(MIAMI, FLORIDA) — A billionaire housing move to Indian Creek Island signals more than luxury living; it underscores how residency and tax considerations—not just where you keep a vacation home—determine tax exposure for movers and remote workers.
1) Zuckerberg’s Indian Creek Island purchase: what’s driving the move
Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta CEO, is buying a $150-200 million waterfront property on Indian Creek Island in the Miami area. The address—Indian Creek Island Road—matters because it is not the typical “I bought a condo” kind of footprint. A purchase of this size can look like the start of a real life shift.
Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are tied to a nearly 2-acre site with a 27,669-square-foot limestone mansion and nine bedrooms. A few features, like a 1,500-gallon aquarium, signal the scale of the project. Neighbors have said he plans to move in by April 2026, which reads like a primary-home plan rather than a part-time stop.
Still, a deed rarely ends a residency debate by itself. States look at patterns. Think of residency like a story you tell with your calendar, your work, your family routines, and your records. A big home may support that story, but it does not replace it.
Domicile is the “home you mean to keep” long term, even if you travel. Residency is usually more about physical presence and day-to-day life in a place. Many disputes come from mixing those concepts. Someone can own three homes, but only one typically functions as the main base.
2) Relocation context: why Florida is a magnet (and what that means for digital nomads)
South Florida has become a draw for ultra-wealthy movers, including Mark Zuckerberg and other names linked to the same corridor: Jeff Bezos, Tom Brady, Carl Icahn, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, David Guetta, and Julio Iglesias. Tech figures have also been part of the shift. Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Larry Ellison, and Peter Thiel have all been associated with relocating to South Florida.
A simple driver sits behind much of the migration math: Florida has no state income tax. That can matter for high earners who currently face California’s high state income tax rates. It can also matter for founders and executives whose compensation includes equity income that may show up as capital gains.
Switching states does not switch off federal tax duties. Federal income tax rules apply nationwide. State taxes are the layer that changes when you change residency. Remote workers feel this quickly, because a “work from anywhere” year can create multiple state filing obligations, even when the person sees themself as “based” in one place.
Digital nomads run into the same core issue, just at a faster tempo. A nomad who bounces between states may trigger residency tests, or at least create questions about where “home” really is. Day-count tracking helps. Documentation helps more.
The IRS has its own federal residency rules for noncitizens, including the Substantial Presence Test. The key idea is that the IRS counts days across multiple years using a formula, not just a single-year total. A tracker can help you estimate where you stand without guessing.
Table 1: State residency implications for high-net-worth movers and nomads
| State | Residency Trigger | Tax Status Implications | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Establish a primary home and life pattern in Florida; show intent consistent with domicile | No state income tax, so state income tax exposure may drop for Florida residents | For movers, proof often comes from consistent ties: home base, time spent, and community links |
| California | Facts showing California remains the center of life or that the person spends substantial time and maintains key ties | California state income tax may still apply if California treats the person as a resident | The California Franchise Tax Board often reviews high-income nonresidency claims closely, especially when business ties remain |
3) California’s proposed wealth tax: timing, residency hook, and planning constraints
California’s proposed ballot initiative adds urgency to the Florida storyline. The proposal is a one-time 5% wealth tax on net worth exceeding $1 billion. The hook that catches attention is timing: it is described as retroactive to January 1, 2026, for anyone who was a California resident on that date.
Why does a single date matter? Some tax rules work like a snapshot. If you are in the frame on the snapshot date, the state may claim the tax applies. If you are out of the frame, it may not. That creates intense focus on residency status on one day, even if your broader move plays out over months.
Ballot measures add uncertainty. Signature collection and election timing can change the odds. People track proposals like this because a small change in status—resident or nonresident on January 1, 2026—could carry large consequences for the very wealthy.
None of this means a person can “move on paper” and expect the story to hold. A fast move that conflicts with work, family life, or property use can invite challenges.
4) Tax implications and residency considerations: Florida benefits vs. California scrutiny
Florida’s lack of state income tax is a strong motivator, but it is not a free pass. California can still challenge whether someone truly left. The California Franchise Tax Board is known for close review of nonresidency claims by wealthy individuals. That scrutiny tends to rise when someone has a large income event, a high profile, or major continuing California connections.
CEO-level ties can complicate a clean break. Mark Zuckerberg runs Meta, and executive work can be tied to California through offices, teams, and core operations. Even if a person sleeps in Florida, a state may ask where the real business center remains. Work location, meeting records, and travel logs can become part of the fact pattern.
Evidence usually falls into a few buckets:
- Primary home: Which home is used most, and how is it set up for daily life?
- Family location: Where do close family members live day to day?
- Business activities: Where are key decisions made, and where is the person physically present for work?
- Time spent: Days in each state, supported by calendars, flights, toll records, and similar proof.
- Community ties: Doctors, clubs, worship, schools, and recurring local activities.
⚠️ Residency is a facts-and-circumstances test; maintain consistency across address, time spent, and ties to avoid residency disputes
One practical way to think about it: a state looks for contradictions. A Florida driver’s license paired with frequent California time and a California-centered work life can look inconsistent. That is where disputes start.
✅ Review personal ties (home base, family location, business presence) and document day counts to prepare for potential residency scrutiny
5) Ongoing ties, compliance spillovers, and a checklist for mobile taxpayers
California ties can linger even after a splashy move. Mark Zuckerberg still has an 11-home compound in Palo Alto, with $110 million spent there. Meta also invested $50 million in a Sacramento downtown revitalization project. Those facts do not prove residency by themselves, but they can matter if California argues that the center of life never really shifted.
For high-net-worth movers, consistency is the theme. Addresses should line up with where you actually live. Time should match the story. Business travel should be documented. When possible, keep records that a neutral reviewer would accept.
Mobile workers face a similar test, even without mansions or headlines. A consultant who says “Florida is my base” should be able to show where they sleep most nights, where their main home is, and where their work is carried out. Digital nomads should track days in each state because multi-state work can create filing duties, even when the person feels untethered.
Global mobility adds another layer. Foreign bank and financial accounts can trigger separate federal reporting duties, even if you moved from California to Florida and owe no Florida state income tax. FBAR and FATCA rules use specific dollar thresholds, and those thresholds matter. Many people miss them because they focus only on income taxes.
A simple checklist for mobile taxpayers can keep the story clean:
- Keep a day-count log and save supporting records.
- Align your “home base” signals: primary home use, IDs, and recurring services.
- Document where you work, especially if your role is tied to California operations.
- Watch date-driven rules, including January 1, 2026, in any planning around California’s proposed 5% wealth tax.
- Track foreign accounts and assets for separate federal reporting rules.
The headline move to Indian Creek Island is eye-catching. The real lesson is quieter: where you live for tax purposes is built from repeatable facts, and states test whether those facts match the life you claim.
This article provides informational guidance on residency and tax implications for mobile individuals and is not legal or tax advice.
Consult a qualified tax professional for personalized advice, as residency and tax exposure depend on facts and circumstances.
