Tax Planning in Orlando
Year-round tax strategy for Central Florida families. Coordinated with your investments, income, and estate plan.
Fee-Only
Compensated solely by our clients. No commissions. No conflicts.
Serving Florida Since 1995
Three decades of fee-only fiduciary wealth management.
The Year You Move to Florida Is the Most Important Tax Year of Your Career
Year-round tax coordination. Not a year-end exercise.
A $1M earner relocating from California retains approximately $130,000 annually. But that figure assumes every detail is handled correctly. The timing of your last bonus, the date of your stock option exercise, whether your employer considers your Florida office the "primary" location, whether California considers your departure permanent based on the property you retained and the connections you maintained.
For executives at Orlando's theme parks, defense contractors, and tech companies, the transition year is also often the year of peak compensation complexity: final equity vesting, sign-on bonuses, relocation packages, deferred comp distribution elections. One poorly timed decision can cost more than an entire year of advisory fees. Your tax plan should be in place before the moving truck arrives. View our tax planning approach
Your Orlando FinancialTeam
Elayne Pisarik, CFP®, CLU, ChFC®, CDMM, MS, M.Tax
Elayne holds three degrees, four certifications (CFP®, CLU, ChFC, CDMM), a Master of Taxation, and 34 years of tax strategy experience.
Dan Brownsberger, CIMA
Dan is a lifelong Floridian with over 37 years of experience helping clients achieve their financial goals through disciplined investment management.
Tax Planning Considerations for Central Florida
Orange and Seminole County Property Tax
Orange County's combined millage is moderate (county portion 4.4347 mills, city of Orlando 6.6500 mills). Seminole County recently increased to 5.3751 mills, the first increase in 16 years. Your plan models property tax across whichever county you call home.
Executive Relocation Tax Timing
Properly timing bonuses, stock exercises, and deferred compensation distributions relative to your Florida domicile establishment can produce significant state income tax savings. Your former state's rules determine how aggressive this timing can be.
Stock Compensation Tax Optimization
ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, and ESPP shares each carry distinct tax treatment. Your tax plan coordinates exercise and disposition timing with your overall income projection to help manage brackets and AMT exposure.
Multi-Jurisdiction Complexity
Orlando's large Puerto Rican community (400,000+) and corporate relocations from high-tax states create cross-jurisdiction considerations. Your tax plan accounts for prior-year source income, multi-state filing requirements, and residency transition rules.
Common Questions About Tax Planning in Orlando
For non-qualified stock options (NSOs), the income recognized at exercise is generally taxed by the state where you are domiciled at the time of exercise. Exercising after establishing Florida domicile may eliminate state income tax on that recognition. For incentive stock options (ISOs), the analysis differs because the taxable event for regular tax purposes occurs at sale, not exercise, though AMT may apply at exercise. The optimal timing depends on your specific options, your former state's rules (some states tax based on where the services were performed, not where you live at exercise), and your overall income picture. Your FinancialTeam models multiple scenarios; final tax guidance should come from your CPA. Learn more about tax planning
In Florida, neither ISO nor NSO exercises trigger state income tax. For federal purposes, NSO exercises create ordinary income equal to the spread between exercise price and fair market value, taxed in the year of exercise. ISO exercises generally do not create ordinary income at exercise but may trigger Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) on the spread. When ISO shares are sold after meeting holding requirements (1 year from exercise, 2 years from grant), gains are taxed at long-term capital gains rates. If holding requirements are not met (a "disqualifying disposition"), gains are taxed as ordinary income. Your FinancialTeam coordinates exercise and disposition timing within your overall tax projection. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances; consult your CPA.
New York applies a "convenience of the employer" test. If you work remotely from Florida for your own convenience (rather than because the employer requires you to work from a location outside New York), New York may tax that income as though you earned it in New York. If the employer requires you to work from Florida (documented through employer policy, job description, or employment agreement), New York's claim is weaker. This is a fact-specific analysis that depends on your employment arrangement and documentation. Your FinancialTeam coordinates with your CPA on this analysis.
Property tax rates vary by county and municipality. Orange County's total millage inside Orlando city limits combines county, school, and municipal rates. Seminole County (Lake Mary, Heathrow, Oviedo) and Osceola County (Celebration, Kissimmee) have different base rates and special district overlays. Your financial plan models property tax for your specific address, not county averages, because rates can vary significantly within a single county depending on special taxing districts. Your FinancialTeam incorporates these projections into your cash flow analysis.
Florida's no-state-income-tax environment means Roth conversions are taxed only at federal rates, making them potentially more attractive than in states with income tax. The optimal conversion amount each year depends on your projected income, current and future tax brackets, Medicare premium thresholds (IRMAA), and how long converted assets will remain in the Roth before withdrawal. Your FinancialTeam runs multi-year projections to identify conversion amounts that may reduce your lifetime tax burden. Roth conversion decisions are complex and depend on individual circumstances; results are not guaranteed. Learn more about tax planning