placement, Feng Shui. Here are a few quick tips to get your home and energy in tip-top shape:

1.) Rearrange your furniture- Repositioning your furniture can make an entire world of change to any home. Instead of placing your furniture the same way you had it in your last humble abode- try something new, keep it interesting. Rearranging furniture not only adds intrigue to a room but it also adds new energy to a space.

2.) Now that you’ve rearranged your furniture, organize your things- Throughout the seasons and the changes within your life it’s good to organize and accessorize your things. For example arranging your bookshelf in a new and creative way or rearranging your handbags in your walk-in closet. Keeping things fresh adds vitality to a room!

3.) Add splashes of color- Adding splashes of color to a room can help turn a dull space into an exciting and warm room. Does your room lack color? Try adding hues of red, orange, pink, purple and yellow. These colors radiate energy and where vivacity lives so does opportunity and existence.

4.) Last but not least; donate, recycle or re-gift unwanted items in your home- As you create space new possibilities will infiltrate!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our quick tips on decorating and adding new energy to a home! Have any decorating tips you would like to share? Let us know in the comments.

Images Courtesy of House Beautiful