January 6, 2017

12848 Views

3 Fast Remedies for Travel Nurses On the Road

Posted on January 6, 2017February 3, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

By Annette Tersigni RN, The Yoga Nurse™

Travel nursing is a glamorous, exciting adventure. You are a nursing rock star on the road. And yes, at times, you’ll feel stress and anxiety related to all the busyness of settling into your new gig. And you want to feel calm, confident, and competent when it’s show time. Here are three quick, easy and proven remedies that any nurse can do. Treat yourself on the road, on the job and in your daily life.

Airway open? Take a deep cleaning breathing break.

Circulation? Try this quick stretch when the job is a pain in the neck. Couch Potato Yoga. Uh-huh. You can do this in a chair at work, or soon as you land on your couch at home.

3. Anxious mind. Fear? Use one of these mantras.

What is a mantra?

A mantra is an instrument of the mind.

You repeat it over and over and over and over like a catchy tune.

You replace the downer; burn out thoughts with these mantras.

I have TWO versions here. USE the one that resonates with your heart and spiritual/ religious belief system. Personally, I use both.

VERSION #1

LOVE GOES WITH ME WHEREVER I GO

Repeat now and always in your nursing travels. I shared this in NYC recently, with hundreds of nurses who are still recovering from their extreme, heroic efforts during Hurricane Sandy. They loved this mantra, and it loved them.

I also gave it to a client who had a recent stroke and is crumbing under the enormous road to recovery she has a head of her. Both she and her weary husband use this mantra and their burdens were made lighter. I wish this for you.

VERSION #2

GOD GOES WITH ME WHEREVER I GO

The Plan
Repeat, repeat, repeat heading into work, on the floor, at the bedside, with your nursing colleagues, in your car, on the plane and when you’re ready to breathe fire at someone at work plus it’s great to help you with insomnia. Repeat until, the Mantra repeats itself, on auto pilot- until it becomes engraved in the soft ware of your nursing soul, a good vibe ever humming in the background of your consciousness.

More Remedies for your Travel Nursing Career
If your heart resonated with this sharing, you may wish to discover how you can learn a complete, empowering program of remedies. You can take this training while you are on the road. Get an easy, proven, cool, brand of nursing education for YOU and your patients that you can do…in your PJs. NO EXPERIENCE IN YOGA REQUIRED. Read More

Annette Tersigni, RN, the Yoga Nurse™, is a former Hollywood actor and cover girl turned nurse, a healer who is passionate about expanding consciousness in health care. An author and inspirational speaker, she is the founder of Yoga Nursing™, an accredited, new field in nursing education. Annette is a successful nurse-entrepreneur who saves and transforms lives physically, financially, and spiritually. She is the author of the inspirational best seller, The Richest Woman in Babylon and Manhattan. You can also find out more by visiting: www.yoganurse.com

By The Gypsy Nurse

September 30, 2016

8275 Views

Life of a Traveler – Leaving New Friends

Posted on September 30, 2016March 21, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

The following is a guest article written by: Michelle Lane, CNA

I love to meet new people! Perhaps for me, that is the best part of being a traveler. Well, that, and the fact that I get to go to a new place every 13 weeks! I love the adventure of getting on the airplane- the final destination, somewhere I have never been!

I am a new traveler, fresh off my first contract, and not even 8 days into my new one. I spent 16 weeks in Seward, AK and I made some really great friends and I think that made it even more difficult when it came time to leave! Everyone, from my onsite manager, all the way down to the maintenance guy in my apartment building were the nicest people, so helpful and genuinely wanting to help and make my time in Seward the most enjoyable. They not only succeeded, it made it very difficult when it came time to leave.

Text, Twitter®, Facebook® and Email! Oh My!

In our modern age of technology we are afforded so many options to keep in touch with people! It is like “Instant Gratification”. We may be thousands of miles away from our new found friends by the 14^th week of meeting them, but we are able to stay in contact instantly, when we choose to.

Through the invention of Facebook ® we can follow along in the lives of new and old friends, alike. You can send a text on their birthday by using wireless phones, or send and receive emails with pictures that you took of them while on assignment, and even follow them on Twitter® if you choose to. No longer do we have to wait weeks for a letter, or schedule a phone call when the rates are the lowest. Do you remember those days? (Or, did I just date myself? LOL) No way, we are of the technology age, baby! We can instantly keep in touch and maintain those new found friendships through so many options now!

It may not completely eliminate those feelings of sadness when it does come time to leave your new friends, but it is now easier than ever to keep in touch and maintain those friendships for years to come! So go out there and meet people, Gypsies! The friendships do not end when the assignment does!

Happy Traveling, my friends!

Michelle

Relationships while on the road can be a huge joy and a source of camaraderie. They can also blow up and cause drama and pain. Relationships are a part of life. The good ones, we want to hold onto forever and the bad…generally teach us something about ourselves if we are willing to take a minute to reflect on them. “Scrubbing In” a recent MTV reality series reflects both the good and bad in some of these relationships.

Would you like to share with The Gypsy Nurse readers your experiences with relationships on the road? Do you have a good or bad experience that left you reflecting on yourself or life? How have the relationships you’ve experienced impacted your life, attitude or outlook? If you would like to share your Travel Nursing experiences, please submit HERE.

——————

Provided by: Aya Healthcare

Our mission at Aya Healthcare is simple. When you’re happy, we’re happy. We put our heart and soul into creating the best possible travel nursing experience. With over 10,000 open assignments spanning all 50 states we can place you where you want to go, like sunny San Diego or near your favorite aunt in her small, quaint town in Ohio. We have an expert team to guide you and help you accomplish your travel nursing goals. You need help with licensure, we do that. Want assistance relocating? We’re on it. Dream of showing up to a beautiful, fully furnished apartment in your new city without lifting a finger? Done.

Let’s be honest- for all of the wonderful things traveling brings, it can also come with a bump or two. We leverage our thoughtfulness, experience, and skills to not only smooth over these bumps but anticipate and prevent them so you can spend more time focusing on what you care about. We even want to help you make friends and celebrate your birthday, so we send a pizza because co-workers workers quickly become friends over a hot slice of pizza! Rather than continue to tell you how great we are, we’d like to hear about what’s important to you. Feel free to give us a call and let us know!

By Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

May 19, 2016

16222 Views

The MultiState Tax Dilemma for Travelers

Posted on May 19, 2016February 24, 2022 by Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

There have been a lot of discussions lately on our Network regarding the Home State Tax vs the Work State Tax. Joseph Smith from TravelTax.com helps explain the Multi-state Tax.

Provided by: Joseph Smith at TravelTax.com

Paying Multi-state Taxes

Multi-state tax filings present one of the hardest parts of a travelers return and many travelers who start out on their first assignment are caught by surprise when they find they have to pay a large amount to their home state.

If you are from a state without an income tax, then you can skip this installment. This is for those that live in a state in which their home state tax is greater than the work state. First, let’s review what happens when you work in more than one state. Your home state will tax ALL of your income earned, regardless of where it was earned and how much time you spent in your home state. You will also be taxed in the work state. Thankfully, you are never doubled taxed as the home state will give you credit for taxes paid to the work state.

If your home state has a higher tax rate, you have a gap to fill.

There are at least 4 ways to fill this gap

1) Ask your agency to withholding for your work state AND additional amounts for your home state. Some agencies will outright refuse to do this as it requires additional work to add a second state. If they can, this is the fastest way to do it.

2) Make estimated payments. You can pay in during the year to bridge the gap. You would want to do this on a quarterly basis for each assignment that presents this dilemma. Find out the difference between your work state tax and the home state by either asking your tax professional or consulting the state tax guides.

3) If you have a job in your home state during the same year you have an assignment in a lower tax state, have the payroll manager increase your withholding for your home state. The excess will help soak up the deficit from the out of state assignment.

4) Just ignore it and pay at tax time. This last step is the easiest but also triggers additional charges. Additional charges?? When you do not pay enough DURING the year and run a deficit of more than 10% of your total tax, many state tax authorities will charge interest and/or penalties of the amount that should have been paid in to meet the 90% threshold. Some states charge as much as 10% of the amount due on a tax return with amounts due of greater than 10% of the total tax. What is “total tax”? When you complete your tax return, you are determining the tax on the income you earned. Once that tax is calculated, you then compare it to the amount you had withheld, paid in with estimates and/or credited from other state returns. The result is a refund or an amount due.

There are some exceptions to this system. Border states may have a reciprocity agreement and there is an odd agreement between IN, VA, CA, AZ and OR which we will cover later.

Joseph Smith presents a multitude of Tax related seminars both via Teleconference and at the Annual Travelers Conference. Consider attending one or check out the other Tax Related Articles for even more Travel Tax related information and advice.

By Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

June 15, 2015

6082 Views

Talking Taxes: ACA Tax Credits

Posted on June 15, 2015January 26, 2023 by Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

In the last article we looked at the Health Insurance mandates and how the penalties apply when there are gaps in coverage which is a common problem for healthcare Travelers. In this article, we will look at the mechanics of the ACA tax credits that are available to certain taxpayers who use the exchanges.

The tax credits are designed to offset health insurance premiums of policies procured through the exchanges or through a private source in which the same exchange policies are purchased. The credit is prospectively granted based on anticipated income but retrospectively adjusted on the tax return for that year.

The Credit

Eligibility for the credit is based on income reported on the previous year’s tax return. When you file your 2014 tax return, an additional form will be used to calculate the amount of credit that you are eligible for to offset 2015 health insurance premiums due to exchange based policies. This formula then goes through two steps: 1) your income on the 2014 return must be below 400% of the Federal Poverty Line and 2) your insurance premiums must exceed 9.5% of your income. In essence, the ACA is a 9.5% tax on earnings per the landmark Supreme Court ruling.

The Payback

There is another calculation going on in the background. Since the credit for 2015 is based on the income reported on the 2014 tax return, the income you report on the 2015 tax return will be used to reconcile the credit that you received. If your income is higher in 2015 than the 2014 baseline year, you will pay back the excess credit in the form of an additional tax on your 2015 tax return. If your income is lower than the 2014 baseline year, you will receive an additional credit which will be applied to the 2015 tax return.

See Saw

This seesaw of credits and paybacks adds another layer of complexity to annual tax return when we one holds and exchange based health insurance policy. Some taxpayers will be required to pay back a significant amount of credits that they received in the previous year. To illustrate, assume a traveler has difficulty finding work in 2014 and is eligible for credit. In 2015, they work a full year. On the 2015 tax return, a portion of the credit (or all) will be charged as an additional tax. If the refund is not large enough to absorb this additional tax, the traveler will have an amount due on the return. As you can see, things might get pretty messy.

Would you like to learn more?

Check out the TOP 10 Questions for Travel Nurses on Taxes.

By Lori Boggan

May 8, 2015

29560 Views

A Nurse in Sweden

Posted on May 8, 2015November 10, 2023 by Lori Boggan

How it all began……

Hi there! My name is Lori. I’m a neonatal nurse in Sweden who began traveling over eight years ago. For my first contract, I stayed close to home in Florida (as some travelers do) to test the waters. After my first thirteen-week contract was complete, I headed to San Francisco. In the eight years and many miles since, I have somewhat rooted myself in a country known for gender equality, meatballs, and Aurora Borealis.

I moved to be a nurse in Sweden five years ago in August. It has been both challenging and amazing. You learn so much about yourself when you step completely out of your comfort zone, learn a new language, eat new food, and experience new traditions. From finding baking powder (bakpulver) in the grocery store to learning to calculate exchange rates, the brain is on overdrive trying to absorb and register all the new experiences that we take for granted when we are in our own environment. There are days where it is super exciting and there are days when you want to pack your bags and go home out of sheer longing for the familiar.

Sverige (Sweden)

What brought me to Sweden? I get this question often from both Americans and Swedes alike. It was love. My boyfriend, Fredrik, is Swedish. We met while I was on a travel assignment in San Francisco and he was working at a startup in Silicon Valley (engineers galore for any single travelers out there). Neither of us planned to stay permanently in California and had no idea that when we met, we would be inseparable. Just shy of our third year together, we packed our things and headed east. I was lucky to get a temporary work and study visa on arrival because Fredrik is a citizen of Sweden.

I live in the second-largest city in Sweden, Gothenburg.

It is a beautiful walkable city on the south-west coast with a population of over 900,00 including both urban and metro areas (Gothenburg).
Was a trading city that also has a rich history of fishing.
Is home to and the birthplace of Volvo.
It has two major universities.

Culturally, Gothenburg claims Jose Gonzalez as one of their own! It is the Seattle of Sweden. Can you sense the pride I feel living in this city?

I spent the first year I was here studying Swedish intensively at the University of Gothenburg. After fulfilling the language requirement, I started studying for my Swedish nursing boards which were a written exam (in Swedish). By May 2013, I had taken and passed my boards!! All that was left was a three and half month internship in the Swedish medical system followed by a little one-semester course in medical Swedish law (nightmare).

I started working and actually getting a paycheck just over a year ago 🙂

I work in the second largest NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) in Sweden. It is a university hospital (Sahlgrenska University Hospital). Like the U.S., they are short-staffed (more on that soon), so I am able to work contractually and go home when I want. I am surrounded by some of the brightest doctors, nurses, and techs from around the world. While it is super challenging thinking, speaking, and charting in Swedish (especially in an emergent situation), I have the constant support and encouragement from a great group of coworkers. Now on to the next adventure……….my Swedish BSN!!!! Follow my adventures on Instagram and through my blog, Neonurse.

By Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

January 20, 2015

11328 Views

ACA Tax Implications for Travelers

Posted on January 20, 2015January 26, 2023 by Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

Guest Article provided by: Joseph Smith @ Traveltax.com

ACA (aka “Obamacare”) requires all individuals carry health insurance starting with the 2014 tax year. Here is some information on ACA tax implications for travel nurses:

Since travelers are highly susceptible to gaps in employment, they are more likely to be subject to the penalties assessed for the lack of coverage. Additionally, travelers who intend to use the health insurance exchanges and associated tax credits will have difficulty predicting their subsidy due to the income swings that occur with their various contracts.

ACA Tax Implications

The next series of articles will look at the ACA mandate and its impact on travelers by first focusing on how penalties for non-compliance are assessed. In the next installment, we will look at the mechanics of the tax credits that are available to those who procure health insurance from the exchanges.

Penalties

The penalty for not carrying qualified health insurance coverage starts in 2014 at 1% of income or $95, whichever is greater. In 2015, the penalty rises to $325 per person or 2% of income; and in 2016, $695 or 2.5% of income. The penalty applies for any month that an individual is not covered and is prorated if the individual fails to carry insurance less than 12 months of the year. Since travelers run the risk of losing employer based health insurance during the periods between assignments, they are subject to the penalty unless they procure another policy or continue the policy provided by the last employer through COBRA.

GAPS in Coverage

Under the ACA regulations, if an individual has coverage for one day in a month, they are credited as having coverage the entire month. This potentially allows a traveler to gap coverage for nearly two consecutive months so long as the coverage ends and starts in each month. Some health insurance providers follow a calendar month cycle, meaning that coverage continues until the last day of the month even if a traveler finishes an assignment in the first week of the month.

Exemption for Gaps in Coverage

Though the penalty applies for any month an individual does not have coverage, there is an exemption available for those whose coverage gap is less than three consecutive months. This exemption is only allowed once a calendar year so if the exemption is used in the early part of the year, it cannot be used again in the latter part. If there is a second gap in coverage during the calendar year, a separate “hardship exemption” can be requested. “Hardship” exemptions include a number of specific situations including a death of a family member or bankruptcy filings; however, most all of them require some form of documentation. Hardship exemptions are filed separately from the annual tax return unlike the regular exemptions.

Since the ACA regulations incorporate a one day = one month convention, a traveler could have almost 5 months of coverage gaps and still qualify for the exemption, so long as the coverage ended sometime during Month 1 and coverage with a new policy began in Month 5.

Coverage gaps that extend through one calendar year and into the next have a specific counting rule.

If a traveler does not carry coverage the last two months of the year, when they file their tax return for that year, they report a two month gap in coverage which would qualify for a regular exemption. The counting for the second year incorporates the previous year end gap.

EXAMPLE: If the traveler continues without coverage for the first two months of the second year, they will be considered to have a gap in coverage for 4 months in that year and be subject to the penalty. A peculiar situation can arise when a traveler gaps coverage in November, December and January. For the first year, there is a two month gap which is covered under the regular exemptions. For the second year, the gap is a three month gap, again, covered under the regular exemptions; however, since the regular exemption is used, a subsequent second gap in that calendar year requires a hardship exemption.

Filing Taxes

Since ACA compliance disclosure is incorporated in the annual tax return filing, it adds another layer of complexity to set of forms required with each return. Most taxpayers will receive Form 1095 that evidences health insurance coverage. An additional form currently being developed will be used to report the information on the 1095 series forms when the return is filed. Search and download forms HERE.

Would you like to learn more?

Check out the TOP 10 Questions for Travel Nurses on Taxes.

By The Gypsy Nurse

January 9, 2015

8967 Views

Things To Do in San Antonio

Posted on January 9, 2015April 20, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

When you’re in a new City, finding the ‘Best’ things to see or do takes a bit of research.

Avoid the time-consuming research by taking these suggestions for Things to Do in San Antonio from one of the Network group members, Deana.

Restaurants

Kimura – Ramen downtown by pecan street and Riverwalk (Great food)
Rita’s On the River- Riverwalk, Great food and Pitchers of Margaritas less than $30
Vegeria – vegan tex mex (didn’t try)
Mi Tierra’s – off the market square (awesome experience and great food)
La Margarita’s – also off the market square. Liked Mi tierra’s better
Green Vegetarian Cuisine – Pearl District, Didn’t try
LaGloria – Also in Pearl District, didn’t try, but it gets rave reviews
Bun n barrel –didn’t try
Roberto’s taco shop-didn’t try
El Chapparal- In Helotes off of Bandera Rd. – Live music in the evenings, wonderful atmosphere and food.
The Grist Mill in Gruene is great!
There are quite a few restaurants off the riverwalk. Joe’s crab shack is one, Dick’s bar is another. Sometimes there’s coupons in the current magazine.
Big Lou’s Pizza- Awesome pizza. Has wagon wheeled size pizza for around 99 bucks. Get a much smaller one if there’s just 2 people. Will feed an army.
Lots of chains – Whataburger started in Corpus Christi, Taco Cabana is a san Antonio starter, Las palapas is great!
Umai Misa is an awesome Asian restaurant. There’s a few shops in the little shopping center too. Also has a painting class similar to Pinot’s Pallette, Latin Dance Lessons, and a cool coffee shop.
Chocolateka off of 1604 is a chocolate bar!

Things to do

Riverwalk – There’s riverboat tours until 9pm.
TheMissions including the Alamo- there are 5 I think. Takes all day to see every one.
Visitor’s center on the Riverwalk close to Alamo has lots of pamphlets.
The governor’s palace is downtown.
There is also a church downtown that is awesome.
Pearl Brewery District.- The brewery has been closed for a while but they are building a nice hip area with shops and food. There’s a cool coffee shop down there.
The Buddhist temple by mission ranch is Chua Phuoc Hue, 6292 Lockhill Road, San Antonio it has an awesome garden with statues
There is a Japanese Tea Garden next to the Zoo.
Of course Sea World and Fiesta Texas (six flags are here) they may have some Christmas stuff going on.
If you want to learn salsa, Arjon’s Dance Studio is a nice little Cabaret. Sundays for $5 cover from I think 7-9 there is salsa lessons. Drinks are $1. This was a cool activity for me and another travel nurse.
Incarnate Word put their Christmas lights up last week. I haven’t been able to go yet.
Tejas Rodeo Awesome!! Rodeos run from March to early November. Dancing included.
Tons of festivals are usually going on somewhere.
New Braunfels and Gruene are nice little towns. Live music in Gruene. There’s also 2 wineries there.
There is Floor country store dance hall in Helotes close to El chaparral.
Cowboys dance hall has concerts, dancing and other stuff like pbr going on.
Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels in the summer- biggest Water Park I’ve seen.

Shopping

The shops at La Cantera are good.
Ingram mall
There is a couple of shopping centers down Huebner. Take a right onto Huebner from Babcock.
Past HEB and around I 10 there’s a Walmart, Sam’s, Specs (Nothing but liquor) and some other chain favorites. There is also a couple of small Walmarts on Bandera on the way to Helotes.
Ingram Mall I think that’s the one on 410 has a decent mall.
Market Square on Commerce-Like Little Mexico, Can Barter with shop owners.
Buc-cees’- New Braunfels, Biggest Gas Station Ever!

Movies

Alamo draft house (you can order food and drinks from your seat in the movie).
Paladium has a nice bar and restaurant in it. Alvin and the chipmunk statues are there.
Bijou Cinema- similar to Alamo draft house, but has independent films.

Bars

Little Woodrow’s-on Babcock. Nice sports bar.
Moses Roses Hideout next to jimmy john’s on Houston by the Alamo- awesome burgers
There’s chains like Bar Louie’s and Stone Werks and YardHouse and some others that are pretty nice to go to.
There is a bar in the Tower of America’s. Like the space needle. $8 cash to park in their lot. They have a happy hour.
Friendly Spot is downtown and is family and pet friendly.

Parks (Dog Friendly)

Phil Hardberger Park, There are two Sides.
Spend a weekend morning at one of San Antonio’s dog parks. Come on out and meet puppies, dogs, and people of all breeds.
Great way for both you and Fido to make lasting friends! See a full list here: http://www.sanantoniodoglife.com/dog-parks

A Huge “Thank You” to Deana for sharing this list. Do you have other suggestions for san Antonio? Have a similar list for another city? Please share! If you would like to have your City To Do list published, get in touch!

By The Gypsy Nurse

October 14, 2014

9253 Views

A Travel Nurse Volunteer in Cambodia

Posted on October 14, 2014April 20, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

The following was contributed by Kaitlin, a Travel Nurse volunteer in Cambodia. She recently completed a volunteer medical trip to Cambodia and shares some highlights of her experience below. If you have a volunteer trip that you would like to share, please send us an email!

About Kaitlin

“I’m from St. Petersburg, Florida and have been working as an ICU nurse for a number of years. I recently took up travel nursing this year to see more the country and schedule time off to volunteer abroad. I’m currently residing in Scottsdale, Arizona.”– Kaitlin Shanklin RN, BSN, CCRN

We’ve all experienced burnout in the nursing field, even if we switch specialties and take a vacation. For me, nursing in the states started becoming very corporate, and I was taking care of patients and families who were self-entitled and always right, leaving me with little autonomy and emotionally exhausted.I love nursing. I love the opportunities that nursing has given me. I love the patient care. I love learning about someone else’s life. I love watching my critical patients come back 1 year later to thank me. Nursing is a beautiful career, and I couldn’t picture myself doing much of anything else. But after five years at the bedside, I decided to take my nursing abroad. I decided to be a travel nurse volunteer. International Medical Relief is an organization that I stumbled upon while looking to vacation in Thailand. I decided to base my vacation in Southeast Asia and end it with a medical mission to Cambodia. I put down my deposit and gathered donations for my big trip. A year later, in September 2014, I found myself traveling throughout Thailand and Cambodia with a friend for 2 weeks, and then I was solo for about a week while I waited to meet up with everyone from the mission.

Who is International Medical Relief?

International Medical Relief partners up with the Song Saa Foundation, a part of Song Saa Private Island in Cambodia. The Song Saa Foundation assists several villages of the Koh Rong Islands with environmental restoration and education. International Medical Relief is one of the first medical teams to come to these islands to assist these villages with medical care. Each day we would bring around 15 suitcases packed full of medical supplies to a boat & ride to a village, unpack, and start our day. International Medical Relief is there to provide medicine and care and educate the population on oral health care, hand washing & women’s health, a focus for this current mission. Public health education is one of the most important things International Medical Relief brings to the table. The most common problems encountered as volunteers on these islands consisted of arthritic type pain, malnutrition, oral decay, high blood pressure, and dehydration. We saw a handful of HIV positive adults and children, scabies, fungal rashes, bacterial vaginitis, and burns.

Promoting Education

The people that come to the clinic to seek a check-up all left with a multivitamin or something as simple as Ibuprofen or Tylenol, and you know what? They were so incredibly thankful. We taught the children how to wash their hands properly, drink more water, and brush their teeth. We taught women about safe sex and provided condoms.

Any serious issues encountered went to our wonderful doctor. It was hot, and I was sweaty, but we are all so busy assisting the village people that it’s amazing how quickly you don’t care anymore and how the entire experience changes you. The children are adorable, the adults are thankful & I am in awe at their impact on these people’s lives.

This trip changed me.

It made me less materialistic & brought back my empathy as a burnt-out nurse. It had changed my course of life to changing my masters from anesthesia to public health/ NP with international studies included. But not until I go back to Cambodia and make a bigger difference in April.

Just remember what Brad Pitt said;

“Let us be the ones who say we do not accept that a child dies every three seconds simply because he does not have the drugs you and I have. Let us be the ones to say we are not satisfied that your place of birth determines your right for life. Let us be outraged, let us be loud, let us be bold.”

Until next time…

If you are interested in more travel Nurse volunteer stories, please check out the recent Travel Nurse in Liberia series. Again, if you would like to share your volunteer experiences, please send us an email!

By Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

May 22, 2014

8543 Views

Talking Travel Nurse Taxes- The State Tax Return

Posted on May 22, 2014January 26, 2023 by Joseph Smith @ Travel Tax

But I Didn’t Work There!!

…and similar comments about travel nurse taxes and state tax returns….

In previous articles, I have pointed out the difference between a permanent residence and a tax residence; and how this distinction is the main source of confusion among travelers, recruiters and staffing agencies who try to determine whether travel reimbursements can be excluded from taxable wages.

In this article, I want to focus on the permanent residence side of things and how it affects the filing of state tax returns. When travelers work in a states other than their permanent residence, a common mistake that tax preparers and travelers make is focusing too much where the income is earned vs. where the traveler is domiciled. “Domicile” and a permanent residence are closely related and for the purpose of this article, I will treat them synonymously. While they are slightly different concepts, travelers tend to have their permanent residence and domicile in the same place.

A person has domicile in the state where his legal ties are more closely aligned. A driver’s license, car registration, voter registration and resident professional licenses are significant connections to a state. These ties are often established long before a traveler begins their career and state tax agencies view these as significant proof of residency in a state. An individual files their “resident” tax return, not based on where they earn their income, but where their permanent residence/domically ties are strongest. There are three additional reasons that this applies

Travelers are working “away from home”. They are not moving, but temporarily “mobilizing” to an assignment location. The fact that they do not earn income in their home state has no bearing on whether they file in their home state or not. Further, when travelers receive tax free reimbursements for lodging and meals, they are usually attesting to the agency that they maintain a residence in their home state.
Almost every state has statues or regulations establishing a “presumption” that a taxpayer’s domicile will continue until the taxpayer BOTH severs all significant residential/domically ties AND establishes new domiciliary ties with their new state. It’s not enough to simply abandon a residence but establish a new one.
For nurses domiciled in a compact state, the filing of a resident tax return is universally expected for renewal or validity. Nursing boards and state tax agencies readily exchange information and some states treat tax delinquency as a basis for non-renewal of a license.

The take away:

Travelers report worldwide income to their home state as full year residents and receive credits for taxes paid to other states (unless a reciprocity rule applies). If the tax rate of the home state is higher than the work state, the difference in tax must be paid to the home state. The fact that one does not work at home does not change this.

Would you like to learn more?

Check out the TOP 10 Questions for Travel Nurses on Taxes.

Related Posts

5 Ways to Improve Lack of Motivation and Depression

Make 2023 Your Healthiest Year Yet: Tips and Advice for Travel Nurses

Travel Nurse Mental Health: Taking Care of Yourself

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Text, Twitter®, Facebook® and Email! Oh My!

Happy Traveling, my friends!

Related Posts

Famous Tourist Spots in Central America

It is Possible to Take a Travel Nurse assignment with a Family

Things to Never Leave Home Without When Traveling With a Dog.

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Paying Multi-state Taxes

If your home state has a higher tax rate, you have a gap to fill.

Related Posts

Ask A Travel Nurse: Can I Rent Out My Tax Home?

Travel Nurse Taxes: The Case for Extensions

ACA Tax Implications for Travelers

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Would you like to learn more?

Related Posts

Welcome to Tax Filing Season

Talking Taxes: The “Abandonment” Issue Regarding Tax Homes, Part 2

Can You Work as a Travel Nurse Without a Home Base?

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

How it all began……

Sverige (Sweden)

I started working and actually getting a paycheck just over a year ago 🙂

Related Posts

A Travel Nurse Volunteer in Cambodia

Volunteering In Liberia: Educating the Community on Ebola

Volunteering in Liberia: Understanding the Risks

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Would you like to learn more?

Related Posts

Talking Taxes: The “Abandonment” Issue Regarding Tax Homes, Part 2

10 Things the Big Beautiful Bill Has for Travelers

What’s the Difference between W2 and 1099 for Travel Nurses?

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Related Posts

Relief for Nursing School Loan – Forgiveness Options Part 1

Great Cities for Travel Nurses in 2024

A Comprehensive Guide to Washington, D.C. for Travel Healthcare Professionals

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Who is International Medical Relief?

Promoting Education

Related Posts

Famous Tourist Spots in Central America

Becoming an International Nurse in The UK

A Travel Nurse Volunteer in Liberia: Simple Acts of Kindness

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Would you like to learn more?

Related Posts

I Use an RV for Travel Nursing– Can I Deduct The Expenses?

Talking Taxes: The Tax Home “Abandonment” Issue

Travel Nurse Taxes & The 50-Mile Rule.

Categories

Travel Healthcare Jobs

Recent Articles

Sign Up for Our Community Newsletter Today

Nurses Week