Moving from Michigan to Florida: the tax picture
Quick answer: Michigan taxes income at a flat 4.25 percent, and two dozen cities including Detroit add their own city income tax. Florida has neither. You file one final part-year MI return for the move year, build your Florida domicile file properly, and the savings start with your first fully Florida year.
Your last Michigan return
Schedule NR with your MI-1040 splits the year.
The rule that catches movers
Michigan's retirement-income deduction has been phasing back in, so retirees should run both states before crediting the move with the whole difference. City income taxes end immediately either way.
The audit reality
Michigan is not known for aggressive residency audits; documentation and dates carry the day.
The domicile checklist
Florida driver license and vehicle registration, voter registration, homestead filing if you buy, new doctors and dentists, updated estate documents, and a calendar that proves where you actually slept. Your old state looks at the whole picture, so build it from day one.
The bigger picture
Michigan shows steady net out-migration in IRS data, with Florida a leading destination.
How we handle move years
Part-year and multi-state returns are a specialty here, not an upcharge surprise. One written quote covers the final MI return, the domicile file, and your first Florida-resident year plan.
Educational overview using state revenue department and IRS migration data, reviewed June 2026. Rates and rules shift; your move year gets reviewed by a real preparer.
Do I file a Michigan return for the year I move?
Yes, one last part-year return. Schedule NR with your MI-1040 splits the year. Income before the move date belongs to Michigan; income after belongs to Florida, which has no income tax return at all.
Will Michigan audit my move?
Michigan is not known for aggressive residency audits; documentation and dates carry the day. The defense is boring paperwork done early, and we set it up as part of your move-year return.
What does Florida tax instead?
No state income tax, no state tax on retirement income, and no estate tax. Florida raises revenue through sales and property taxes, so the homestead exemption filing matters.